Keeping your WordPress theme and plugins up-to-date is crucial for security, performance, and compatibility with the latest WordPress core updates. While automatic updates are convenient, there are instances when manual updates are necessary—whether you’re troubleshooting or testing compatibility before rolling out changes. This guide will walk you through the steps to manually update your WordPress theme and plugins.
Why Should You Update Themes and Plugins?
Before diving into the update process, let’s understand why updates are important:
- Security: Updates often contain patches that fix security vulnerabilities.
- New Features: Themes and plugins are regularly updated with new features and improvements.
- Compatibility: Updating ensures that your theme and plugins are compatible with the latest version of WordPress.
- Bug Fixes: Updates can fix bugs or issues that may affect your site’s performance.
Now, let’s look at how to manually update your WordPress theme and plugins.
How to Manually Update a WordPress Theme
Step 1: Backup Your Website
Before making any changes, it’s essential to back up your WordPress site. Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or All-in-One WP Migration to create a backup of your files and database. This ensures you have a restore point in case anything goes wrong during the update process.
Step 2: Download the Latest Theme Version
To manually update your WordPress theme, you’ll need to download the latest version from the source, whether it’s from the official WordPress repository or a premium theme marketplace like ThemeForest. You can usually find the download link in your account on the provider’s website.
Step 3: Deactivate the Current Theme
While some users may skip this step, it’s a good practice to temporarily switch to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-Three) to avoid any conflicts during the update. To do this:
- Navigate to Appearance > Themes in the WordPress dashboard.
- Activate a default theme.
Step 4: Upload and Replace the Theme
Once you have the latest theme version:
- Go to Appearance > Themes and click Add New.
- Select Upload Theme and upload the theme .zip file you downloaded.
- WordPress will ask if you want to replace the current theme version. Click Replace to update the theme with the new version.
Step 5: Reactivate the Theme
After the upload is complete, navigate back to Appearance > Themes and activate the updated version of your theme.
Step 6: Clear Cache
If you’re using a caching plugin like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache, clear the cache to ensure the changes take effect immediately.
How to Manually Update WordPress Plugins
Step 1: Backup Your Website
Just like with themes, make sure to back up your site before updating any plugins to avoid any potential issues.
Step 2: Download the Latest Plugin Version
Head over to the WordPress plugin repository or the plugin developer’s site to download the latest version of the plugin. If it’s a premium plugin, log into your account and download the .zip file of the latest version.
Step 3: Deactivate the Plugin
To avoid conflicts during the update process, deactivate the plugin you’re about to update:
- Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins in your WordPress dashboard.
- Find the plugin you want to update and click Deactivate.
Step 4: Upload and Replace the Plugin
To manually update the plugin:
- Navigate to Plugins > Add New and click on Upload Plugin.
- Upload the new .zip file for the plugin you downloaded.
- WordPress will ask if you want to replace the current version. Click Replace to update the plugin with the new version.
Step 5: Reactivate the Plugin
Once the upload is complete, reactivate the plugin by going to Plugins > Installed Plugins and clicking Activate next to the updated plugin.
Step 6: Check Compatibility
After updating, make sure the plugin works properly by testing your website’s functionality. Check pages, forms, or other features related to the plugin to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Final Thoughts
Manually updating your WordPress themes and plugins is a simple yet effective way to ensure your website remains secure, fast, and compatible with the latest WordPress updates. While automatic updates can save time, manual updates give you full control and allow for troubleshooting before deploying major changes. Always remember to back up your site before performing any updates, and test thoroughly after updating to ensure everything is functioning correctly.
By following these steps, you’ll keep your WordPress site running smoothly while avoiding potential conflicts that could disrupt your website’s performance.