Why Should You Update WordPress Regularly?

WordPress is a free website-building tool made by developers who keep improving it. Every time there is a new version, they fix bugs, add features, improve speed, and increase security. If you don’t update WordPress, your website might become slow, outdated, or even unsafe.

 

1. Security

WordPress runs over 20% of the world’s websites. Because of that, it’s a common target for hackers. Each update helps protect your site from known threats. An outdated version of WordPress or plugins can leave your site open to attacks.

 

2. New Features

New versions of WordPress introduce cool new tools, like faster plugin updates, better image editing, or easier setups. If you're on an older version, your WordPress dashboard won’t have these features, and support articles may not apply to you.

 

3. Speed

Updates often make your site faster. The speed of your website matters for both users and search engines. Google likes faster websites, and so do your visitors.

 

4. Bug Fixes

Even with testing, small code bugs can show up in software. WordPress updates fix these bugs. If something isn't working right, the first step is usually updating to a bug-fixed new version. If you don’t, support teams may not be able to help you.

 

5. Compatibility

Plugins and themes are also updated to work with the latest version of WordPress. If your site is running an older version, your plugins or themes might stop working.


Tip:
Always make a backup of your site before updating—just in case anything goes wrong.

 

Summary: Why Updates Matter

  • Better security
  • New and improved features
  • Faster website speed
  • Fewer bugs
  • More stable plugin and theme support

 

How to Update WordPress

When you log into your WordPress dashboard, you’ll see a notice if updates are available. You can update:

  • The WordPress core software
  • Your plugins
  • Your themes
  • Enable automatic updates for your WordPress core, themes and plugins 

 

⚠️ Tip: If you have customised the WordPress source code, theme or plugin without using child files, please do not enable Automatic Updates as they may update without retaining your customisations. Get your developer to update your WordPress with the custom features.

 


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