Updating Plugins & Themes
Last Update: 5 August 2018To keep your website protected from possible security hacks, fix bugs and ensure speed, security, and compatibility it is recommended that you routinely check your website for Plugin updates.
An orange indicator will appear next to Plugins in the Dashboard menu, indicating the number of plugins with available updates. Follow the steps as listed to deploy the update(s).
Before Updating:
Check that a recent backup copy of your site is available, should the Plugin updates cause any issues. Typically, backups are provided by your hosting provider. Alternatively, you can install the Duplicator plugin and run the plugin to generate a copy of your site (Please note, restoring your site using this method often requires a developer. If this method is the only option available to you we recommend reaching out to a development team to assist with conducting updates on your website).
If your hosting provider automatically generates backups or offers you the option to generate a backup (do this prior to updating), then you are safe to proceed with the update.
Secondly, ensure that all plugins are compatible with your current version of WordPress before installing. You can check this from the Dashboard > Updates page.
Update Plugins/Themes via the Backend:
Once you’ve taken the precautions above, it’s time to update your Plugins. When an update is available, you’ll see a notice below the plugin under the Plugins section of your dashboard. Go to Dashboard > Plugins to view and update plugins. For themes, go to Dashboard > Themes. Alternatively, you can update your plugins from the Updates section. Go to Dashboard > Updates to view and update plugins/themes.
