How to Update Your WordPress Website
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) around. Created by Automattic in 2002, WordPress is now available in more than 27 million downloads across all platforms. This undoubtedly makes it one of the most downloaded and used open-source software packages globally. With so many downloads and millions of users, it’s clear that WordPress is here to stay.
So, what’s making WordPress so popular?
Well, quite simply, it’s because this free, open-source software is very user-friendly. This is important because while it might be easy to download and install WordPress on your own computer, it can be difficult to use if you aren’t tech-savvy. For instance, if you’re not used to working with a mouse, clicking here and there to make changes can be frustrating. Now, with the help of this blog post, you’ll learn how to update WordPress so that it works the way you want it to and makes the process easier for you.
The Importance Of Updating
If you use WordPress, then you know how important it is to keep your software up to date. This is especially important if you’re using the most recent version of WordPress because, as we’ve established, it’s one of the most downloaded and used applications out there. As a result, your WordPress install could be facing malware and virus threats from all around the world. Keeping your WordPress up to date with the latest patches and fixes is essential for protecting your data and keeping your website secure.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to keep track of all the updates that come out every month. Especially if you’re like me and you use WordPress on a daily basis. So, to help you keep up with all these updates, WordPress comes with a built-in “Update this plugin” button that you can use on the dashboard to trigger an update. When you use this button, you’ll see a small window popup, notifying you that there are updates available for this particular plugin. (You can find more information about specific plugins on the WordPress site itself.)
These are the sorts of things that make WordPress so useful and special. Not only does it allow you to create a website quickly and easily, but it also provides you with a content management system that is constantly updated and available for you to use. So, as you can see, keeping your WordPress updated is pretty important.
Step One: Back Up
Before you begin, it’s important to back up your WordPress website. This is a crucial step and it’s something that you should do regularly. It’s also important to point out that backing up your WordPress site is different from backing up your own personal files or those of your business. When it comes to backing up your WordPress site, you’re not only backing up the content that you create, but you’re also backing up the database of your website. This database, also known as the “wp_database” contains all of the data that you enter in the “wp_[your-plugin-name]” form (e.g., the post titles, the comment text, etc.). As a result of the popularity of WordPress and the need to keep this software up to date, many hackers and malware authors are constantly searching for ways to break into WordPress installations. Unfortunately, due to its open-source nature and large user base, this software is often a target for these attackers.
Protecting your WordPress site from malware and viruses is pretty easy. All you need to do is update your plugins and install the latest versions of WordPress and the plugins that you use. In most cases, you’ll be able to fend off these threats with a good firewall and some security plugins. Still, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, especially when it comes to your WordPress installation. As a result, backing up your WP site is something that you should do regularly.
Step Two: Update WordPress
Now that you’ve backed up your WordPress site, it’s time to update this software. To do this, you can either use the built-in “Update this plugin” button that we mentioned earlier or you can download and use the WordPress update tool. Either way, getting the latest WordPress version is pretty easy. All you need to do is visit the official WordPress website and click on the “Download” button to get the full ZIP archive for WordPress. Alternatively, if you already have WordPress installed on your computer, you can use the following commands in the terminal:
To update WordPress to the latest version:
1. Unzip the archive that you downloaded. 2. Navigate to the resulting folder. 3. In the folder, find and open the “wp-install.php” file. 4. Now, you can either continue browsing through the code in this file or you can use your favorite text editor to edit the file. 5. Find the following line of code:
define(‘WP_USE_THEMES’, false);
6. Change this line of code to read:
define(‘WP_USE_THEMES’, true);
7. Now, save the file and refresh your browser. 8. You’ll see the splash screen appear and a popup window with the updated WordPress version and release notes. 9. Click on “Install Updates” to continue downloading and installing the latest version of WordPress.
Should you decide to use the built-in “Update this plugin” button, you’ll see a small window popup on the dashboard notifying you that a new version of WordPress is available. When you click on this button, you’ll be taken to the WordPress website where you can download the latest version and update your plugin. Updating a single plugin can be as easy as clicking on the “Update this plugin” button and following the prompts. However, if you’re updating multiple plugins at the same time, this could take some time depending on how fast your internet connection is. Still, as we’ve established, keeping your WordPress updated is very important and it’s a good idea to do this as often as possible.
Step Three: Test Out The Updated Version
Now that you’ve updated WordPress and you’re certain that this application is working the way you want it to, it’s time to test it out. To do this, simply return to your WordPress dashboard and click on the three-dot button in the upper right corner of your screen. This will open up a menu of your installed plugins. From here, you can click on any of the plugins to test out the updated version. Simply reload the page that you opened up in the previous step and you’ll see that your plugin has been updated to the latest version.
As you can see, updating WordPress can be a pretty easy process. Still, this is important information for anyone using this content management system because keeping your WordPress updated not only improves security, but it also allows you to take advantage of all the exciting new features that this application has to offer.