Updates are one of the most important things you can do for your WordPress site. They are also one of the things most likely to break something if done carelessly. The goal is not to update as fast as possible — it is to update consistently, in the right order, and to always verify the site still works properly afterwards.
What needs updating and why
- Plugins — The most frequent source of security vulnerabilities. Outdated plugins are the number one entry point for attacks. They also cause compatibility issues as WordPress core evolves
- Themes — Less frequently updated, but still require attention. An outdated theme can introduce security gaps or break layouts after a core update
- WordPress core — Major updates introduce new features and occasionally change how things work. Minor updates are usually security fixes and should be applied promptly
The right order
Always update plugins and themes before updating WordPress core. This reduces the risk of compatibility conflicts between an updated core and plugins that have not yet caught up.
The step most people skip
After every update — especially major ones — check that your site still works. Visit the homepage. Click through key pages. Submit a test form. Check the checkout if you have one. Updates occasionally cause unexpected conflicts, and catching a broken page immediately is far better than discovering it days later when a customer reports it.
If you use a staging environment, test updates there first before applying them to the live site.
Automated updates: proceed carefully
Automatic updates for minor security releases are generally safe to enable. Automatic major updates — for plugins, themes, or core — carry more risk and should be monitored rather than left unattended.
Update management is part of our WordPress maintenance service. Every update we apply is followed by a site check. More in the maintenance knowledge base.