As a site owner, keeping WordPress up to date is one of your main responsibilities. It ensures your installation is regularly patched against major vulnerabilities and continues to run smoothly with modern technologies. However, my experience as a member of ICDSoft’s support team has shown that many users fall behind on updates - and the further behind they get, the worse the situation becomes.
The fact is, a lot of site owners and administrators have encountered issues when updating. In reality, updates are one of the most common causes of broken layouts, unexpected errors, plugin conflicts, and perhaps worst of all - the White Screen of Death (WSOD). Because of this, users often feel reluctant to apply updates. As the saying goes, “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.” But in this case, that mindset does more harm than good.
The longer you delay updates, the greater the risk. An outdated WordPress installation becomes increasingly vulnerable to security issues, and you may end up relying on plugins that are obsolete or incompatible with newer PHP versions. That’s why it’s so important to stay on top of updates.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through a tried-and-tested approach to updating WordPress in a safe and controlled manner - with no surprises and minimal risk.
- Breaking Down WordPress: What Updates Affect and Why
- The Importance of Keeping WordPress Up to Date
- Automatic WordPress Updates: Power Tool or Hidden Risk?
- Core Updates: Major vs Minor
- Plugin Auto-Updates
- The Best WordPress Update Strategy
- Backup, Backup...Back Up!
- Creating a WordPress Backup
- 1. Backing Up Your WordPress Files
- 2. Exporting Your WordPress Database
- Creating A WordPress Backup at ICDSoft
- How To Revert A Failed WordPress Update at ICDSoft
- Updating WordPress With ICDSoft's WordPress Manager
- Updating WordPress With ICDSoft's WordPress MultiManager
- Updating WordPress via WP-CLI
- Testing WordPress Updates With A Staging Instance
- Troubleshooting WordPress Updates
- 1. Identify the Actual Error
- 2. Newer PHP Version Required
- 3. Plugin-related Error
- 4. Theme-related Error
- 5. Leftover .maintenance File
- Conlusion
Breaking Down WordPress: What Updates Affect and Why
First off, let's take a look at the WordPress structure in terms of updates. WordPress consists of three major components - core, plugins, and theme. Each component requires separate updating.
The WordPress core is the official set of files that make up the base of the installation. These are all the default files that come with the official WordPress package released by WordPress.org. That includes the index.php file, the wp-config.php configuration file, all the files in the /wp-admin and /wp-includes folders. Updates of the WordPress core rarely lead to problems. The other two components are more prone to side effects when updating - the plugins, and the active theme. However, they are also more vulnerable. Statistics for 2026 show that roughly 91-96% of all successful breaches originate from vulnerabilities in plugins and themes, not the WordPress core itself.
The Importance of Keeping WordPress Up to Date
Security is the number one reason for updating all WordPress components regularly. As of 2026, WordPress powers around 43% of all websites online, making it the most widely used CMS on the Internet. That popularity, however, comes at a cost as it also draws the attention of hackers. Hackers want to go after widely used applications, because it allows them to attack a larger number of installations ultimately increasing their success rate. It's one thing to find and exploit a vulnerability in a plugin with 1000 installations, and a whole different ballgame if you target a vulnerable plugin with hundreds of thousands of installations.
As a site owner, you should understand that a hack against your site is rarely something personal or targeted specifically at you. In the vast majority of all security incidents involving WordPress, attackers are following a fairly industrialized and automated workflow.
As soon as a vulnerability is discovered and disclosed in one of the major public databases like Wordfence, attackers typically prepare or reuse existing exploit code, update their toolkits or botnets with the new exploit, and begin scanning the web to identify vulnerable sites. These scans are fully automated and operate at scale, targeting any site that hasn’t been updated in time.
Another really important aspect in this whole playbook is "responsible disclosure". Before a vulnerability is published to CVE databases and platforms like Wordfence, the corresponding developers are notified first and given a grace period to apply a fix and release an update. Only after a patch becomes available is the vulnerability publicly disclosed. That's why it's so important to update all WordPress components regularly - it shrinks the window of exposure between disclosure and patching, when your site is most vulnerable.
Performance is the second big reason for updating WordPress. Updates can really make your site faster. For example, one of the latest WordPress versions, 6.8 "Cecil", includes features such as speculative loading, which predicts where a user would click and pre-loads the page for them. "It can notably improve the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) performance and, depending on the configuration, lead to truly instant page loads." In total, 24 performance-related improvements were included in "Cecil".
Another performance benefit from regular WordPress updates is that they ensure your WordPress installation is fully compatible with the latest PHP version. Every new PHP release typically brings execution speed improvements and better memory management. Most of the outdated WordPress installations are not compatible with PHP 8.x, and switching to newer PHP versions often results in fatal errors on the site.
Falling behind with the WordPress updates causes the so-called "technical debt". You end up being so far behind where you can't use the latest PHP versions and your site might rely on abandoned plugins that are no longer actively developed and maintained. Eventually, it may get really difficult for you to get your site and entire WordPress installation back on track and make it fully compatible with all the latest tech.
Automatic WordPress Updates: Power Tool or Hidden Risk?
Automatic WordPress updates can be a double-edged sword. If you configure them correctly, they can drastically reduce the "exposure window" we previously mentioned. However, when misused, automatic updates can silently take down a perfectly working site overnight. As with other "pro" methods, the key here is controlled automation to get the best of both worlds.
Core Updates: Major vs Minor
In terms of the WordPress core, there are minor (security/maintenance) and major (new features) updates. For example, minor updates are from version 6.5.1 to 6.5.2. A major update would be from version 6.8 to 6.9.
Since WordPress 3.7, minor updates are enabled by default without requiring any user interaction. A nice feature about these minor updates is that an email notification is sent to the administrative users associated with the WordPress installation informing them that an update has been applied. These emails also contain a link to the sites, so admin users can easily check for possible errors.
Starting with version 5.6, WordPress has given site administrators the option to enable major updates via the dashboard. Activating this option simply adds the following line to the wp-config.php file of your installation:
define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', true );
Enabling automatic major updates is a bit risky and not recommended for live sites. The thing is that a lot of plugins have been tested only up to a certain WordPress core version, and updating to anything beyond that could introduce unexpected errors or compatibility problems. That's why it's always best to perform these updates manually and then inspect the site to make sure everything works correctly.
ICDSoft's WordPress MultiManager plugin
The safest option here is to stick with the default configuration and only have minor updates automatically applied. To make sure you are notified as soon as a new major version becomes available, you could set up the ICDSoft's WordPress MultiManager plugin, but we will get to that in a minute.
Plugin Auto-Updates
Plugins can also be configured to auto-update via the WordPress dashboard, but that's also where things can get a bit tricky. Of course, the main advantage is the faster patching against vulnerabilities. However, the trade-off is the potential for site breakage, because plugin updates are the number one cause for such problems.
That's why the "pro" approach here is to avoid auto-updates for complex plugins, such as page builders or anything WooCommerce-related. You could use this option only for trusted and frequently maintained plugins.
The Best WordPress Update Strategy
So the best way to update WordPress is to stay on top of the whole process and keep the automatic minor updates for the core, while only allowing auto-updates for low-risk plugins. However, when it comes to major core updates and updates to critical plugins, the "pro" approach is to be in control and apply them yourself. So let's go through the process of updating WordPress manually in the best way possible.
Backup, Backup... Back Up!
The first thing you should do, before applying a major core update or an update to a high-risk, critical plugin, is to create a backup of your entire WordPress installation. By a "high-risk, critical plugin", I'm referring to page builders, addons for WooCommerce, or a severely outdated plugin, as these are more likely to introduce compatibility issues.
In real-world cases, the WordPress updates tend to accumulate. It's quite common to have multiple pending plugin updates, along with a theme and/or a major core update available. In those cases, backing up the entire installation first is an absolute must.
Applying WordPress updates without having a backup is like driving a car without a seatbelt - you might be fine, but if something goes wrong, the consequences can be serious. Having a backup is your safety net allowing you to quickly get your site back up in the fastest way possible. That's especially valid for high-traffic or ecommerce websites, where downtime can result in significant losses.
It's important to outline that every WordPress installation consists of both files and a database. Most of the time, restoring from a files backup is enough to revert an update (in case something goes wrong), but there are also cases where the database would have to be restored as well.
One thing that has really stood out for me over the years, especially after we started offering free website transfers for new accounts, is the sheer number of hosting companies out there that fail to provide adequate backup services for their customers. The majority of hosts offer one or two backups per week, and there are cases where requesting a restore (from a backup) costs extra.
I won't give out any names, but you would be surprised to see that even some of the biggest companies in the industry do not provide daily backups and manual backups are limited or cost extra. Go ahead and check with your web host on what their backup policies are. These things are usually hidden in the fine print, and it's not the type of information you would find on one of their landing pages.
Don't mean to brag, but here at ICDSoft, all of our customers, regardless of their hosting plan, can take comfort in the fact that our system backs up their entire account data (files, database, and emails) twice a day, and each backup is kept for at least seven days.
Creating a WordPress Backup
Of course, instead of relaying on the system backups, you could create a manual (personal) backup of your WordPress installation just before applying the updates. This will make sure that you will have the closest possible restore point. In case of a failure, you would be able to revert the site to its exact state just before the update. The exact process would depend on your web host and their control panel.
ICDSoft customers can easily create a complete WordPress backup that includes both the files and the database via our WordPress Manager available in the hosting Control Panel.
1. Backing Up Your WordPress Files
If your web host does not give you the option to create a personal backup, you could do it manually. You just need to download all your WordPress files locally via FTP or copy them to another folder under your hosting account. If possible, you could first create an archive of all WordPress files and folders to make the entire process (copy or download) easier to perform. The file manager tool at your host's control panel should give you the options to create archives and copy files.
2. Exporting Your WordPress Database
As for the WordPress database, you can create a backup by exporting it via the phpMyAdmin tool that's standard with most web hosts. The first step is to identify its name - it's listed in the wp-config.php file. Open that file via the file manager in your web host's control panel, and it should be at the very top, next to the DB_NAME constant and under the comment /** The name of the database for WordPress */:
Once you know the name of your WordPress database, the next step is to export it via phpMyAdmin, which is standard with most web hosts. Locate this tool under your host's control panel, usually under the MySQL section, and open it. There, select the database in question from the list of databases on the left side, navigate to the Export menu, leave the "Quick" Export Method and press the Export button. Your browser will automatically start downloading the export file in .sql format. If the database is too large, you could switch to the "Custom" Export Method and change the Compression under the Output section to gzipped.
Creating A WordPress Backup at ICDSoft
Users at ICDSoft can easily create a complete WordPress backup that would include both the files and the database with just a single click. The option is available under the WordPress Manager, where you should scroll down to the Backup section and press the Backup now button.
How To Revert A Failed WordPress Update at ICDSoft
If you are hosted at ICDSoft, you can safely proceed with updating your WordPress. In case a problem occurs, you can easily restore both your WordPress files and database from the available system backups. This option is available via the Restore tool in the Control Panel. Unless you have other files under the WordPress installation (besides the core WP files) that you've actually modified over the past several hours (after the system backup was generated), then you can safely select the entire subdomain and set the Restore mode to "Delete, Overwrite". Of course, you should select the first available system backup generated before the update.
In most cases, you don't have to restore the WordPress database. However, if you want to be absolutely sure your entire installation is 100% back to how it was before the update, then you should restore the database as well. You can find the name of your WordPress database by looking at your wp-config.php file as explained above, or at Info section at the WordPress Manager.
Restoring the database from the system backups is also done via the Restore section in the Control Panel. There, click on MySQL 5 or MySQL 8, depending on your database version. On the next screen, select the restore date just before you performed the update, select your WordPress database from list of available Databases, leave the "Restore all tables" option, and press the Restore button.
Of course, if you have enough disk space under your account, the easiest approach at ICDSoft is to create a complete backup of your WordPress installation via the WordPress Manager and restore from it if something goes wrong. In fact, if you perform the updates via the WordPress Manager, it will first generate a complete backup automatically, so let's explore this option.
Updating WordPress With ICDSoft's WordPress Manager
One of the most convenient update methods is to use the WordPress Manager available in ICDSoft's Control Panel. It will show you if there is a pending core or plugin update, and you would be able to apply it directly. The main advantage is that the WordPress Manager will automatically create a backup of the entire installation first. Afterwards, the updates will be applied. If a problem occurs, you would be able to easily revert the updates by restoring from the generated backup.
Updating WordPress With ICDSoft's WordPress MultiManager
Another really convenient and efficient way of updating not just one, but even multiple WordPress installations, is through ICDSoft's WordPress MultiManager. It is a free, powerful tool developed by ICDSoft that allows users to efficiently manage multiple WordPress installations through a single, user-friendly interface. You could use it even if your sites are not hosted at ICDSoft.
You just need to sign up for a free ICDSoft partner account, and then add your WordPress sites via the Connect Site option at the Account Panel. This will install the MultiManager WP plugin on the connected site. In turn, you would be able to update all components of multiple WordPress installations at once. WordPress MultiManager shows if there are any core, plugin, or theme updates for a connected site, so you can easily see what WordPress components require your attention. Furthermore, you can choose to receive weekly email notifications for available updates.
You can watch the following video from our YouTube channel for a detailed overview on how WordPress MultiManager works, and how you can use it to update multiple installations simultaneously and receive weekly notifications.
Updating WordPress via WP-CLI
There are cases where users fall so badly behind with the updates resulting in fatal errors on the frontend and also an inaccessible WordPress dashboard. That's where using the WordPress Command Line Interface (WP-CLI) can come in handy. To use WP-CLI, you would have to access your account via SSH. You should check the documentation of your web host for instructions on how to connect via SSH. ICDSoft users can directly use the Web SSH Terminal built into the Control Panel.
Once you've connected over SSH, you should use the cd command to navigate to the folder where WordPress is installed and then use the following commands (highlighted in bold) to perform the updates:
wp core update - this command updates the WordPress corewp plugin update name-of-plugin - this command updates a specific plugin
wp plugin update --all - this command applies all pending plugin updateswp theme update name-of-theme - updates a particular theme; or you can use the --all option to update all themesTesting WordPress Updates With A Staging Instance
In some cases, it's best to create a staging instance, where you can safely test the updates before applying them to the live site. For example, if it's a high-traffic website, or if the installation is seriously outdated (e.g. WordPress v5 or lower), with a number of outdated plugins and theme, and using PHP 5.
Setting up a staging instance will allow you to safely test the updates without breaking the production site. We have a detailed tutorial on WordPress staging detailing every step of the process.
And you can also watch our YouTube video on how to set up a WordPress staging instance, both manually and via our WordPress Manager:
Troubleshooting WordPress Updates
Having a backup to restore from in case a WordPress update fails is an absolute must, but before resorting to it, there are certain things you can try to fix whatever problems that may have arisen. In this last chapter, we will outline the possible problems that can come with updating WordPress.
1. Identify the Actual Error
WordPress error reporting might be disabled for your installation, so after applying all updates, you might be facing the so-called WSOD (White Screen of Death). In such cases, the first thing you should do is to get a hold of the actual error, and we have covered in great detail all aspects of the WordPress error reporting and logging in a separate blog post linked below:
2. Newer PHP Version Required
Updating WordPress usually goes hand in hand with switching to a newer PHP version. That's especially true if the WordPress installation in question was seriously outdated. If you were previously on PHP 5, and you've updated the core along with all plugins and the theme, you would certainly have to switch to PHP 7.4 or PHP 8+.
If you are getting an error on your site after updating WordPress, one of the first things you should try is to set the PHP version for the subdomain where your installation resides to at least PHP 7.4. According to the official requirements, WordPress 6.9 needs PHP 8.3, but "WordPress also works with PHP 7.2.24+ and MySQL 5.5.5+. However, these versions have reached their official End Of Life and may expose your site to security vulnerabilities." In my experience, the latest WordPress core might still be compatible with PHP 7.2, but most up-to-date plugins require at least PHP 7.4, so that's the absolute minimum you should have.
At ICDSoft, you can easily change the PHP version for a given subdomain under your account via the PHP Settings menu at the Control Panel or through the WordPress Manager.
3. Plugin-Related Error
The next common problem related to WordPress updates is whenever you have a commercial/paid plugin that failed to update, or a discontinued plugin. Once you've updated all WordPress components - which often requires switching to the latest PHP version - you may end up with a plugin that didn’t update and is no longer compatible with the newest PHP interpreter.
There are two typical scenarios where a plugin would fail to update - it could be a paid plugin that requires a license key, or it could be an abandoned plugin no longer in active development. Either way, the error message usually contains the path to the plugin in question. The quick fix is to deactivate the plugin in order to get the website working again. If the dashboard is not accessible, you could try deactivating the plugin via WP-CLI (wp plugin deactivate plugin-name) or you could rename the plugin's folder under the /wp-content/plugins path.
4. Theme-Related Error
Themes could also pose an issue after a WordPress update. Similarly to how certain plugins might fail to update resulting in a fatal error on the site, an outdated theme could also trigger the display of a "Fatal error" message on your website. Again, the common scenario I've seen as a support rep at ICDSoft is where a user goes on to update their WordPress core and plugins, that in turn might lead to needing a newer PHP version, and their active theme might not be compatible with it.
The obvious solution is to update the actual theme, but that might not be possible directly. If the website uses a commercial/paid theme that requires an active license key, you won't be able to update the theme via the dashboard or using WP-CLI. Typically, you would have to log into the website of the theme vendor to obtain the latest version of your theme and install it in place of the existing one. Again, the error on the site would indicate if the problem is related to the active theme. The quick workaround is to temporarily switch to a different active theme, like one of the default ones (e.g. Twenty Twenty-Five).
5. Leftover .maintenance File
During updates, WordPress automatically creates a temporary filed named .maintenance under the installation folder. It causes the application to show a maintenance message on the site with the following text:
"Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance. Check back in a minute."
When the WordPress update completes successfully, the .maintenance file is deleted by the application, and the website is reinstated. However, if the update (of the core, plugins, or theme) is interrupted for some reason, that file could remain, causing your site show the maintenance message indefinitely. The WordPress update process could fail to complete due to a timeout problem, a PHP fatal error, or a temporary server issue.
In such cases, the solution is to navigate to the folder where WordPress is installed and manually delete the .maintenance file. You should be able to do that using the file manager in your host's control panel or via SSH.
Conclusion
Updating WordPress can be quite intimidating, and it could in fact result in various errors or problems with your website. However, if you approach this process methodically, armed with the right knowledge and plan ahead, you should be able to tackle it successfully or at least have an escape route prepared.
If there is one thing for you to take away from this article, it's that you should never update WordPress blindly. Know what you are doing, know your hosting environment and available instruments, have a way back, and test the process in a staging instance if you've fallen behind with the updates.
And of course, if things get sticky and a WordPress update causes problems you can’t resolve, the ICDSoft support team is here to help - for websites hosted on our platform. And if you are not hosted here, give us a try and take advantage of all the WordPress extras we offer with all of our plans. All you need is a hosting account, and we will migrate your WordPress website for free.
