If you found out that a criminal had the key to your house, would you change the lock? It stands to reason you would, and that is exactly why you should update your WordPress website. If you aren’t updating regularly, you are leaving your door wide open.
WordPress updates, including plugins updates, can however cause some problems. So how often should you actually update? Below, we give you our guide on how often you should conduct a WordPress update.
Why Does WordPress Update?
WordPress updates are essential. They add patches, allow developers to fix bugs, but most importantly, fix security issues. Without updates, your website is not responding to new methods employed by hackers and cybercriminals, leaving it wide open to attack.
However, updating WordPress does often come with a caveat. It can mean that plug-ins stop working or your theme does not behave how you want it to. This however is always on the onus of the plugin or theme creator to fix, and that is why you should also have plugin updates as well as WordPress.
How Often Should I Update?
You should update WordPress at least twice a month. This will allow you to rectify any problems, and will also give plugins time to fix updates. Make sure you update anything that needs updating, from WordPress itself to its plugins and themes.
If a plug-in has not had an update in over a year, it may be time to replace it with another. This means the programmer has probably given up on the plugin. Its age makes it a security threat, as people can use it to backdoor a way into your website and destroy it.
Make Sure You Back Up
Keeping a backup of your website is much easier than you think. You will also be very grateful you did it should your website fail, and all your hard-earned work vanishes from sight. You can find a number of WordPress plugins that can do it for you, or find out how to do it manually via the your webhosting control panel.
How to Update WordPress
Updating in WordPress is extremely easy. When you log into WordPress, navigate to your dashboard and a red circle will have appeared next to updates if one is available. Click updates, and all the possible updates that are available will appear.
Click on any you want to update. It should take a minute or two to complete, depending on how many updates you have.
When doing this, you should check to see if you have any plug-ins that you do not use. More plugins increase the likelihood of more updates, which is more of a security threat if you do not update in time. They can also slow down your website, so try to remove ones that have become redunhttps://campfiredigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/themanifest-logo.jpgt.
Themes work in exactly the same way. You should only need one theme in WordPress, which is the one you are using. Remove any others that are taking up space.
Get Digital Assistance
A WordPress update is essential, so make sure you are following the rules and keeping your site safe. Gambling with security is never a good option, and problems caused by updates are often swiftly rectified.
If you need some help managing and maintaining your websites, then Campfire Digital can assist. We have a range of services available from site maintenance (check out our Pilot Light Package), to development and digital marketing. Contact us for a quote on any aspect of your digital business needs today, and start to benefit from the advice of our expert staff.