Keeping your WordPress website updated is one of the simplest and most important things you can do for security, speed, and long term stability.
Yet for many beginners and business owners, updating WordPress feels risky as one wrong click and suddenly the site is down, the layout breaks, or key functionality disappears.
Updating WordPress is safe when done correctly
Most problems only happen when updates are rushed, skipped for too long, or carried out without backups or checks.
Why it is important to update your WordPress website
Before we dive into the process, it is worth understanding why updates exist in the first place.
1. Security Fixes
WordPress powers over 40% of the web, which makes it a target for automated attacks. Updates often patch newly discovered vulnerabilities. If you skip them, your site becomes an easy target.
2. Performance Improvements
Updates frequently include speed improvements, caching tweaks, and optimisations that make your site run smoother.
3. New Features
The WordPress editor evolves rapidly. Themes and plugins also adopt new capabilities that can improve workflow or give you more design flexibility.
4. Compatibility
If you let your site fall too far behind, themes and plugins may stop working with your version of WordPress or vice-versa.
Regular updates keep your site healthy, secure, and cost effective to maintain.
The update process
A proper update process removes the guesswork. You do not need to be a developer, just follow the steps below:
Step 1 — Create a Proper Backup (Full Website + Database)
If something goes wrong, your backup is your safety net.
You should have both:
- A database backup
- A full site files backup (themes, plugins, uploads)
The easiest method for beginners
Use a reliable backup plugin such as:
- UpdraftPlus
- WPVivid
- BackupBuddy
- Jetpack Backup (paid but extremely user-friendly)
Make sure your backup is stored off-site, for example:
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Amazon S3
- OneDrive
Do not rely solely on your hosting provider’s automated backups as they often run once per day, and many exclude key folders.
Once the backup is complete, download a copy locally for safety.
Step 2 — Create a Staging Site (Highly Recommended)
A staging site is a private clone of your website where you can safely test updates.
Most good hosting companies offer one-click staging, including:
- SiteGround
- WP Engine
- Kinsta
- Cloudways
- 123 Reg (select plans)
If your host does not offer staging, you can use:
- WP Staging plugin
- Duplicator
- LocalWP (for local development)
With a staging environment, you can:
- test updates
- check designs
- confirm forms still work
- make sure nothing breaks
Only when everything is confirmed working should you update the live site.
Step 3 — Check Plugin Compatibility Before Updating
This step prevents the majority of problems.
How to check compatibility
Inside the WordPress dashboard, go to:
Plugins → Installed Plugins
Under each plugin, WordPress will often display a note such as:
- ✔ “Compatible with your version of WordPress”
- ⚠ “Untested with your version of WordPress”
- ✖ “Incompatible with your version of WordPress”
Take this seriously.
Risk signs to watch for
- Plugins that have not been updated in over a year
- Warning labels
- Plugins from unknown vendors
- Plugins that control critical features (forms, ecommerce, SEO, booking systems)
If you see anything risky, update that plugin last and test it carefully on staging.
Step 4 — Update in the Correct Order
The order of updates matters.
Doing it randomly is one of the easiest ways to break things.
The correct order is:
1. Themes
Update your active theme and any parent themes (e.g., Astra, GeneratePress, Divi).
2. Plugins
Update plugins in small batches — not all at once.
Test after each batch.
3. WordPress Core
Only update WordPress itself after your plugins and themes are confirmed safe.
This prevents older plugins clashing with a newer version of WordPress.
Step 5 — Clear Your Cache
Caching can make your site look broken even when nothing is wrong.
After every major update, clear:
- The WordPress cache (e.g., WP Rocket, Perfmatters, W3 Total Cache)
- Your hosting cache (common with SiteGround, Kinsta, WP Engine etc.)
- Your CDN cache (Cloudflare, Bunny, KeyCDN)
- Your browser cache
Step 6 — Test Your Website Properly
Do not assume your site works and test it.
Here is a checklist you can follow:
Pages & Visual Layout
- Home page
- About page
- Services pages
- Blog posts
- Navigation menu
- Footer
Look for spacing issues, broken layouts, or missing images.
Forms
Test every form on your site:
- Contact forms
- Quote forms
- Booking forms
- Newsletter signups
- WooCommerce checkout fields
Submit a test entry to confirm emails arrive correctly.
Ecommerce (if applicable)
If you run WooCommerce:
- Add items to basket
- Test checkout
- Test guest checkout
- Test coupons
- Look at order confirmation emails
Performance
Run a quick speed check using:
- GTmetrix
- PageSpeed Insights
- Pingdom Tools
You do not need perfect scores but want to confirm nothing slowed dramatically.
Step 7 — Update the Live Site (Only When Staging Is Confirmed Safe)
Now that you have tested everything, you can safely update the live site.
Repeat the same sequence:
- Backup
- Update themes
- Update plugins
- Update WordPress core
- Clear cache
- Test the live site
If your hosting supports push to live, you can push the staging version directly to production.
Step 8 — What To Do If Something Breaks
Even with perfect preparation, occasionally something small may break.
Here is how to recover quickly:
1. Revert to your backup
This puts your site back online immediately.
Then you can diagnose the issue calmly in staging.
2. Enable WP Debug mode (optional)
Your developer can enable debug mode to see error messages.
Get update help
If you require any help updating your WordPress website then our experienced team of developers will be able to help. Contact us now to receive the support you need.