Automatic, with Auto Updater
Set it up once per site and every new version arrives on its own, on the schedule you choose.
- A copy before every change
- Rolls back on its own if the site errors
- Does not use your download quota
How to update themes and plugins
A new version just landed in the catalog? There are three ways to get it onto your site: the automatic one, with Auto Updater, and two manual ones, from the WordPress dashboard or over FTP.
249 Auto Updater deliveries today955 this month1,218 sites with automatic updates
Three ways
Pick your way
The automatic way looks after every site at once. The manual ones suit the occasional item.
From the WordPress dashboard
Download the ZIP from the item page and upload it over the installed version.
- Nothing extra to install
- One item at a time
- The backup is up to you
Over FTP
Swap the item folder straight on the server, for when the dashboard upload hits the size limit.
- Works with large packages
- Needs FTP or SFTP access
- The backup is up to you
Automatic
Set it up once, get every new version
Auto Updater checks the catalog on the schedule you set and applies new versions of the items you switched to automatic. Before every change it saves a copy; afterwards it visits the site and, if the site reports a critical error, puts the previous version back.
- Install the plugin. Download the file using the button above. In WordPress, upload it under
Plugins › Add New › Upload Plugin. Click Install Now, then Activate. On Multisite, network-activate it. - Turn on protection. Open the plugin and click Enable protection. This allows the item’s files to be restored if an update fails the check.
- Premium catalog (optional). For the premium catalog, copy your token from Manage sites, save it in Settings and authorize the site. Then choose your items and schedule.
Manual
From the WordPress dashboard
Since WordPress 5.5, uploading the ZIP of an item that is already installed shows a version comparison and a button to replace it. Settings live in the database and stay there.
Plugin
- On the item page, download the new version (the .zip file).
- In WordPress, open
Plugins › Add New › Upload Pluginand choose the .zip. - Click Install Now. WordPress compares the uploaded version with the installed one.
- Click Replace current with uploaded. Done: the new version is in place of the old one.
Theme
- On the item page, download the new version of the theme.
- Open
Appearance › Themes › Add New › Upload Themeand choose the .zip. - Click Install Now, then Replace active with uploaded.
- Update only the parent theme: the child theme holds your customizations and is not replaced.
Upload fails? Some items come as the author’s full package, with documentation and the installable file inside. Unzip it and upload the theme or plugin .zip you find inside (the theme is the folder that has style.css).
Back up first. A manual swap keeps no copy of the previous version; Auto Updater does.
Manual
Over FTP
For large packages, or when the dashboard rejects the upload: you swap the item’s whole folder on the server.
- Unzip the file on your computer.
- On the server, rename the item’s current folder (for example, to
name-old): that is your copy. - Upload the new folder, with the original name, to the same place.
- Open the site, check it and delete the copy.
Where each item lives
wp-content/plugins/plugin-folder/the folder name matches the installed versionwp-content/themes/theme-folder/style.cssthe theme folder is the one with style.cssIf something breaks
Go back to the version that worked
Any new version can bring a surprise. Two ways back:
Auto Updater snapshots
Before updating, Auto Updater saves the item’s files. To go back, click Restore. With protection enabled, if the check detects a failure, the copy is restored automatically.
How snapshots workPrevious versions on the item page
Each item keeps its previous versions for download. How many you see depends on your plan:
Compare the plansJust out
See all updatesNew versions in the catalog
Rather not think about it?
Auto Updater comes with every plan and keeps catalog items up to date on its own.