Enable Automatic Updates in WordPress. WordPress does not automatically update your site when there is a renewed main release. Unless you are on a controlled WordPress hosting service, you’ll have to manually activate the update yourself. Also, You know the WordPress.org team can automatically install protection updates without needing user input.
There is an option to disable automatic updates in WordPress. However, we recommend that you keep automatic updates enabled because they usually address crucial security issues and vulnerabilities. Managed WordPress hosting providers like WP Engine and Liquid Web automatically update WordPress for all new releases not just minor ones.
Luckily, you can also enable auto-updates on a shared hosting provider like Bluehost, SiteGround, etc. You’ll just need to make sure that you have a proper backup system in place, so you can revert updates in case something goes wrong.
That being said, let’s take a look at how to easily set up automatic updates for major WordPress releases.
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 always have an automatic backup system in place for every WordPress website.
There are several helpful WordPress backup plugins that you can use to set up automatic backups on your WordPress site.
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 your complete WordPress website. It also allows you to automatically store your backup files in a remote location like Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.
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Once you have set up automatic WordPress backups, you can go ahead and turn on automated WordPress updates for major releases.
Enable Automatic WordPress Updates
This method is easier and recommended for all users. First, you need to install and activate the Easy Updates Manager plugin.
After activation, you’ll need to visit Dashboard » Updates Options page to set up the plugin.
Manually Enable Automatic Update
This method requires you to add code to your WordPress files. First, you need to add the following line of code to your site’s wp-config.php file.
define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', true );
However, we recommend everyone to always back your WordPress website before updates. This allows you to quickly revert back in case anything goes wrong after an update.