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WordPress powers over 43% of all websites for a reason: it's open source, supported by a vast community, and almost infinitely extensible. However, with great power comes responsibility and potential risk–WordPress is a target for hackers, due mainly to its popularity. Fortunately, WordPress is a highly secure platform for maintaining your installation. Maintaining a regular update schedule – including the WordPress core, themes, and plugins- is a significant security factor.

WordPress, Themes, Plugins Updates

With the above in mind, this article will cover everything you need to know about updating WordPress core, themes, and plugins. We'll start by explaining in greater detail why keeping everything updated is so important, then walk you through the best process for updating.

Overview

Why Keeping WordPress Updated Matters

Staying on top of updates is crucial for any WordPress site owner. Updates not only deliver new features or design tweaks; they also fix security vulnerabilities and ensure your site's compatibility with the latest versions of PHP, plugins, themes, and other industry-related technologies. Ignoring updates can lead to performance issues, display errors, and even security breaches. Key benefits of regular updates include:

  • Improved security: Maintenance releases for newly disclosed security vulnerabilities.
  • Enhanced performance: Faster loading and optimized features.
  • Better compatibility: Reduce conflicts between the WordPress core, themes, and plugins.
  • Access to new features: Benefit from the latest WordPress enhancements and newly introduced functionality.

Preparing Your Website for Updates

Before you click that "Update" button, taking proactive steps to ensure nothing breaks is a good idea. Here's how to prepare:

1: Backup Your Website

  • Use a reliable backup plugin or your hosting platform's built-in backup system to make a complete copy of your site. There are three top-rated backup plugins explored in this article that you can try.
  • For extra safety, store backups offsite (e.g., in cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox).

2: Use a Staging Environment

  • If your hosting plan offers a staging site, test updates there first. Confirm that everything works correctly, including theme styling, plugin functionality, and site speed, before pushing changes live.
  • For all Avada users, and as part of your purchase, you can install Avada on a staging site without needing an additional license. For detailed information and allowed subdomain patterns, please check the licensing FAQs.

3: Review The Release Notes And Changelog

  • Always check the WordPress release notes to see what's incoming and changing. This helps you anticipate potential conflicts, mainly if you rely on older or heavily customized third-party plugins.
  • Avada users should also always check the detailed changelog before each release, as it provides a detailed overview of features, fixes, and improvements included with each update.
  • Additionally, each time a new version of Avada is released, an accompanying important update information help file details all items to take particular note of.
  • Lastly, check the Avada–What's New page as a go-to resource for all things new in Avada for the latest updates.

How to Update the WordPress Core

WordPress core updates come in two flavors: major (e.g., from 6.1 to 6.2) and minor (e.g., from 6.2.1 to 6.2.2).

Avada

1: Automatic Updates for Minor Releases

  • WordPress automatically deploys minor security and maintenance releases by default. This setting reduces the risk of hacks or conflicts caused by small but critical updates.
  • You can also opt-in to auto-update major releases. However, note that this (opt-in) could introduce breaking changes if your theme or plugins aren't ready for the new version.

2: Manual Updates for Major Releases

  • When a major version is released, you'll see an Update notification in your WordPress dashboard (WordPress Dashboard > Updates).

  • Click "Update to version…" (after backing up, of course!). Major updates often include feature additions, performance improvements, and visual changes to the Dashboard or block editor.

  • WordPress changes are viewable for each release. You can, for example, (WordPress 6.7.2) check notes, the changelog here, and the detail Trac list.

3: Verify Your Site Post-Update

  • After updating, browse a few pages and test interactive Elements like forms, sliders, or eCommerce functions to confirm everything is working smoothly.
  • If you run into errors, you can temporarily roll back to your backup and troubleshoot from there.

How To Update WordPress Themes

Your theme controls your site's layout, design, and overall feel. Keeping your theme updated is just as vital as updating WordPress core. Modern theme updates often deliver:

  • Maintenance & security patches: Close vulnerabilities specific to your theme's codebase. Avada, for example, has the Avada Patcher built in, allowing the development team to deploy maintenance patches at short notice without needing a full theme update.
  • Feature enhancements: Faster loading and optimized features.
  • Compatibility updates: To ensure seamless integration with the latest WordPress core or popular third-party plugins.

Steps to Update Your Theme

Proper preparation is key to smooth WordPress theme updates. You can avoid compatibility issues, data loss, and downtime by using a staging site, backing up your site, checking plugin compatibility, and reviewing the update changelog.

This proactive approach keeps your site secure, functional, and optimized after each update. Please check this article for a detailed overview of how to update your theme.

1: Check the Theme's Release Notes

  • Most premium themes (should) provide a changelog or release notes of some kind. Glance over it to see what features or fixes are added, and it will guide you on how updates could affect your site's functionality or style.
  • Each time a new version of Avada is released, an accompanying important update information help file details all items to take particular note of. You should also always check the changelog for each Avada new release, which provides a detailed overview of features, fixes, and improvements included with each update.

2: Test The Updates on a Staging Site

  • Test WordPress and theme updates on a staging site first to protect your live website. This approach lets you safely apply changes, spot conflicts, and resolve them before affecting real users.
  • Many hosting companies offer staging services and can be set up automatically as part of your hosting plan. SiteGround offers a Staging setup as a part of their full-service WordPress hosting.
  • For all Avada users, and as part of your purchase, you can install Avada on a staging site without needing an additional license. For detailed information and allowed subdomain patterns, please check the licensing FAQs.

3: Implement a Backup Strategy

  • Once you've evaluated the update, your next step is to back up your production site. While major issues are unlikely, a backup gives you peace of mind and a rollback option if anything does go wrong.
  • We've previously covered the subject of backups in a little more detail, including info on robust solutions such as UpdraftPlus and VaultPress.

How To Update WordPress Plugins

Plugins add functionality to your site, whether SEO, forms, eCommerce, or security. Like the core and theme updates, plugins also need attention to ensure everything stays compatible.

Best Practices for Plugin Updates

Regularly checking for updates to maintain security and performance and testing the plugin updates on a staging environment before applying them to the live site is good practice. Updating your WordPress plugins minimizes security vulnerabilities and ensures a seamless experience for your website visitors.

1: Update Plugins Regularly

  • Delaying plugin updates can lead to compatibility issues and potential security risks.
  • If you run an eCommerce store or membership site, an outdated plugin might break payment processes or user logins—so stay current.

2: Update Plugins in Small Batches

  • If multiple WordPress plugins have updates, consider updating them one or two at a time. If a conflict arises, you'll know which plugin caused the problem.

3: Delete Unused Plugins

  • Deactivating and deleting plugins you no longer use keeps your website lean and reduces potential security vulnerabilities.
  • Regularly audit your plugins to see if there's overlap in functionality (for example, you don't need three different form builder plugins).

4: Review Plugin Compatibility

  • Before updating, check the plugin's compatibility with your current WordPress version. Most reputable developers update their plugins in sync with major WordPress releases.

Troubleshooting Common Update Issues

Even with careful preparation, issues can sometimes pop up. Here's how to troubleshoot some of the most common ones:

  • White Screen of Death: Often related to a theme or plugin conflict. Disable all plugins via FTP or your hosting control panel, then re-enable them individually to locate the culprit.

  • PHP Errors: Check your site's error logs in your hosting dashboard or via FTP. Update your PHP version (recommended 7.4 or higher) if needed.

  • Broken Layouts: Clear your cache, re-save your permalinks, and ensure CSS files are loading correctly.

If you're still stuck, contact your hosting support or theme/plugin developer with the specific error message or steps to reproduce the issue.

Post-Update Maintenance

Once your site is fully updated, it's good practice to do a quick maintenance round:

  • Optimize The Database: Use a database optimization plugin to clean up post revisions, spam comments, and other clutter.

  • Check Security Settings: Run a quick security scan with a trusted plugin to confirm that no vulnerabilities appeared after the update.

  • Review Site Speed: Perform a speed test (e.g., with Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix) to ensure solid performance. We suggest using the Avada Performance Wizard for Avada users to evaluate the website's performance and make improvements.

  • Backup Again: If everything is running smoothly post-update, take a fresh backup in the event you want to restore this "clean" version later.

Summary

Updating your WordPress core, themes, and plugins keeps your site secure, fast, and user-friendly. You can keep everything running smoothly without risking downtime by following a simple process—backing up, using a staging environment, and updating in small, manageable steps. With these best practices in place, your WordPress site will be ready to grow and adapt to the ever-evolving digital landscape.

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