Keeping your WordPress site updated is one of the most important things you can do as a website owner. WordPress updates allow you to upgrade the core software, plugins and themes to newer versions that fix bugs, close security holes and add helpful new features.
After 15 years of experience managing hundreds of WordPress sites, I‘ve seen firsthand how vital updates are for security, performance and using all the latest features. Let me explain everything you need to know about WordPress updates from an expert perspective.
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Why You Should Always Update WordPress
Outdated, vulnerable software is amongst the biggest threats facing any WordPress site. WordPress developers work tirelessly to release constant security patches and feature updates:
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Over 200 vulnerabilities are patched per year on average as per the WordPress Developer Blog.
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Sites using the latest WordPress get compromised at a fraction of the rate of outdated installations according to Wordfence. For example, during 2021, WordPress sites on 5.8 had a compromise rate of only 0.0012% versus 0.132% for sites still on 4.6.
Beyond security, major WordPress releases add helpful new functionality that improves the CMS over time:
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The block editor added in WordPress 5.0 gave us a modern editing experience.
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The customizer improved theme design flexibility tremendously when introduced years back.
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Under the hood changes like embracing JavaScript frontends in 5.0 lead to big performance gains.
Simply put – updating WordPress, plugins and themes makes your site safer, faster and gives you better tools. Take advantage of the ongoing progress!
Where to Find Pending Updates
The WordPress dashboard makes it easy to see when updates await:
Dashboard > Updates
This screen shows:
- Available WordPress core updates
- Out of date plugins
- Themes needing upgrades
For plugins and themes you can update one-by-one or bulk update for convenience.
Major core updates like 5.0→5.1 show individually while minor versions like 5.1.1 show under the "WordPress Updates" heading.
How to Update WordPress Safely
When dealing with updates, the two priorities are:
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Avoid site downtime – Perform updates smoothly without breaking anything.
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Have a backup plan – If an update does go wrong, you can roll back quickly.
Here are my recommended best practices for safe, seamless WordPress updates:
Incrementally Update Plugins/Themes
Don‘t bulk update everything at once. Update your plugins and themes one at a time.
This way if a problem emerges, you can pinpoint the culprit and deactivate it. Updating all plugins together makes troubleshooting harder.
Test Extensively on Staging Sites
For major WordPress releases, test the update on a staging copy of your site first. Once you‘ve confirmed it works smoothly, deploy the update on your production site.
Backup Your Site Before Each Update
No update is risk-free. Having a recent backup lets you roll back quickly if something breaks.
Closely Follow Developer Recommendations
Sometimes updates require deactivating certain plugins temporarily. Follow all recommendations from WordPress developers to avoid conflicts.
Budget Time for Testing and Rollback
Schedule updates when you have a window for testing uptime and performance after. Have time allocated for potential rollback too.
Maintaining Older Sites
For older sites still on very outdated versions like WordPress 4.6, extra caution is required with updating:
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Check that your plugins and themes support the latest WordPress – if not, delay updating those until compatibility versions are available.
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Updating plugins/themes built for much older WordPress can potentially cause conflicts. Test extensively.
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Improperly-coded plugins and themes may break entirely when updating legacy sites. Thoroughly verify functionality after updating.
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Jumping multiple versions at once (e.g 4.6→5.8) heightens the risks. Consider incrementally updating the core to ease the transition.
While keeping an old site updated takes more care, it remains crucial. The security risks and missing features on legacy WordPress are too great to ignore.
Why You Should Never Skip Updates
While WordPress updates demand some time and effort, they are absolutely vital for a healthy site. Skipping updates can have serious consequences:
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On outdated WordPress, over 100 security vulnerabilities could be unpatched and exploitable.
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Missing features and optimizations means your site performs slower over time.
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Bugs go unfixed, leading to strange behavior and errors on your site.
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You miss out on thousands of improvements made to WordPress each year.
The bottom line is keeping your site updated takes diligence – but pays off tremendously in security and functionality. Don‘t delay those pending updates!
I hope this WordPress updates guide provides you a helpful overview from an expert perspective. Let me know if you have any other questions!
