How to Update WordPress Plugins Safely: A Step-by-Step Guide for Website Owners
Keeping your WordPress plugins updated is one of the simplest things you can do to help maintain a secure, functional, and reliable website. However, many business owners avoid plugin updates because they are worried that an update could break their website.
The good news is that updating WordPress plugins is usually a straightforward process when you know what to check before and after the update.
In this guide, Red Bearded Marketing explains how to update WordPress plugins safely, why plugin updates matter, how automatic updates work, what to do when a plugin update causes a problem, and when it may be better to have a professional manage your WordPress website.
If you own a business website and don’t regularly log into WordPress, plugin maintenance is something you shouldn’t ignore.
What Is a WordPress Plugin?
A WordPress plugin is an additional piece of software that adds functionality to a WordPress website.
Plugins can provide features such as:
- Contact forms
- SEO tools
- Website security
- Online stores
- Caching
- Backup systems
- Image optimization
- Analytics
- Appointment scheduling
- Membership systems
- Social media integrations
- ADA and accessibility tools
- Website builders
- Spam protection
WordPress itself provides the core website functionality, while plugins allow website owners to customize and expand what their website can do.
Because plugins are separate pieces of software, their developers regularly release new versions.
Those updates may include new features, bug fixes, compatibility improvements, performance improvements, or security patches.
Why Should You Update WordPress Plugins?
One of the biggest reasons to keep your WordPress plugins updated is security.
WordPress recommends keeping plugins and themes updated because outdated software can leave a website exposed to known vulnerabilities.
Plugin updates can also improve:
Security
Plugin developers may release updates to address security vulnerabilities discovered in previous versions.
Leaving an outdated plugin installed for months or years can increase the risk of problems.
Compatibility
WordPress, plugins, themes, PHP versions, and other website components need to work together.
When one part of your website is updated, older plugins may eventually become incompatible.
Performance
Some plugin updates improve the way the plugin’s code operates, potentially improving website performance or reducing bugs.
New Features
Plugin updates can introduce new features, settings, integrations, and functionality.
Bug Fixes
If a plugin has a known problem, an update may correct it.
For these reasons, WordPress recommends keeping plugins up to date rather than allowing them to remain outdated indefinitely.
How Do You Update WordPress Plugins?
The easiest way to update WordPress plugins is through the WordPress dashboard.
Before making updates, however, it is a good idea to make sure you have a recent backup of your website.
WordPress specifically recommends having a current backup before updating plugins because updates can occasionally cause compatibility problems.
Once you have a backup, follow these steps.
Step 1: Log Into Your WordPress Dashboard
Go to your WordPress login page and sign into your administrator account.
Once you’re logged in, you’ll see your WordPress dashboard.
Depending on your website configuration, you may see notifications indicating that plugins need to be updated.
Step 2: Go to Plugins
From the left-hand WordPress menu, select:
Plugins → Installed Plugins
This page shows the plugins currently installed on your website.
You may see plugins that are already up to date as well as plugins with newer versions available.
WordPress displays update notifications when a newer version of a plugin is available.
Step 3: Review Available Plugin Updates
Before clicking “Update,” take a moment to look at what is actually being updated.
You don’t necessarily want to blindly click every update without checking the website first.
Look for:
- The plugin name
- The currently installed version
- The new version
- Compatibility information
- The plugin developer
- Release notes or changelog information
If you click the plugin’s version details, you may be able to see what changed in the new release.
This can be especially helpful when you’re working with important plugins that control forms, ecommerce, SEO, security, or your website’s visual layout.
Step 4: Back Up Your Website
Before updating important plugins, make sure you have a recent backup.
A proper WordPress backup should generally include your website files and database.
Why?
Because if a plugin update creates a conflict, you may need to restore the website to a previous working version.
A backup gives you a safety net.
This is particularly important for business websites where downtime can mean lost leads, missed phone calls, or lost sales.
Step 5: Update the Plugin
Once you’ve reviewed the update and confirmed that your website has a current backup, you can update the plugin.
You can generally do this directly from the Plugins screen by selecting the available update.
WordPress also provides a Dashboard → Updates screen where available plugin updates can be reviewed and installed.
Depending on your website, you may update plugins individually or use the bulk update functionality.
For important business websites, updating plugins individually can make troubleshooting easier because you know exactly which update was applied if something goes wrong.
Step 6: Wait for the Update to Finish
Don’t close your browser or start clicking around the website while WordPress is actively performing the update.
Allow the process to finish.
When successful, WordPress should indicate that the plugin has been updated.
If WordPress reports an error, don’t immediately start making additional changes.
Instead, investigate the problem before continuing with additional updates.
Step 7: Check Your Website
This is one of the most important steps.
After updating a plugin, visit your website.
Don’t just check the homepage.
Test the important functions of your website.
For a typical business website, check things such as:
- Homepage
- Contact page
- Contact forms
- Phone links
- Navigation menu
- Mobile version
- Service pages
- Blog
- Online booking system
- Ecommerce functionality
- Login areas
- Search functionality
If your website generates leads, submit a test contact form.
If you have an online store, test important shopping functionality.
If you use a page builder, check several pages to make sure the layout still looks correct.
What Happens If a WordPress Plugin Update Breaks My Website?
Sometimes a plugin update can create a conflict.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that WordPress itself is broken.
A plugin may conflict with:
- Another plugin
- Your WordPress version
- Your theme
- Your page builder
- Your PHP version
- Custom website code
- A third-party integration
WordPress recommends reviewing compatibility information and release notes before performing updates.
If your website breaks immediately after updating a plugin, the timing can provide an important clue about what caused the problem.
If you know which plugin was updated immediately before the problem appeared, troubleshooting becomes considerably easier.
Should You Update All WordPress Plugins at Once?
You can update multiple plugins at once using WordPress’s bulk update functionality.
WordPress supports bulk plugin updates directly from the dashboard.
However, that doesn’t always mean bulk updating is the best approach for every website.
For a small, simple website with a handful of basic plugins, bulk updates may be perfectly reasonable.
For a larger business website with many plugins, ecommerce functionality, custom code, or a page builder, you may want to take a more controlled approach.
Updating plugins individually makes it easier to identify which plugin caused a problem if something stops working.
How Often Should You Update WordPress Plugins?
There isn’t one specific number of days that applies to every website.
The important thing is to avoid allowing plugin updates to pile up indefinitely.
You should regularly check your WordPress dashboard for available updates.
Some websites may have updates available frequently, while other websites may have fewer updates.
The key is consistency.
Instead of logging into WordPress once every six months and discovering dozens of outdated plugins, establish a regular maintenance schedule.
For business websites, regular maintenance can help prevent small maintenance tasks from turning into larger website problems.
Should You Turn On Automatic WordPress Plugin Updates?
WordPress allows website administrators to enable automatic updates for individual plugins.
Automatic plugin updates were introduced in WordPress 5.5, and administrators can enable or disable them from the Plugins screen.
Automatic updates can be convenient because they reduce the number of manual updates a website owner needs to perform.
However, automatic updates don’t eliminate the need for website maintenance.
You should still:
- Maintain regular backups
- Monitor your website
- Check important website functions
- Review failed update notifications
- Keep WordPress itself updated
- Remove unnecessary plugins
- Monitor website security
WordPress also recommends maintaining regular backups when using automatic plugin updates so you have a way to recover if something goes wrong.
Are Automatic Plugin Updates Safe?
Automatic plugin updates can be useful, but no update system can guarantee that an update will never create a compatibility problem.
A plugin update changes software that is actively being used by your website.
If the new version conflicts with another component, something may stop functioning.
This is why backups and monitoring remain important even when automatic updates are enabled.
For simple websites, automatic updates may be a convenient option.
For complex business websites, ecommerce websites, or websites with custom development, a managed update process may provide greater control.
What Should You Do With Plugins You Don’t Use?
If you have plugins installed that you no longer need, consider removing them.
Simply leaving unnecessary plugins installed can create additional maintenance and security considerations.
WordPress’s security guidance specifically recommends keeping plugins updated and deleting plugins that aren’t being used.
A good WordPress maintenance routine should periodically review the entire plugin list.
Ask:
Do I still need this plugin?
If the answer is no, it may be time to remove it.
Before deleting a plugin, make sure it isn’t providing functionality that another part of your website depends on.
What If a Plugin Doesn’t Have an Update Button?
Not every plugin is updated through the same mechanism.
Plugins downloaded from the official WordPress Plugin Directory generally receive update notifications through the WordPress dashboard.
Plugins installed manually or obtained from external developers may have their own update systems.
WordPress notes that manually installed plugins may only display update notifications if the plugin author provides a built-in updater.
Premium plugins may also require you to connect a license account before updates are available.
If you don’t see an update button, check the plugin developer’s documentation or account portal.
How Do You Know Which WordPress Plugins Need Updating?
WordPress makes this relatively easy.
When a plugin has an update available, WordPress displays an update notification within the dashboard.
You can also go to:
Dashboard → Updates
or:
Plugins → Installed Plugins
The Updates screen provides access to available plugin and theme updates.
If everything is current, WordPress will indicate that your plugins are up to date.
Why WordPress Plugin Maintenance Matters for Businesses
For a personal blog, a plugin problem may be an inconvenience.
For a business, it can be much more serious.
Your website may be responsible for generating:
- Phone calls
- Contact form submissions
- Appointment requests
- Online sales
- Quote requests
- Customer inquiries
- Email leads
If a plugin update breaks your contact form, for example, your website may continue looking perfectly normal while quietly failing to deliver new leads.
That’s why website maintenance shouldn’t only focus on whether the homepage loads.
The important question is:
Does the website still work for your customers?
WordPress Plugin Updates and SEO
Plugin updates can also be relevant to your website’s overall SEO performance.
Your website’s SEO can depend on multiple technical components, including:
- Website speed
- Mobile usability
- Security
- Site accessibility
- Structured data
- Metadata
- Internal linking
- Indexability
- Website uptime
Updating plugins does not automatically improve your Google rankings.
However, keeping the technical foundation of your website maintained can help reduce avoidable problems that could interfere with your website’s performance.
SEO is more than publishing blog posts.
A healthy technical website is part of a strong long-term SEO strategy.
WordPress Plugin Updates and AI Search
Website maintenance is becoming increasingly important as businesses try to appear in AI-generated search results.
Search engines and AI systems rely on websites that can be crawled, interpreted, and understood.
A website that is outdated, broken, insecure, or poorly maintained can create technical problems that work against your broader digital marketing strategy.
Updating plugins isn’t an “AI SEO trick.”
Instead, it is one part of maintaining a technically healthy website that supports your SEO, content, and AI search visibility efforts.
For businesses investing in SEO and AI search optimization, maintaining the website underneath that content is essential.
A Simple WordPress Plugin Update Checklist
Before updating plugins:
☐ Make sure you have a recent backup.
☐ Check which plugins have updates available.
☐ Review important plugin changes and compatibility information.
☐ Identify plugins that control critical website functions.
☐ Consider updating important plugins individually.
After updating plugins:
☐ Confirm the update completed successfully.
☐ Visit the website.
☐ Check the homepage.
☐ Check the mobile version.
☐ Test your contact form.
☐ Test important buttons and links.
☐ Check your primary service pages.
☐ Check ecommerce or booking functionality if applicable.
☐ Look for visual problems.
☐ Check the WordPress dashboard for errors.
Can Updating WordPress Plugins Break a Website?
Yes.
Although plugin updates are a normal part of WordPress maintenance, compatibility problems can occasionally occur.
A plugin update could conflict with another plugin, your theme, your page builder, custom code, or another part of your website.
That is why WordPress recommends maintaining backups and reviewing compatibility before updates.
The goal isn’t to avoid plugin updates.
The goal is to update plugins responsibly.
What Should You Do If Your Website Breaks After an Update?
If your website stops working immediately after a plugin update, don’t panic.
Start by identifying what changed.
If only one plugin was updated immediately before the problem appeared, that plugin may be the first thing to investigate.
Depending on the situation, you may need to:
- Identify the plugin that caused the conflict.
- Deactivate the plugin if you can safely access WordPress.
- Restore a backup if necessary.
- Contact the plugin developer.
- Check for a newer plugin version.
- Check whether another plugin or theme needs updating.
- Have a WordPress professional troubleshoot the issue.
If the website generates revenue or leads, professional assistance can often be preferable to experimenting with multiple settings while the website is offline.
Should a Business Owner Update WordPress Plugins?
If you are comfortable working inside WordPress and understand how your website is built, you can absolutely learn how to perform routine plugin updates.
But business owners also need to consider the consequences of something going wrong.
Your website may contain:
- Custom code
- Premium plugins
- Page builders
- SEO systems
- Forms
- Ecommerce functionality
- Booking systems
- Analytics integrations
- Security software
- Third-party APIs
The more complicated the website becomes, the more important proper maintenance becomes.
That’s where professional WordPress maintenance can make sense.
Red Bearded Marketing Can Help With WordPress Website Maintenance
At Red Bearded Marketing, we help businesses with WordPress website design, SEO, website maintenance, content, and digital marketing.
Plugin updates are only one small part of maintaining a successful business website.
A properly maintained WordPress website should be regularly reviewed for:
- Plugin updates
- WordPress updates
- Theme updates
- Security issues
- Broken links
- Website speed
- Mobile functionality
- Contact forms
- SEO problems
- Website errors
- Backup status
- Outdated content
- Technical SEO issues
If you don’t have time to constantly monitor your WordPress website, having a professional handle your maintenance can give you more time to focus on running your business.
Watch Our Video: How to Update WordPress Plugins
If you’re a visual learner, check out our Red Bearded Marketing video showing you how to update WordPress plugins.
The video walks through the process inside the WordPress dashboard and demonstrates the basic steps website owners can follow when plugin updates become available.
Use the video along with this guide as a reference the next time your WordPress dashboard tells you that plugins need to be updated.
Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress Plugin Updates
How do I update WordPress plugins?
Log into your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Installed Plugins, review available updates, and select the option to update the plugin. You can also manage available updates through Dashboard → Updates.
Is it safe to update WordPress plugins?
Generally, plugin updates are an important part of maintaining WordPress, but compatibility problems can occasionally occur. Always maintain a recent backup and review important updates before installing them.
How often should WordPress plugins be updated?
Check your WordPress dashboard regularly and install available updates as part of routine website maintenance. Avoid allowing plugins to remain outdated for long periods.
Can a WordPress plugin update break my website?
Yes. A plugin update can occasionally conflict with another plugin, theme, page builder, WordPress version, PHP version, or custom code.
Should I update all WordPress plugins at once?
You can, but updating important plugins individually can make troubleshooting easier if something goes wrong.
Does WordPress automatically update plugins?
WordPress allows administrators to enable automatic updates for individual plugins. Automatic updates can be managed from the Plugins screen.
Should I enable automatic plugin updates?
Automatic updates can be useful, but you should still maintain backups and monitor your website after updates. More complex business websites may benefit from controlled maintenance.
Why are WordPress plugin updates important?
Updates can include security fixes, bug fixes, compatibility improvements, performance improvements, and new features.
What happens if I don’t update my WordPress plugins?
Outdated plugins can become incompatible with other website software and may leave known security vulnerabilities unaddressed.
Should I delete unused WordPress plugins?
If a plugin is no longer needed, removing it can reduce unnecessary software on your website. Always verify that the plugin isn’t required by another website feature before deleting it.
Where do I find WordPress plugin updates?
You can find plugin updates under Plugins → Installed Plugins and Dashboard → Updates.
Do plugin updates improve SEO?
Plugin updates do not automatically increase rankings, but maintaining a healthy website can help prevent technical problems that may negatively affect website performance and SEO.
Can plugin updates affect my website design?
Yes. If a plugin interacts with your theme, page builder, CSS, JavaScript, or other visual components, an update can occasionally change how parts of your website display.
Should I back up WordPress before updating plugins?
Yes. A current backup provides a recovery option if an update causes an unexpected problem.
What should I do if a plugin update fails?
Check the WordPress error message, identify the plugin involved, and avoid making multiple unrelated changes. If necessary, restore a backup or contact a WordPress professional.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to update WordPress plugins is an important skill for any WordPress website owner.
The process itself is relatively simple:
Back up your website → review the update → update the plugin → test your website.
The bigger issue is making WordPress maintenance a regular habit.
For a business website, your website isn’t just an online brochure. It may be one of your most important sources of customers and leads.
Keeping your plugins, WordPress installation, theme, security, SEO, forms, and website functionality maintained helps give your business a stronger technical foundation.
And if you don’t want to handle WordPress maintenance yourself, Red Bearded Marketing can help.