Know The Ways To Update WordPress : The Ultimate Guide

Know The Ways To Update WordPress

Similar to Genesis, there are constant updates to the WordPress platform itself to mend bugs and ensure security, speed, and compatibility. Ensure to update WordPress when a fresh release is existing to retain your website up-to-date.

The real update process is extremely fast and simple; though there are some things you should do prior to updating to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Before Updating WordPress

Prior to performing any modifications to your WordPress portal, it’s important to be ready for any probable missteps. This comprises backing up your files and turning off any plugins that may interfere with WordPress:

Create total WordPress backup – errors incline to occur at the most unfortunate moments. Backups stop permanent data depletion and function as a fallback scheme when you’re changing or updating your website and something goes awry.

Disable all of your plugins – there are moments when new alterations in  WordPress are not compliant with specific plugins that you possess. This can cause an unapproachable website. By disabling them, you can avoid the issue from occurring after you update WordPress. This is particularly true for caching plugins as they can possibly interfere with WordPress installation.

How To Update The WordPress Core?

If this is your initial  time upgrading WordPress core, the entire process is much easier than you might imagine.

You can approach this in 4 ways and each method is listed here.

1. Updating WordPress Through The Admin Dashboard

admin dashboard

This involves by far the simplest way to update WordPress since it’s just a click away.

You simply have to log in to your WordPress dashboard. Then, examine if there is a notification of core update at the page’s top.

Choose the “Please update now” to begin the process. You’ll be transported to the Updates page where you’ll have to select the Update Now button one more time.

If it’s just a minor update, you will be displayed a “success message” together with the plugin and theme update choices.

On the contrary, if it’s a leading WordPress release, you will view the welcome screen with an exhaustive summary description of what has been upgraded.

Now you can continue to update your entire themes and plugins to ensure they comply with the most recent version of WordPress.

Pro Tip: You can even update your WordPress version quickly from the hPanel. After you’ve gained access to  your account, just navigate to Dashboard below the WordPress segment. Scroll downwards and you’ll view the “Install the latest WordPress version” option.

Also Read: Best WordPress Resume Themes 

2. Updating WordPress Manually Through FTP

Know The Ways To Update WordPress

Manually updating WordPress is useful when you’re unable to achieve it through the admin dashboard irrespective of the reason.

This method requires you to use either an FTP client, like FileZilla, or the File Manager from your hosting control panel. You just need access to your WordPress root directory.

You’ll need to overwrite the aged WordPress core files – wp-admin and wp-includes – with the latest ones. The following displays to you how to perform simply that employing FileZilla:

Download the recent stable version of WordPress and unzip the files on your computer.

Access the pulled folder and strike out the wp-config-sample.php file and wp-content folder to prevent losing crucial data in the process.

Connect and sign in to your WordPress site through FieZilla or your desired FTP client. Scrutinize this tutorial if this is your initial time employing an FTP client.

Locate the available web host wp-admin and wp-includes directories on the panel’s right side (remote site), then right-click to Delete them.

On the panel’s left side (local site), choose the latest wp-admin and wp-includes folder, then click Upload.

Upload the remainder of the WordPress unzipped files from your computer to the web host directory. Overwrite the ancient files by uploading the latest ones to the server. When a confirmation screen of “Target file already exists” comes, ensure the “Always use this action” and “Apply to current queue only” options are highlighted.

When the files are entirely uploaded, go to yoursite.com/wp-admin/upgrade.php/ to scrutinize whether you’ve effectively updated your website to the latest version of WordPress.

Tip: Don’t hurry to replace all inside the WordPress root directory. You can easily lull your site if something is done by you incorrectly, so ensure to follow the tutorial cautiously.

3. Updating WordPress through WP-CLI

Know The Ways To Update WordPress

It is presumed in this part of the tutorial that you already have SSH access to your WordPress root directory in the public_html folder.

After everything is configured, you need to do the following to continue with updating to the current version of WordPress:

After you’ve obtained access to your SSH account, utilize the cd command on to move to your WordPress root directory by employing the following line: cd public_html

Pro Tip: To list your contents of the directory, key in the ls command or type cd~ to modify your directory to home.

Examine if a new WordPress version exists by utilizing this command:

wp core check-update

If a new update is present, you will view a like message

If there are no updates present, you will view the following message instead:

Success: WordPress is at the latest version.

To begin the update, enter the following line:

Wp core update

Wait for the program to finish, and your WordPress will be updated instantly.

Now that you have learnt how to update the core files through WP-CLI, let’s update your database, theme, and plugins. These are the commands to operate, respectively:

wp core update-db

wp theme update–all

wp plugin update–all

After the program has completed processing, operate the earlier commands once more to confirm whether everything is updated properly. It should look like this:

wp plugin update–all success message.

Also Read: Self-Hosted vs Hosted eCommerce Stores: What’s Better for Your Business?

# 4 Automatically Updating WordPress

WordPress instantly updates its portals when minor updates are launched. Nevertheless, major releases can also be set to be instantly updated too.

If you do not possess the technical skills to try out the earlier methods, you can conveniently configure auto-updates employing a plugin like Easy Updates Manager.

You can even activate automatic WordPress updates by inserting a line of code to your wp-config.php file. Do the following:

Login to hPanel and move to File Manager below the Files section.

After you’re in the public_html folder, scroll down and click the wp-config.php.

Push the Edit button situated in the top menu.

Insert or alter the following line:

define(“WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE’, true); command line to the wp-config.php file employing Hostinger’s File Manager.

Click Save after you’re finished.

How To Update WordPress Themes And Plugins?

You will commit a great disfavor to yourself if you leave your themes and plugins uncared after updating your core WordPress files. It might not just lead to undesired errors, but it can even halt working properly completely, messing with the functionality of your site.

For updating your themes and plugins from your WordPress admin dashboard, move to Updates by hovering above the Dashboard menu.

This will direct you to a fresh page where you can update your plugins and themes individually or all at once.

NOTE: Updating your WordPerss theme will remove all the customizations you’ve done to the theme. Prevent losing them by utilizing a child theme, rather than editing the parent theme directly.

Why Update Of WordPress Is Important

Updating your WordPress portal is vital for many reasons. These include:

Improved Security: Latest version updates fix security vulnerabilities and bugs potentially included in the older versions.

Speed: You’ll feel better website loading speed and performance by installing the latest version of WordPress.

Functionality: Updates to WordPress arrive with latest implementation of latest or enhanced life quality features. There’ll be more useful options and tools that can be employed by you to upgrade or increase prorportionally your website.

Compatibility: With latest updates, your site should be more compliant with the latest plugins, themes, or other features.

Conclusion

Though maintaining WordPress updated looks like a challenging task, ways exist to set a planned process in place. This prevents hackers from hacking your site, you’ll never witness downtime, or your site crashing due to updates.

By pursuing the secure method employing a staging site, your site will be updated smoothly each time.

Interesting Reads:

 WooCommerce Apps For Your Online Store

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Winning Strategies For Training Remote Workers

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