Without further ado, let\u2019s get the ball rolling!<\/p>\n
\n
Why You Need A WordPress Update?<\/h2>\n
WordPress releases updates regularly to improve security, performance, and functionality. To understand why these updates matter, here is the difference between minor vs major WordPress updates:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Major updates<\/strong> usually arrive every four to six months and introduce significant changes, such as new features or improvements to the WordPress editing experience.<\/li>\n
- Minor updates<\/strong> focus on security patches, bug fixes, and smaller performance improvements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Although they serve different purposes, both types of updates help keep your website running properly. By updating WordPress regularly, you can:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Stronger security: <\/strong>Updates patches known vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit.<\/li>\n
- Better performance:<\/strong> New versions may improve your site\u2019s speed, stability, and overall efficiency.<\/li>\n
- Fewer technical issues: <\/strong>Bug fixes help prevent errors and unexpected behaviour.<\/li>\n
- Improved compatibility: <\/strong>An updated WordPress version is more likely to work smoothly with the latest themes and plugins.<\/li>\n
- Access to new features: <\/strong>Major releases often introduce tools that improve website management and the visitor experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
In short, WordPress updates help your website remain secure, compatible, and reliable. Now that you understand why they matter, let\u2019s move on to how to update WordPress safely.<\/p>\n
\n\nWordPress Migration Made Easy With LitExtension!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
LitExtension offers great migration solutions that help you transfer your data from the current eCommerce platform to WordPress accurately, painlessly with utmost security.<\/p>\n
MIGRATE NOW!<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"All-in-One](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/2-08-1.png\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nBefore You Update: A Quick Checklist<\/h2>\n
Now that you understand why WordPress updates matter, some preparation is necessary before installing the latest version. The following checks can reduce the risk of data loss, compatibility conflicts, and unexpected errors. Before moving on to how to update WordPress<\/strong>, you should complete these three steps.<\/p>\n
1. Back up your WordPress website<\/h3>\n
A complete website backup gives you a safe restore point in case the update causes an error. Your backup should include both the WordPress database and website files, including themes, plugins, uploaded media, and configuration files.<\/p>\n
The backup should also be stored separately from your hosting server, such as on your local device or in cloud storage. If the update affects your website\u2019s layout or functionality, you can restore the previous version without losing important data.<\/p>\n
2. Check your current WordPress version<\/h3>\n
Your current WordPress version is available under Dashboard > Updates<\/strong>. This page also shows whether new updates are available for WordPress core, themes, or plugins.<\/p>\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image2.webp\" "\\"how")
You can also update WordPress automatically.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Knowing the current version helps you understand how significant the update will be. If your website is several versions behind, moving directly to the latest release may involve more compatibility risks than installing a minor update.<\/p>\n
3. Review plugin and theme changelogs<\/h3>\n
Plugin and theme changelogs provide useful information about compatibility, bug fixes, known issues, and minimum WordPress requirements. You should confirm that your active theme and essential plugins support the WordPress version you plan to install.<\/p>\n
Extra attention is necessary for plugins that handle important functions, such as checkout, payments, forms, memberships, or page building. If a critical plugin does not support the latest version yet, you may need to wait for its next release or test the update on a staging site first.<\/p>\n
Once these checks are complete, your website will be better prepared for the WordPress update process.<\/p>\n
\nHow to Update WordPress Website Manually?<\/h2>\n
There are three common methods for anyone learning how to update WordPress manually: using the admin dashboard, FTP, or WP-CLI. Overall, the dashboard offers the simplest option for most users, whereas FTP and WP-CLI provide greater control when dashboard updates are unavailable.<\/p>\n
Method 1: Via dashboard<\/h3>\n
For sites using WordPress 3.7 or later, minor and security updates usually run automatically in the background. However, if you want to know how to update WordPress to a major release, you may still need to start the process manually:<\/p>\n
- \n
- From your WordPress dashboard, go to Dashboard > Updates<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Under the latest available version, select Update to version [number]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- WordPress will then download and install the update automatically.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Sometimes, you might encounter a request for FTP credentials when trying to update WordPress automatically. For WordPress sites hosted on IIS, you can fix this issue with the following steps:<\/p>\n
- \n
- In IIS Manager<\/strong>, find the application pool connected to your WordPress site.<\/li>\n
- Under Advanced Settings > Process Model<\/strong>, change Identity <\/strong>to LocalSystem<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Under Sites<\/strong>, right-click your WordPress site and select Edit Permissions<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- From the Security <\/strong>tab, add Authenticated Users<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Once the permissions are updated, WordPress should be able to complete the update without requesting FTP credentials.<\/p>\n
Method 2: Via FTP<\/h3>\n
If the dashboard update is unavailable or fails, FTP provides another way to replace the WordPress core files manually. This method is helpful when learning how to update WordPress without relying on the admin dashboard.<\/p>\n
To start with, you will need an FTP client such as FileZilla and access to your server credentials.<\/p>\n
- \n
- From the official WordPress download page<\/a>, download the latest version and extract the ZIP file.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image3.webp\" "\\"how")
2a. Download the zip file of the latest version<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n - \n
- In your WordPress dashboard, temporarily deactivate all plugins to reduce compatibility risks.<\/li>\n
- Through your FTP client, connect to the website and delete the existing wp-admin<\/strong> and wp-includes<\/strong> folders.<\/li>\n
- From the extracted package, upload the new wp-admin<\/strong> and wp-includes<\/strong> folders. You should then upload the contents of the new wp-content<\/strong> folder into the existing one without deleting it.<\/li>\n
- The remaining WordPress core files, such as index.php<\/strong> and wp-login.php<\/strong>, should also be uploaded to the root directory. Existing files can be overwritten when prompted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image5.webp\" "\\"how")
2b. Select all files from the local “wordpress” folder, then right-click and choose “Upload.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Afterward, you can reactivate your plugins, clear the website cache, and check that the updated site works properly. If the website remains in maintenance mode, the .maintenance<\/strong> file should be deleted from the WordPress root directory.<\/p>\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image7.webp\" "\\"how")
2c. Select “Overwrite'” if prompted.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Once the upload is complete, visit \/wp-admin<\/strong>. If WordPress requests a database update, select Upgrade WordPress Database<\/strong> and follow the instructions.<\/p>\n
![\"how](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/image4.webp\" "\\"how")
2d. Update WordPress database<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Method 3: Via WP-CLI (advanced)<\/h3>\n
WP-CLI allows you to manage WordPress through the command line, making it useful for advanced users, multiple websites, or updates affected by browser timeouts.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Your server must have WP-CLI installed. Many hosting providers include it by default, but you can check with your provider or follow the official WP-CLI installation guide.<\/li>\n
- From a terminal, connect to your server via SSH and navigate to the WordPress installation directory:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
ssh username@yourwebsite.com\r\n\r\ncd \/path\/to\/wordpress<\/pre>\n
- \n
- The latest WordPress core version can be installed with:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
wp core update<\/pre>\n
For minor releases only, add the –minor flag. You can also install a specific version with –version:<\/p>\n
wp core update --minor\r\n\r\nwp core update --version=6.3.1<\/pre>\n
- \n
- Once the update is complete, the following command will verify the installed WordPress version:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
wp core version<\/pre>\n
- \n
- Your plugins and themes can also be updated through WP-CLI:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
wp plugin update --all\r\n\r\nwp theme update --all<\/pre>\n
After running these commands, you should check the website\u2019s pages and key functions to confirm that everything works properly.<\/p>\n
\nHow to Update WordPress Websites Automatically?<\/h2>\n
If you want to learn how to update WordPress with less manual work, automatic updates offer a convenient option. WordPress can install security patches, minor core releases, and new plugin or theme versions in the background. However, regular backups are still necessary in case an update causes compatibility issues.<\/p>\n
Enable automatic WordPress core updates<\/h3>\n
From your WordPress dashboard, go to Dashboard > Updates<\/strong>. Under the current version information, select the option to enable automatic updates for all new WordPress versions. If you prefer a more cautious approach, you can keep automatic updates limited to maintenance and security releases.<\/p>\n
WordPress will then install eligible core updates in the background and send a confirmation email to the site administrator.<\/p>\n
Enable automatic plugin updates<\/h3>\n
From Plugins > Installed Plugins<\/strong>, find the plugins you want WordPress to update automatically.<\/p>\n
![\"WordPress](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/wordpress-plugins-dashboard.webp\")
WordPress plugins dashboard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The Enable auto-updates<\/strong> option appears next to each supported plugin. You can activate it for individual plugins instead of enabling it across the entire website.<\/p>\n
![\"Enable](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/enable-auto-updates-wordpress-plugins.webp\")
Enable auto-updates for WordPress plugins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Enable automatic theme updates<\/h3>\n
- Your plugins and themes can also be updated through WP-CLI:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Once the update is complete, the following command will verify the installed WordPress version:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- The latest WordPress core version can be installed with:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- From the extracted package, upload the new wp-admin<\/strong> and wp-includes<\/strong> folders. You should then upload the contents of the new wp-content<\/strong> folder into the existing one without deleting it.<\/li>\n
- Under Advanced Settings > Process Model<\/strong>, change Identity <\/strong>to LocalSystem<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Under the latest available version, select Update to version [number]<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Better performance:<\/strong> New versions may improve your site\u2019s speed, stability, and overall efficiency.<\/li>\n
- Minor updates<\/strong> focus on security patches, bug fixes, and smaller performance improvements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Enable](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/enable-auto-updates-wordpress-themes.webp\")
![\"WordPress](\"https:\/\/litextension.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/wp_12-1024x732.png\")