Updating your WordPress installation

When choosing how to update your WordPress installation you are left with two primary options. The first being downloading the newest version of WordPress directly from the download page at the official WordPress website and then install the update with the help of a file transfer protocol (FTP) client such as cpanel. The second being automatically downloading, installing, and updating the newest version of WordPress straight from your blog’s backend dashboard.

I will briefly touch upon how a webmaster can manually update their WordPress installation for those of you who prefer to web administrate the old fashion way. Next I will delve deeply into how a webmaster can automatically update their WordPress installation for those of you who enjoy the power of WordPress.

How to manually update your WordPress installation

1. Head over to the official WordPress website.
2. Select “Get WordPress” in the top right corner. You will be taken to the official WordPress download page.
3. Select “Download WordPress x.x.x” to download the latest version of WordPress.
4. Read all of the documentation found in the official WordPress download.
5. Use an FTP client and the WordPress installation wizard to install and update your WordPress installation and database(s).

How to automatically update your WordPress installation

1. Login to your blog’s Dashboard.
2. On the top left in your Dashboard you’ll notice the following; “WordPress x.x.x is available! Please update now.” The underlined text “WordPress x.x.x” will take you to the official WordPress codex page for that particular version of WordPress so you can read up on all of the new changes. While the underlined text “Please update now” will take you to your blog’s update page.
3. Select “Dashboard” -> “Updates” which is located below your “Home” button in your blog’s backend dashboard.
   1. You will be taken to your blog’s Updates page where you can update your blog’s core WordPress installation, plugins, and themes that you have installed even if they’re not activated.
   2. You will be prompted by a message informing you whether or not your WordPress version is up to date or if there is an updated version of WordPress available.
4. To automatically update your core WordPress installation to the newest major release, simply select “Update Now.”

Helpful hint: You are also able to get to your blog’s Updates page by either selecting the underlined text “Get Version x.x.x” on the bottom right of your blog’s backend dashboard’s pages or selecting the update icon located in your administrative dashboard header menu with the number of updates available just to the right of the icon.

How to automatically update your WordPress plugins

If you wish to update your plugins you can do that as well from your blog’s Updates page. From here you are able to individually select which plugins you want to update by selecting the stereo check box next to the pertaining plugins you want to update. You are also able to update all of your installed plugins by simply selecting the “Select All” stereo check box in the Plugins section of your blog’s Updates page. Once you are ready, simply select “Update Plugins” to automatically download, install, and update the latest version of each of your selected plugins.

How to automatically update your WordPress themes

If you wish to update your themes you can do that as well from your blog’s Updates page. From here you are able to individually select which themes you want to update by selecting the stereo check box next to the pertaining themes you want to update. You are also able to update all of your installed themes by simply selecting the “Select All” stereo check box in the Themes section of your blog’s Updates page. Once you are ready, simply select “Update Themes” to automatically download, install, and update the latest version of each of your selected themes.

Things to remember about updating your WordPress installation

Always use child themes. And only modify child theme files, never the core files. If you modify your core WordPress installation files then all of your changes will be lost upon updating to a newer version.

Aside from performing plugin and theme updates via your blog’s Updates page, you are also able to go to “Appearance -> Themes” or “Plugins -> Installed Plugins” and simply select “Update now” whenever a new version is available.

Back up all of your blog’s themes, files, and databases before and after any form of file modification, installation, and update is performed.

If your core WordPress installation, plugins, or themes are up to date then you will see a message informing you in the corresponding location both in your Dashboard and in your blog’s backend Updates page.