How to update Wordpress, themes and plugins automatically

How to Enable Automatic Updates in WordPress

WordPress, as a robust Content Management System (CMS), frequently releases updates to enhance security, introduce new features, and improve overall performance. Staying updated with the latest version is crucial for the security and functionality of your WordPress site. Automatic updates can simplify this process by ensuring your WordPress site remains up to date without manual intervention. This article will guide you through enabling automatic updates in WordPress for the core software, themes, and plugins.

Understanding WordPress Updates

WordPress offers several types of updates:

Core Updates: These updates include security patches, bug fixes, and new features for the WordPress software itself.
Theme Updates: Updates for the themes you have installed to ensure compatibility and security.
Plugin Updates: Updates for installed plugins to improve functionality and security.

WordPress can handle minor updates automatically, but major updates, themes, and plugins often require manual approval. However, you can configure your site to automate these updates as well.

Enabling Automatic Core Updates

For minor releases, WordPress enables automatic updates by default. However, for major releases, you can enable automatic updates as follows:

Login to Wordpress: Login to your Wordpress installation
Enable auto-updates on Wordpress Dashboard: Hover over Dashboard on the left menu and click on Updates. Click on Enable automatic updates for all new versions of WordPress. to enable core Wordpress updates for major versions as well.

Enabling Automatic Theme and Plugin Updates

You can enable automatic updates for themes and plugins directly from the WordPress dashboard.

For Plugins:

Navigate to Dashboard > Plugins.
You'll see an Automatic Updates column next to each plugin. Click Enable auto-updates for the plugins you want to update automatically.

For Themes:

Go to Appearance > Themes.
Hover over the theme and click Theme Details. In the bottom right corner, you'll see an option to Enable auto-updates. Click it to turn on automatic updates for the theme.

Conclusion

Enabling automatic updates in WordPress is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance the security and performance of your website. Automating updates can save you time and ensure that your site benefits from the latest improvements and security measures offered by WordPress.

Remember to regularly back up your WordPress site before enabling automatic updates to prevent any unforeseen issues that might arise from new updates. This practice ensures that your website remains secure, up to date, and performs optimally.

Updated on: 14/02/2024

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