How Do You Update WordPress Core?

Similar to a car engine is WordPress core. We prefer to leave the mending to the professionals whenever we need it fixed. We ought to know how to fix a breakdown if it occurs in the middle of nowhere, though.

Similarly, it is preferable to update your website using a staging site or by using BlogVault’s auto-update tool, which first creates a backup of your site. Important security and bug fixes are included in WordPress upgrades, along with other general enhancements.

A WordPress website can be built once, but ongoing maintenance is required. A vital maintenance task is making sure your website is running the most recent WordPress version.

Your WordPress website should be upgraded regularly. You can use the simple-to-use infographic we made as a reference tool.

Why Update WordPress

Your WordPress website should continually be updated, including plugins, themes, and core software. Your site’s functionality, performance, compatibility, and — most crucially — security can all be enhanced by updating your core files.

Major version upgrades, maintenance releases, and security updates are all released by WordPress regularly. These releases might include upgrades, bug patches, and remedies for more serious security flaws.

A global group of developers actively maintains WordPress. These programmers routinely look for security holes, add new features, and find and correct bugs. After these updates, a new version of WordPress is released.

If it is not a significant upgrade, WordPress can update itself to the newest version automatically. For critical updates, you must manually begin the upgrade process if you are not using managed WordPress hosting.

To guarantee that your website has the newest features, the most recent security upgrades, and the best speed and performance, you must update it.

What to Do Before You Update WordPress Manually

Manually updating WordPress is an essential chore for maintaining the operation and security of your website. Before you proceed with a manual update, it’s essential to take certain precautions to prevent any potential issues. Here’s a checklist of things to do before you update WordPress manually:

Backup Your Website:

Before making any changes, create a complete website backup, including the database and all files. This ensures you can restore your site if anything goes wrong during the update process. You can use backup plugins or do it manually via cPanel or your hosting provider’s backup tools.

Check System Requirements:

The hosting environment meets the minimum requirements for the new WordPress version you’re updating. This includes PHP and MySQL versions, among others.

Update Themes and Plugins:

Ensure all your themes and plugins are current and compatible with the new WordPress version. Using outdated themes and plugins can make your site inoperable after an update by causing compatibility problems.

Disable Caching:

If you use any caching plugins or services, temporarily disable them to prevent caching conflicts during the update process. Caching can sometimes display outdated content or interfere with the update.

Note Customizations:

If you’ve made customizations to your theme’s files (e.g., custom CSS, functions.php), take note of these changes. You may need to reapply them after the update.

Check for Child Themes:

If you’re using a child theme, ensure it’s compatible with the new WordPress version. If not, you should update the child theme before updating WordPress.

Review Your Settings:

Take a moment to review your WordPress settings, especially those related to permalinks, reading settings, and discussion settings. Ensure they are configured as you want them to be.

Deactivate All Plugins:

To avoid conflicts during the update, deactivate all plugins. You can reactivate them after the update is successful.

Download the Latest WordPress Version:

Visit the WordPress.org website to download the most recent version. Save it to your computer.

Prepare for Maintenance Mode:

Consider enabling a maintenance mode plugin or creating a maintenance page to inform visitors that your site is undergoing maintenance.

FTP/SSH Access Information:

Ensure you have FTP or SSH credentials to access your website’s files. You may need these if anything goes wrong during the update.

Test the Update in a Staging Environment:

Perform the update in a staging environment first to ensure everything goes smoothly without affecting your live site. This is particularly important for complex or heavily customized websites.

Once you’ve completed these steps and are confident that your site is ready for the update, you can proceed with the manual update. Follow the official WordPress documentation for detailed instructions on updating WordPress manually using FTP or SSH.

After the update, thoroughly test your website to ensure everything functions correctly. If difficulties occur, you can utilize your backup to restore your website to its prior condition while you investigate and fix the issues.

How to Update WordPress Core

Regular maintenance is necessary to keep your website safe and up-to-date with the newest features and upgrades. This includes updating the WordPress core. You can update WordPress core in several ways: automatically through the WordPress admin dashboard or manually via FTP or SSH. Here’s how to do it:

Automatic Update (Through WordPress Admin Dashboard):

Backup Your Website: Before performing any updates, it’s always a good practice to create a backup of your website. This ensures you can restore your site in case something goes wrong during the update.
Log In to Your WordPress Dashboard: Access your WordPress admin area by visiting your website’s URL and “/wp-admin” (e.g., www.yourwebsite.com/wp-admin).
Check for Updates: Go to the “Dashboard” option in the WordPress dashboard and select “Updates.” Here, you will see if there’s a new version of WordPress available.
Update WordPress: If there’s a new version available, click the “Update Now” button. WordPress will download and install the update automatically.
Wait for the Update to Complete: This procedure could take only a few seconds or a few minutes, depending on your internet speed and the amount of the update. Once the update has been successfully applied, WordPress will show a success message.
Verify Your Site: After completing the update, check your website to ensure everything works as expected. Test various pages, functionality, and plugins to ensure no compatibility issues.

Remember that manual updates require more technical knowledge and should be done carefully. If you’re uncomfortable with the process, it’s a good idea to seek assistance from a developer or your hosting provider.

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