Updating your WordPress software version and plugins will help prevent hackers from accessing your website, and the important information stored within it—including your contacts, username and password information, and financial and other important information.
Below is a step-by-step process explaining how to update your WordPress platform to the latest version, as well as update plugins:
Pressing the update button can be scary, especially if you have older themes and plugins on your website that may not be compatible with the new updates.
To prevent compatibility issues, backup both your website files and database prior to updating your software; it allows you to rollback the website if the updates happen to cause any issues. It’s important that you backup your site right before your perform an update, otherwise you must risk restoring the most recent backup on our server which may not be current to your latest changes.
If your website is hosted on another server, backups may not be occurring. Please ask them to backup your data prior to updating WordPress or perform a manual update yourself.
To backup your site manually please see tutorial on the right. To login to your cPanel using: http://yoursite.com/cpanel
NOTE: YOU MUST BACKUP YOUR SITE BEFORE PERFORMING ANY UPDATES TO YOUR WORDPRESS SITE.
Login to your WordPress site using
http://yoursite.com/wp-admin
or
http://yoursite.com/mmclient_admin
Login using your provided username and password.
Remember, you must have administrator level access to perform the update to your site.
Once you’ve logged in you’ll be brought to the WordPress Dashboard. This is where you will check for updates. On the left side of the screen under HOME. If there is an update available continue through to step 4. If there are no updates available you can log out.
This is an important part when updating your site. Not all plugins are compatible with a wordpress update because they are extensions to your site. They may not update as quick as WordPress. You will want to scroll through your list of plugins and make sure they are compatible with the WordPress Version you’re updating to.
The list of plugins are also displayed on the Updates page.
If you’re not sure about the plugin you can view the plugin version details.
Disable any active plugins to ensure the update process is complication-free. Click on Plugins on the left side of your screen under Appearance and select all active plugins. Click Bulk Actions and select Deactivate in the pull-down menu. Click Apply. All plugins are now disabled. (Tip: Note which plugins were active on your website, so that you reactivate only those select ones later on). If you currently are not using any plugins, skip this step and continue to step 6.
After you’ve gone through all your plugins to see if they’re compatible with the WordPress Update, scroll back up to updates page. Once you’re there you’ll see a button that says “Update Now” that will prompt you to update your WordPress Software. This will update your WordPress Software to the latest and most secure software version.
Once the page reads that WordPress has successfully been updated you’ll want to scroll down to where all your plugins are listed.
First you will select all your plugins to update.
You can now click update plugins which will update all plugins on your site.
Once all plugins are successfully updated, go back to the Plugins page to reactivate all plugins that you are currently using on your website. Select all plugins that you want reactivated, click on Bulk Actions and select Activate in the pull-down menu. All of your plugins are now updated.
Another important step when updating your site. You’ll want to go through all the pages on your site and make sure everything is running smoothly. Make sure everything is displaying properly all buttons, page links are functioning etc. If you don’t test this may cause your clients or new visitors to not be able to navigate through your site or use it properly.
Your website is now updated to the latest and most secure WordPress version!
Please monitor your WordPress dashboard on a regular basis (monthly) and update your software and plugins once new versions are available.
Still Unsure? Please contact us if you face any challenges updating the latest WordPress version, or face compatibility issues updating your plugins.