Your WordPress website plays an important role in supporting your business every day. This week’s quick task in the “From Anywhere” series focuses on something many site owners dread: those pending update notifications in your dashboard.
They’re actually easy to handle; you don’t have to be super tech-savvy. With this little guide to help, you can clear those notifications and keep your site running smoothly in no time.
Benefit: Protects your business assets while minimising disruption
Regular plugin updates deliver multiple advantages for your business:
- Fix bugs that might be causing hidden problems on your site
- Improve site performance and loading speeds
- Add new features that enhance your website’s functionality
- Maintain compatibility with the latest browsers and devices
- Keep security protections current against potential threats
Simple step-by-step update process
- Create a safety net first
- Look for your backup plugin (common ones include UpdraftPlus, Duplicator)
- Click “Create Backup” or “Backup Now”
- Wait for confirmation that your backup is complete
- Update WordPress itself
- Look for the number in a red circle at the top of your dashboard
- Click on “Updates” in your dashboard menu
- If “WordPress X.X.X” appears at the top, click the blue “Update to version XX” button
- Wait for the success message
- Update your plugins
- Stay on the Updates page or go to Plugins > Installed Plugins
- You’ll see which plugins need updates
- Check the box next to a plugin one by one
- Choose “Update” from the dropdown menu
- Click “Apply”
- Make sure everything works
- Visit your website’s homepage
- Click around to a few important pages
- Test one important feature (like your contact form)
Practical tip: How to quickly roll back if an update causes problems
While updates are important, they occasionally cause unexpected issues. Here’s how to handle them:
- For major plugin updates: Wait a couple of days before updating plugins with significant version changes (like jumping from version 3.0 to 4.0). This gives developers time to fix any bugs that early adopters discover.
- Update WordPress core promptly: Unlike plugins, WordPress core updates (especially security releases) should be updated as soon as possible, as they often fix essential vulnerabilities.
- If your site looks strange after updates: Don’t panic, this is why you made that backup. Contact your web hosting company and ask them to “restore your most recent backup.” Most can do this easily..
- If just one plugin is causing problems, go to the Plugins page, find the problematic plugin, and click “Deactivate.” This turns the plugin off without removing it, usually fixing the issue.
- When travelling with spotty internet, it’s best to wait until you have solid internet before performing any updates!
Keep your site regularly updated to avoid annoying issues down the track. A little effort now can save you plenty of time and stress later on.
Don’t Have Time for Regular Maintenance?
Sometimes, even these short tasks can be challenging to fit into a busy schedule. If you need help keeping up with your website’s maintenance:
- Try my TimeBlock Service: Pre-book a focused time block where we’ll tackle all your website maintenance tasks in one efficient block. Book a TimeBlock →
- Or let me handle it all: My Website Maintenance Subscription provides complete care for your WordPress site, including regular updates, security monitoring, and performance optimisation. Learn about Maintenance Plans →
