24.2 Managing Automatic Updates

Keeping WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated is crucial for security and performance. The integrated hosting often provides tools to manage these updates.

  • Access: Navigate to Sites → WordPress → Select the specific Site → look for sections related to Updates, Settings, or tabs for Plugins / Themes within the site's management dashboard.
  • Core Updates: Look for settings (often under Advanced Settings or Update Settings) to configure how WordPress core updates are handled:
    • Off: No automatic core updates (Manual updates required - less recommended).
    • Minor Version Updates Only: Automatically applies minor security and maintenance releases (e.g., 6.4.1 to 6.4.2). (Generally Recommended).
    • Update to Latest Version Including Major Releases: Automatically applies all updates, including major feature releases (e.g., 6.4 to 6.5). Use with caution, test majors on staging first.
  • Plugin & Theme Updates: Navigate to the Plugins and Themes tabs within the site's dashboard. You can usually toggle Auto Updates ON or OFF individually for each installed plugin and theme.
  • Best Practice: Enable auto-updates for minor core versions and for well-maintained, trusted plugins and themes from reputable developers. For major WordPress core updates or updates to critical/complex plugins (like page builders or IDX plugins), it's often safer to test the update on a Staging environment first (See 24.6) before applying it to your live site.