How to Update WordPress [Manual vs. Automatic]

Updating WordPress sounds easy enough—just hit that update button, and you are good to go, right? If only it were that simple.

The truth is that updates are important. They keep your site secure, running smoothly, and compatible with all the latest features. But let’s be real: they can also be a little nerve-wracking.

What if something breaks? What if your theme or plugins stop working? What if your whole site just… disappears?

If you have ever hovered over that “Update Now” button feeling unsure, you are definitely not alone.

The good news?

Updating WordPress doesn’t have to be risky or stressful. With a few smart steps—like backing up your site and doing a little prep—you can make updates safely and avoid the panic.

In this guide, I will walk you through the correct way to update WordPress so you can keep your site running smoothly without any surprises.

Why Updating WordPress Matters

Okay, so first things first—why bother updating WordPress at all?

Well, updates aren’t just about getting new features (though that’s a nice bonus). Most of the time, they are actually fixing problems you might not even know exist. Like security holes, bugs, or things that could slow your site down.

Here’s the deal: WordPress is super popular, which also makes it a big target for hackers. Updates help patch up any weak spots and keep your site safe. Skipping them can leave your site vulnerable—and nobody wants that.

Also, updates help make sure everything runs smoothly. Your plugins and themes are always getting updates too, and if your WordPress version is out of date, stuff can stop working properly. Things break, layouts look weird, or you might run into errors that are just… annoying.

It might feel like a small thing, but regular updates go a long way in keeping your site healthy.

The Risks of Not Updating Properly

Now, while updates are important, how you update matters too. If you just hit “update” without thinking, things can go sideways pretty fast.

The good news is that all of this is avoidable. You just need a simple update process that keeps your site safe and gives you a way to fix things fast if something does go wrong.

We will get into that next—starting with the most important step: backing up your site.

Before You Update: Back Up Your Site

Alright, before you touch anything, the most important thing you can do is make a backup of your WordPress site.

Think of it like a safety net. If something goes wrong during the update—like your site crashes or a plugin breaks—you can quickly roll things back to the way they were. No stress, no damage done.

So, what should you back up?

• Your WordPress database (this is where all your content lives—posts, pages, settings, etc.)
• Your WordPress files (this includes themes, plugins, media uploads, and the core files)
• Basically… everything.

How do you back up?

There are a bunch of easy-to-use plugins that can handle this for you:

• UpdraftPlus – super popular and beginner-friendly
• BackupBuddy – another solid option
• BlogVault – great if you want automatic backups and a staging site

Most of these let you back up with one click and even save a copy to Google Drive or Dropbox. If your web host offers backups (many do), you can use that too—just double-check that it’s working and easy to restore if needed.

It only takes a couple of minutes, and it can save you a ton of trouble later. Trust me, future-you will thank you.

Create a Staging Site (Optional, But Really Helpful)

Now, this step isn’t 100% necessary, but if you want to play it extra safe, using a staging site is a great move.

So, what’s a staging site?

It’s basically a copy of your real website where you can test updates, changes, or new features without affecting the live site. Think of it as a practice run. If something breaks on staging, no big deal—you can fix it before touching your real site.

Why use one?

• You can test updates without any risk
• Catch plugin or theme issues ahead of time
• Avoid surprises on your live site

How to set one up:

• Check your hosting – Many WordPress hosts (like SiteGround, WP Engine, Bluehost, etc.) have a “1-click staging” option. Super easy.
• Use a plugin – Try something like WP Staging. It’s free, and it sets up a clone of your site in just a few clicks.

If you are running a business site or something that gets steady traffic, staging is 100% worth it. But even for smaller sites, it gives you peace of mind.

Once everything looks good on staging, you can confidently move forward with the update on your live WordPress website.

Check Compatibility Before You Update

Before you hit that update button, it’s a good idea to make sure everything on your site is ready for it. Sometimes updates can clash with your theme or plugins, and that’s when stuff breaks.

Here’s what to check:

• Plugins – Go to your Plugins page and look for any notes about compatibility. A lot of plugins will say something like “Tested up to WordPress version X.X.”
• Themes – Same deal. Check your active theme to see if it’s been updated recently. If it hasn’t been touched in years, that’s a red flag.
• Changelogs – These are the little update notes developers write. They’ll usually mention if there are major changes or known issues. You can find them on the plugin or theme’s page in the WordPress directory or inside your dashboard.

Update in the Right Order

Alright, now that you have backed up your site, maybe tested things on a staging version, and checked for any compatibility issues, it’s time to start updating.

But there’s a right order to do things. Trust me, this small step can save you a lot of headaches.

Here’s the best order to follow:

• Update your plugins first
• Then your theme
• And finally, WordPress itself

Why this order?

Plugins and themes are usually updated to work with the latest version of WordPress. So by updating them first, you reduce the chances of things breaking when you finally update WordPress.

If you update WordPress before your plugins or theme, something might not be ready for the new version yet—and that’s when issues start popping up.

How to do it:

• Go to Dashboard > Updates
• Update plugins (a few at a time, just in case)
• Then update your theme (especially if you’re using a popular one like Astra, OceanWP, or GeneratePress)
• Last, update WordPress core

That’s it. No rush, just take it step by step.

How to Update WordPress (The Right Way)

Alright, let’s walk through the actual update process. If you have done everything up to this point—backed up, checked compatibility, updated your plugins and theme—you’re in a solid spot.

Here’s how to update WordPress core:

• Go to your WordPress dashboard.
• Head to Dashboard > Updates.
• If there’s a new version available, you will see a button that says “Update Now”. Click it.
• Wait a few seconds while it does its thing. Don’t refresh the page or close the browser while it’s updating.

That’s literally it. WordPress will update itself, and once it’s done, you will be taken to a welcome screen showing what’s new in that version.

A quick note on auto-updates:

WordPress does support automatic updates for minor versions (like security fixes). You can turn on auto-updates for major versions too, but unless you know what you are doing—or you are using a staging site to test first—it’s usually better to stick with manual updates. That way, you stay in control.

What about manual or FTP updates?

You can update WordPress manually by downloading the latest version from WordPress.org and uploading the files via FTP—but honestly, unless the dashboard update isn’t working, you probably don’t need to go that route.

For most people, the one-click update from the dashboard is totally fine and much easier.

Post-Update Checklist: What to Do After Updating

Alright, you’ve updated WordPress—nice! Now, let’s double-check that everything’s working the way it should. Sometimes, little things break or go a bit weird after an update, so it’s good to do a quick walkthrough.

If Something Breaks, Don’t Panic

More often than not, updates don’t go as planned. If something breaks, here’s what you can do:

• Restore your backup – This is the easiest way to get your site back to normal.
• Deactivate plugins – If the site loads but looks weird, turn off plugins one by one to find the issue.
• Use recovery mode – WordPress may email you a special link if a fatal error happens. Use it to log in and fix things.
• Roll back updates – Plugins like WP Rollback let you go back to a previous version quickly.

Most issues are fixable. As long as you back up your WordPress files and site, you are covered.

Conclusion

Updating a WordPress site doesn’t have to be rocket science. Yes, things can go wrong, but with a few smart steps like backing up your site, checking compatibility, and updating in the right order, you can keep things running smoothly.

The key is to take your time. Don’t rush the process. A little prep goes a long way in avoiding problems and saving yourself a headache later.

So the next time you see that “Update Available” message, don’t panic—just follow the steps in this guide, and you’ll be good to go.