How to update WordPress, themes and plugins without breaking your site

Why updating matters, and why it sometimes breaks things

WordPress core, themes and plugins are updated to fix security weaknesses, repair bugs and keep up with newer versions of PHP and browsers. Out of date plugins are among the most common ways WordPress sites are compromised, so leaving updates for months is risky.

Breakages happen because your site is a combination of parts from different developers. An update to one part can clash with another, a theme can rely on something a plugin changes, or a plugin can need a newer PHP version than your server runs. A good routine does not prevent every clash, but it makes them quick to spot and easy to reverse.

Before you update: a five minute checklist

1. Take a fresh backup of files and database, and know how to restore it. A backup you have never tested is a hope, not a plan. See WordPress backups explained.
2. Choose a quiet time. Avoid your busiest hours, and do not update just before you go away.
3. Read the changelogs for major updates, especially for your theme, page builder, form plugin and any shop plugin. Look for notes about breaking changes or minimum PHP versions.
4. Check Site Health. Tools, Site Health shows your PHP version and any warnings. Fix critical issues first.
5. Note what you are updating, with the old version numbers, so you know what to roll back if needed.

The order to update in

There is no single official order, but this sequence keeps problems isolated and easy to trace:

1. Plugins first, one at a time for anything significant, checking the site between each. Minor updates to small plugins can be done together.
2. Your theme next. If you use a child theme, update the parent theme; your customisations in the child theme stay in place.
3. WordPress core last for major releases, once your plugins are on versions that support it. Minor security releases can usually go straight in, and WordPress applies them automatically by default.
4. Translations if your dashboard lists any.

Avoid clicking "update all" on a large list without checking. If something breaks, you will not know which update caused it.

Page builders and add-ons

If you use Elementor together with Elementor Pro or third-party add-on packs, update them close together, as they are designed to work with matching versions. After updating, open a page in the editor as well as viewing it, because some problems only appear in the editor.

What to test afterwards

Keep a short test list for your site and run through it after every update session:

• Home page and two or three key pages, on desktop and on a phone.
• Main menu and footer links.
• Contact form: submit a real test and confirm the email arrives and the entry is stored.
• Any booking, shop or checkout pages, using test mode where possible.
• Logging in and editing a page in your builder.
• A quick look at a private browser window, logged out, to see the site as visitors do.
• Any pop-ups, cookie banners or chat widgets, which can stop working quietly.

Clear any caching after updates, both in plugins and at your host, so you are not testing an old copy of the page.

If something breaks

A layout or feature looks wrong

Clear caches first. If the problem remains, deactivate the plugin you just updated and see if it resolves. Check the plugin's support forum, as others may have reported the same issue and a fix may already be out. You can roll a plugin back to its previous version with a rollback tool, or restore it from your backup.

The site shows an error or a blank page

WordPress often detects a fatal error and emails the admin address a link to recovery mode, which lets you log in and deactivate the faulty plugin or theme. If you cannot get in, you can disable a plugin by renaming its folder in wp-content/plugins using your host's file manager or SFTP. If that does not help, restore the backup you took before updating.

Afterwards

Once stable, note which update caused the problem and hold that plugin back until a fixed version is released. If a plugin breaks repeatedly, consider replacing it.

Automatic updates: use them selectively

WordPress lets you turn on automatic updates per plugin and per theme, and applies minor core releases automatically by default. Automatic updates are a good fit for small, well maintained plugins where speed of security fixes matters more than the small risk of a clash. For your page builder, shop plugin, form plugin and theme, many site owners prefer to update by hand with the checklist above, or to test first on a staging site.

Whichever you choose, check the site regularly. Automatic does not mean unattended. WordPress emails the admin address when automatic updates run, so make sure that address is one somebody actually reads, and glance at the site after each notice.

How often to update

Look at updates at least weekly, and apply security fixes promptly when a plugin's changelog or a security notice says a weakness has been fixed. A short regular session is far safer than a large backlog every few months, because fewer changes at once means fewer places to look when something goes wrong. Our WordPress maintenance checklist puts updates alongside the other routine tasks.

If you would rather hand this over, the WP Managed plan at WP Web Hosting does WordPress, theme and plugin updates for you and includes uptime monitoring, so a problem after an update is picked up rather than discovered by a customer.

Frequently asked