How to Update WordPress, Themes, and Plugins

Keeping WordPress, your themes, and your plugins updated is one of the most important things you can do to keep your site secure and running smoothly. Most security vulnerabilities in WordPress are caused by outdated software - so staying current is essential.

How to Check for and Apply Updates

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Dashboard > Updates.
2. This page shows you all available updates - for WordPress core, plugins, and themes.
3. To update WordPress core, click Update Now under the WordPress section.
4. To update plugins, check the boxes next to the plugins you want to update (or select all), and click Update Plugins.
5. To update themes, check the boxes next to the themes you want to update and click Update Themes.

Before You Update

While updates are generally safe, it's always a good idea to back up your site before applying major updates - especially WordPress core version updates. dotCanada provides JetBackup through cPanel, which lets you restore your site from a recent backup if anything goes wrong.

Automatic Updates

WordPress can be configured to apply minor updates automatically. Go to Dashboard > Updates and look for the option to enable automatic updates for maintenance and security releases. Many security-only updates are applied automatically by default.

You can also enable automatic updates for individual plugins from the Plugins > Installed Plugins screen by clicking Enable auto-updates next to each plugin.

What If an Update Breaks Something?

If a plugin or theme update causes an issue on your site, you can deactivate the plugin or switch themes temporarily, then restore a backup. dotCanada's JetBackup makes restoring a previous version of your site straightforward. If you need help, contact our support team right away.