WordPress updates are a huge deal. These updates usually include new powerful features, customizations, security updates, bug fixes and other nifty addition to WordPress. WordPress by itself can automatically update for minor updates and for major updates, a nifty notification lets you know about it, from where you can easily update your WordPress version.
However, sometimes you may find that you cannot update due to known reasons. Maybe your WordPress installation files might have been corrupted or some files are not letting you update correctly. Perhaps you want to try a different approach and manually update WordPress.
Worry not, the answer to these problems are quite easy and updating manually is an extremely easy job and this article will take you through every individual step required for the process.
Why should we update?
WordPress updates bring in tons of new features, additions, and options to work with for website owners. These include great QoL changes, new additions to existing systems, security updates and more.
WordPress updates usually include fixes to security loopholes and complications as well. WpBeginner suggests that over 83% of hacked WordPress websites are not updated.
With every update for WordPress comes speed optimizations helping you decrease the loading time and indirectly, increase the satisfaction of your viewers.
Updates also include compatibility with newer software and ideas popular in the WordPress community as well as features for developers to add in newer, better services to their plugins and themes.
These updates can be quite essential because a lot of times, developers will build as well as update their plugins and themes to accommodate to these WordPress updates.
So in short, we highly recommend update WordPress whenever you can!
Preparing the Update:
Before we start the update, it’s a great idea to backup your WordPress installation, in case something goes wrong. Here’s a great article on how to do this and use plugins to create updates easily.
Next, deactivate all your active plugins. To achieve this, simply use the bulk actions feature to deactivate all your plugins.
Click on bulk actions to open the drop-down menu and click on Deactivate. Then click on the tick button next to Deactivate underneath to select all plugins and click on Apply.
Now, to proceed you need your FTP access to modify the files for WordPress. While SSH is an option, it is not easy to use for a beginner so we will refrain from using them in this tutorial.
Once you have your FTP access credentials (including your Host IP, Login password/username and your FTP software ready to go, we can start updating WordPress.
Installing the update
For this demonstration, we will be using Filezilla as our FTP client.
First, download the latest version of WordPress from here.
Once this is done, extract the zip and keep the folder saved for now.
Using the FTP
Then open FileZilla and connect to your site using the Site manager.
For this, insert click on File on the menu bar and then click on Site manager.
Here, insert your Host IP in the Host field, then below use the appropriate Logon type, this differs based on how your FTP server is set up. Insert your password and user-name(if required.) Then click on Connect to be open your website.
Here, the left window is the access to your own computer and here you can view the files on your own computer. However, the right window is your server and here you can modify the files on the server.
Using the left window, direct to the extracted folder of the WordPress update file on the left window. Then using your right window, direct to the root folder of your WordPress website. This can be usually inside your Public_html directory but might differ based on websites.
Then click on the files inside the update folder on the left. (This can be achieved by click on one of the files and press Ctrl +A.) And then, use the right-click menu and click on Upload to move the files to your server.
Once the upload starts, WordPress will inform you that the Target file already exists. Here you can choose to overwrite this file.
This will be the case for all the folders and files. So, it is a great idea to tick the button on the bottom right that says Apply to current queue only.
Update WordPress Database
Once you are done uploading and overwriting, the update should be ready. Open the WordPress admin and WordPress should inform you that a database update will be required.
Click on Update WordPress database and once the process is done, WordPress will inform you of the successful update.
This entire process should apply the latest WordPress update to your website.
Concluding:
Thus by following this entire process, you can easily update your WordPress manually. Remember to set reminders about saving backups, your FTP access and ensuring that the update you are using was received directly from WordPress’s own website. By updating your WordPress you open the door to endless opportunities. However, often times you can be unaware of these opportunities, so it is always a great idea to check out their releases and changelog page to check out the new additions.
Furthermore, we will be reporting on these new additions ourselves so rest assured that if you have any problems, you can always refer to us for solving it. Similarly here are some blogs that can help you improve some of your own website’s features: