How to Update WordPress, Plugins and Themes Safely

Keeping your WordPress site, plugins, and themes up to date is essential for security and performance. However, updates can sometimes break your site if not done carefully. This guide explains how to update everything safely using best practices that minimize risk.

Before Updating: Create a Backup

Always back up your site before performing any updates.

1. In cPanel, go to Files → Backup.
2. Click Download a Full Account Backup to back up your entire hosting account (recommended).
3. Alternatively, download a MySQL database backup from the Download a MySQL Database Backup section.
4. Store the backup file in a safe location on your computer.

The Recommended Update Order

Follow this order to minimize compatibility issues:

1. Plugins first — Update one plugin at a time, test after each update.
2. Themes second — Update the parent theme first, then child themes.
3. WordPress core last — Update after plugins and themes are compatible.

Updating Plugins

1. Log in to your WordPress Dashboard (yourdomain.com/wp-admin).
2. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
3. Look for plugins with an "Update Now" link below their description.
4. Click Update Now on one plugin.
5. Wait for the update to complete, then test your website — visit several pages and check that everything works.
6. Repeat for the next plugin.

Or update from the Updates page:

1. Go to Dashboard → Updates.
2. Select individual plugins or use Select All → Update Plugins.
3. For maximum safety, update one at a time rather than all at once.

Updating Themes

1. Go to Appearance → Themes.
2. Find themes with an update badge.
3. Click Theme Details → Update Now.
4. After updating, check your website layout and functionality.

Updating WordPress Core

1. Go to Dashboard → Updates.
2. If a new WordPress version is available, click Update Now.
3. Wait for the update to finish. Your site will briefly enter maintenance mode.
4. After updating, visit your site and check all functionality.

Enabling Automatic Updates

You can enable auto-updates for WordPress core, plugins, and themes:

• WordPress core: Go to Dashboard → Updates → Enable automatic updates for all new versions.
• Plugins: Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins → Click Enable auto-updates next to any plugin.
• Themes: Go to Appearance → Themes → Click Theme Details → Enable auto-updates.

What to Do If an Update Breaks Your Site

1. Restore from backup: Use the cPanel Backup tool or your backup plugin to restore the previous version.
2. Deactivate plugins: If you suspect a plugin conflict, rename the wp-content/plugins folder via File Manager to disable all plugins, then rename it back and reactivate one by one.
3. Check for compatibility: Visit the plugin or theme page on WordPress.org to check compatibility with your WordPress version.

Important Notes

• Never update all plugins at once on a production site. Update one by one and test after each.
• If your theme uses a child theme, always update the parent theme first.
• Plugins that are deactivated but still installed can still be a security risk. Delete unused plugins entirely.
• After updates, clear any caching plugins and your browser cache.

Troubleshooting

Update button is not appearing:

• Your WordPress version may be too old to support the current update process. Consider a manual update.
• File permissions may prevent WordPress from writing updates. Check that wp-content and its subdirectories have 755 permissions.

"Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance" message persists:

• li>Delete the

White screen after update:

• Increase PHP memory by adding define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'); to wp-config.php.
• Check error logs in cPanel under Metrics → Errors.