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Did you know that WordPress comes with automatic updates enabled for minor versions? This means that the WordPress.org team can automatically install security updates without user input.
However, it will not automatically update your website when there is a new major version. Unless you use a managed WordPress hosting service, you must manually initiate the update yourself.
In this article, we will show you how to easily enable automatic updates for major versions in WordPress.
How WordPress automatic updates work
WordPress introduced automatic updates in WordPress 3.7 (October 24, 2013). This allows WordPress to automatically install new minor versions to improve the security of your website.
There is an option in WordPress to disable automatic updates. However, we recommend that you keep automatic updates enabled, as they usually solve critical security issues and vulnerabilities.
Managed WordPress hosting providers such as WP Engine and Liquid Web automatically update all new versions of WordPress, not just minor versions.
Now, if you only run one or two WordPress sites, then you just need to follow our guidelines to safely update your WordPress site.
On the other hand, if you manage multiple WordPress sites, updating all of them can be very time-consuming.
Fortunately, you can also enable automatic updates on shared hosting providers (such as Bluehost, SiteGround, etc.). You just need to make sure that you have a proper backup system so that you can restore the update in case something goes wrong.
That being said, let's take a look at how to easily set up automatic updates for major WordPress versions.
Preparing for automatic updates in WordPress
The most important layer of security you can add to any website is to set up a backup system. Whether you turn on automatic updates or not, you should provide an automatic backup system for every WordPress site.
There are several useful WordPress backup plugins that you can use to set up automatic backups on your WordPress website.
We recommend using the UpdraftPlus plugin because it is the most popular WordPress backup plugin on the market and it is free. UpdraftPlus allows you to easily set up automatic backups of complete WordPress sites.
It also allows you to automatically store backup files in remote locations such as Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.
After setting up automatic WordPress backup, you can continue to turn on automatic WordPress updates for major versions.
Method 1. Use a plugin to enable automatic WordPress updates for the major version
This method is easier and is recommended for all users.
First, you need to install and activate the "Easy Updates Manager" plugin. For more information, see our step-by-step guide on how to install WordPress plugins.
After activation, you need to visit the "Dashboard" and "Update Options" pages to set up the plugin.
Under the "Automatic Updates" section, click the "Custom" option. After that, click the "Enable Major Version" button under the "Main WordPress Release" section.
The plugin will automatically store your settings and enable automatic updates of the main WordPress version.
This plugin also allows you to set other automatic updates or disable them.
Method 2. Manually enable automatic updates of major versions in WordPress
This method requires you to add code to the WordPress file.
First, you need to add the following lines of code to the wp-config.php file of your website.
define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', true );There is a small problem with this code. It also supports development or nightly updates.
To disable nightly generation and development updates, you need to add the following code in the site-specific plugin or code snippet plugin.
add_filter( 'allow_dev_auto_core_updates', '__return_false' );This filter will disable automatic updates for nightly build or development updates.
Now, as long as a new WordPress version is available, the WordPress website can automatically update itself without input.
Frequently asked questions about WordPress automatic updates
1. Why do I need to install WordPress updates?
WordPress is a regularly maintained software. Thousands of developers have contributed to making WordPress better and more secure.
You need to install them as soon as WordPress updates are available. This ensures that your website has the latest security patches, new features, and the best speed and performance.
2. Is my website safe to update?
As the most popular website builder in the world, WordPress updates are instantly available to millions of websites. The core team works very hard to ensure that they are absolutely safe and installed for all websites.
However, we recommend that you always back up your WordPress site before updating. This allows you to quickly recover if something goes wrong after the update.
3. Can I automatically update the WordPress plugin?
By default, WordPress requires you to manually install plugin updates. However, you can also enable automatic updates for the plugin. Please refer to our guide on how to enable automatic updates for WordPress plugins.
4. Can I install updates on all websites from a single dashboard?
By default, you need to log in to each WordPress site to install the update. Fortunately, you can use tools to manage multiple WordPress sites. These tools make it easier to install updates on WordPress sites without having to log in to each site.
We hope this article helped you understand how to enable automatic updates for major versions in WordPress. You may also want to check out our final list of the most wanted WordPress tips, tricks, and hacks.