How to Update WordPress Plugins (Manually, Automatically & Safely)

Key Takeaways

• Always back up your site before updating any WordPress plugin.
• Update plugins one at a time to easily trace issues if something breaks.
• Use a staging environment to test updates before pushing them to your live site.
• WP CLI and FTP are reliable alternatives if your dashboard is inaccessible.

If you’re running a WordPress site, updating plugins probably feels like just another task on your to-do list. You log in, see the notification bubble, click “Update” and move on. Simple, right?

Not always.

Updating plugins without caution can result in:

• A broken layout
• Lost functionality
• Website downtime
• Security vulnerabilities
• Even a full site crash

We’ve seen it happen. One minute, everything works, and the next, your contact form is gone, or your homepage is blank.

But you can’t afford to ignore plugin updates either. They fix bugs, patch security holes, and ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress core. Delaying updates means exposing your site to vulnerabilities and performance issues.

So what’s the solution?

You need a smart update strategy, one that balances security, stability, and ease.

That’s exactly what this guide will help you with. Whether you’re managing a single site or dozens for clients, this guide gives you all the tools you need to handle plugin updates with confidence.

Why You Should Always Keep Plugins Updated

WordPress plugins need regular updates. They’re like apps on your phone. You wouldn’t skip an update from your banking app, right?

The same goes for your website plugins.

Here’s why developers push updates:

• Security patches: to close vulnerabilities and prevent hacks
• Bug fixes: to resolve broken features or functionality
• Performance improvements: faster load times, optimized code
• New features: expand capabilities or enhance user experience
• Compatibility: ensure smooth integration with the latest WordPress core or PHP versions

If you’re running outdated plugins, you’re not just missing out; you’re putting your site at risk.

How Do You Know When Plugins Need Updating?

WordPress makes it pretty obvious when a plugin is due for an update. You’ll see:

• A notification bubble next to the Plugins tab in the sidebar

• A message on the Dashboard > Updates screen

• A yellow update notice below each plugin on the Installed Plugins page

When you see these, it’s time to act. But don’t click that update button just yet.

Let’s walk through how to update your plugins the right way, based on your level of comfort, control, and the criticality of your website.

Method 1: Update Plugins Manually via WordPress Dashboard (Recommended for Most Users)

This is the most common and beginner-friendly way to update plugins. Follow these steps:

• Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard

• Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins

• Look for plugins with an update notice
• Click “View version details” to read the changelog and confirm what’s changing

• Click “Update Now” under the plugin
• Wait for the success message before updating the next one

Best practice: Update one plugin at a time so you can quickly pinpoint the source if something breaks.

Bonus Step: Always Backup Before Updating Plugins

Updating even one plugin without a backup is a gamble. Things can break, and without a safety net, you’re stuck.

Backup options:

• Cloudways users: Use 1-click manual backup directly from your application panel

• Other users: Use plugins like UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, or Duplicator

Method 2: Bulk Update WordPress Plugins

If you’re in a rush, you can update multiple plugins at once. Just know that if something breaks, you won’t know which plugin caused the problem.

Here’s how you can bulk update WordPress plugins on your site:

• Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins
• Select all plugins you want to update

• Choose “Update” from the Bulk Actions dropdown and click Apply

Note: This method is recommended only if you’ve recently backed up your site and the plugins you’re updating are from trusted developers.

Method 3: How to Manually Update WordPress Plugins via FTP (Advanced)

If you can’t access your WordPress dashboard, maybe due to a broken plugin, you can manually update plugins using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). This method gives you full control but requires a bit more technical confidence.

Here’s how to update a plugin via FTP:

• Get the plugin’s latest .zip file from WordPress.org or the plugin developer’s site.

• Unzip the file on your local machine. You’ll get a folder containing the new plugin version.

• Use an FTP client like FileZilla. You’ll need your FTP credentials from your hosting provider.
• On the right (your server), go to public_html > wp-content > plugins.
• Find the folder of the plugin you’re updating and delete it. Don’t worry; your plugin settings are usually saved in the database, not the folder.

• Drag and drop the new version’s folder from your computer (left side in FileZilla) to the server’s plugin directory.

• Log in to your dashboard (if you can) and ensure the plugin is working properly.

Pro Tip: Use this method only if the plugin is causing admin lockout or update issues. If you’re on Cloudways, you can skip FTP stress by using SafeUpdates (more on that below).

How to Undo a WordPress Plugin Update (If Things Break)

Plugin update caused problems? Don’t panic. You can roll back to a previous version or disable the plugin until you troubleshoot further.

Option 1: Use WP Rollback Plugin

• Install and activate WP Rollback

• Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins
• Click the Rollback link under the problematic plugin

• Choose a previous version and click the Rollback button

This method works great for plugins hosted on the official WordPress repository. Don’t want to install a plugin? Let’s check out the next method.

Option 2: Disable the Plugin via Dashboard

• Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins
• Click Deactivate under the faulty plugin

Still locked out of the admin panel?

Option 3: Disable Plugins via FTP

• Connect to your server via FTP
• Go to wp-content/plugins
• Rename the plugin’s folder to something like plugin-name-disabled

This instantly deactivates the plugin without logging into WordPress.

How to Automatically Update WordPress Plugins

WordPress lets you enable auto-updates for each plugin. Follow these steps:

• Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins
• Click Enable auto-updates next to any plugin

You can also bulk-enable them by following the steps below:

• Check the boxes next to multiple plugins

• Choose Enable Auto-updates from the Bulk Actions menu and click Apply.

But here’s the issue with WordPress auto-updates: They don’t test anything before going live. If an update breaks your site, there’s no warning, and no easy recovery.

That’s why serious site owners and agencies prefer safe automation.

Automate WordPress Plugin Updates the Smart Way with Cloudways SafeUpdates

If you host your WordPress site on Cloudways, you unlock one of the most powerful tools in the WordPress ecosystem: SafeUpdates.

This isn’t your typical auto-update tool. It’s an intelligent automation system that:

• Detects plugin, theme, and core updates
• Creates a full backup
• Clones your site into a staging environment
• Runs visual and performance tests
• Compares the before and after versions using Visual Regression Testing
• Only deploys the update to your live site if everything passes
• Automatically rolls back if something goes wrong

But how do you use it? It’s super simple. Let’s check it out.

Two Ways to Use SafeUpdates on Cloudways

1. On-Demand Updates

Manually trigger plugin updates at any time, complete with full testing and backup, before going live.

2. Scheduled Updates

Set it and forget it. Choose the day and time, pick what gets updated (core, themes, plugins), and let SafeUpdates do the rest while you sleep.

You’ll even get email alerts for:

• Successful updates
• Aborted updates
• Pre-update notifications

Why SafeUpdates Is a Game Changer

Because it:

• Saves hours of manual testing
• Works with premium plugins that support WP-CLI
• Includes performance and Core Web Vitals checks
• Helps agencies scale maintenance services efficiently
• Priced affordably: as low as $2 per site/month

Did You Know? Cloudways users report saving over 42 hours of WordPress maintenance every month with SafeUpdates.

Keep Your Site Safe While Staying Updated

However you update your plugins, SafeUpdates ensures nothing breaks. Enable SafeUpdates on your WordPress site and let it handle updates, backups, and testing — all in one click.

Try SafeUpdates

How to Activate and Configure SafeUpdates on Cloudways

Getting started with SafeUpdates on Cloudways is easy peasy.

You don’t need extra plugins, subscriptions, or technical knowledge; everything is built into your Cloudways dashboard.

How to Activate SafeUpdates on Cloudways

• Log in to your Cloudways account
• Go to Applications > Choose your app

• Click SafeUpdates on the left-hand menu.

• Click Activate SafeUpdates

That’s it! Now you’re ready to customize and automate plugin updates like a pro.

How to Customize Your SafeUpdates Workflow

Cloudways gives you full control over how and when updates are applied.

On-Demand Updates

• Choose plugins, themes, or WordPress core manually
• SafeUpdates runs a full testing cycle before applying changes
• Great for time-sensitive fixes or manual control

Scheduled Updates

• Choose the day and time
• Pick which components to include (core, themes, plugins)
• Set up email notifications for each update event
• Add up to two extra pages for Visual Regression Testing (VRT)

You can also enable:

• Pre-notification emails (24 hours before scheduled update)
• Alerts for successful or aborted updates
• Optional critical updates mode to prioritize urgent security fixes

SafeUpdates vs Other Auto-Update Tools

There are other tools that offer automated updates, but none combine automation with the safety and control that SafeUpdates does.

Feature	SafeUpdates (Cloudways)	Jetpack	ManageWP	Easy Updates Manager
Backup Before Update	✅	❌ (requires Jetpack Backup)	✅	❌
Visual Regression Testing	✅	❌	❌	❌
Staging Environment	✅ (temporary clone)	❌	✅ (Pro plan)	❌
Performance & HTML Testing	✅	❌	❌	❌
Rollback on Failure	✅	❌	Partial	❌
Supports Premium Plugins (via WP-CLI)	✅	❌	✅	❌
One-Click Setup	✅	✅	❌ (requires config)	✅
Built Into Hosting Platform	✅	❌	❌	❌

So, SafeUpdates offers the most robust, reliable, and developer-level workflow with zero technical overhead. If you’re already on Cloudways, there’s no reason not to use it.

WordPress Plugin Update Checklist (Manual or Automated)

Before updating any plugin, follow this checklist to avoid surprises:

• Always back up your site
• Check the changelog for major changes
• Wait a few days after major plugin updates (unless it’s a security fix)
• Test changes on a staging environment (Cloudways does this automatically with SafeUpdates)
• Use rollback tools like WP Rollback
• Never bulk-update without backups
• Automate updates with safety checks in place

Want to never worry about this again? Use SafeUpdates and let Cloudways handle the rest.

Final Thoughts: The Smarter, Safer Way to Update Plugins

By now, you’ve seen that updating WordPress plugins isn’t just about clicking a button. It’s about making smart choices that protect your website’s functionality, speed, and security.

You’ve learned how to:

• Manually update plugins through your dashboard
• Bulk update with caution
• Use FTP for advanced manual updates
• Roll back or disable plugins if things go wrong
• Automate updates using built-in WordPress tools
• And most importantly, how to make the entire process safer and easier with Cloudways SafeUpdates

Manual methods are fine if you’re working on a personal site with minimal risk.

But if you’re running a high-traffic site, managing client websites, or simply want peace of mind, automation backed by real testing is the way to go.

That’s where SafeUpdates shines.

It doesn’t just automate updates. It protects your site before, during, and after the process with backups, staging, performance checks, and visual testing.

With SafeUpdates, no plugin conflict goes unnoticed. No broken layout gets pushed live. If something fails, SafeUpdates stops the update or rolls it back instantly, ensuring your site remains safe at all times.

You can spend hours doing all this manually. Or you can let Cloudways do it for you with just a click.

So, want to make updates a no-stress experience? Activate SafeUpdates on Cloudways and let us handle the heavy lifting while you focus on growing your site.

Get started with a free 3-day trial.