To keep your WordPress functional, you need to update plugins as soon as new versions are released. Although updating WordPress plugins is easy and only takes a few minutes, you can easily break your website if you don’t do it properly. To prevent such outcomes from happening, you need to implement best practices for WordPress plugin updates. In this article, we explain how to update WordPress plugins the right way while protecting your site.
Updating WordPress plugins is a necessity if you want your website to run smoothly. Just like the apps on your phone, you cannot run WordPress on outdated plugin versions. Whether it is a contact form, membership plugin, or SEO tools, they are constantly being improved by their developers. Therefore, updating plugins ensures you are running your website on the latest version.
WordPress comes with a built-in system for automatic plugin updates. This system automatically checks for updates and shows you a notification when new versions or updates of your plugins, themes, and core software are available. Once you receive these notifications, you can go ahead and manually update your WordPress plugins.
To manually update your WordPress plugin, go to the Dashboard » Updates page in the admin area. This will provide a list of plugins that need updating. Select the plugins that you want to update and click Update plugin. You can also visit the Plugins » Installed Plugins page. Then click Update Now in each plugin that has a notification with updates available to install.
Yes, WordPress allows you to update plugins in bulk. However, this is not always the safest approach, as updating multiple plugins at once can result in an issue with your website, and you will not be able to identify which update caused it. A WordPress website can easily break after a bulk update, and you may end up spending hours trying to figure out which plugin caused the problem. While this option is readily available, it is usually best to manually update one plugin at a time. Therefore, if an issue arises, you can tell which update caused it and make the necessary changes.
If you still want to update your WordPress plugins in bulk, visit the Plugins » Installed Plugins page. Then click on the ‘Update Available’ link to get a list of all plugins that have updates available. Select all plugins by clicking the ‘Plugin’ checkbox at the top of the list. You can now choose ‘Update’ from the Bulk Actions dropdown menu.
Once you click update on a plugin, WordPress takes only a few seconds to a minute to update the changes. The changes will usually appear immediately after clearing your browser and any site caches. Unlike themes and core files that can take longer, plugin updates are quick and easy to execute.
If a plugin update has resulted in an issue with your website or produce unexpected results, you may want to undo the update. For instance, some features of the plugin may stop working properly, or your website may experience some downtime.
To undo the update, you will first need to deactivate that plugin. If you can access the Plugins page in the WordPress admin area, click on the ‘Deactivate’ link below the misbehaving plugin. Then install and activate the WP Rollback plugin, which allows you to roll back the changes to the previous plugin version.
Updating your WordPress plugins is easy and takes only a few minutes. However, sometimes you may lack the time to maintain your website or face issues after updating a plugin. At WP Depend, we take care of everything in your WordPress site, including updates, security, maintenance, and more. Get in touch with us today for inquiries or guidance on how to benefit from our services.
A seasoned technology writer and marketing consultant with over a decade of experience helping businesses grow online. I specialize in content marketing, SEO, web design, and e-commerce development. I am enthusiastic about using cutting-edge technology to acquire high-quality traffic, generate leads, and increase sales for my clients.
