WordPress Upgrade: Manual or Automatic

Upgrading WordPress is an important skill that you’ll need to have if you aim on keeping your WordPress blog updated. There are several reasons you want to keep your WordPres blog up to date, one is security issues; keeping your WordPress installation up to date ensures that you’ve the updated security version for your blog. Also make sure your blog is hosted with some of the best web hosting for wordpress blogs.

With it are new features, templates, plugins that come along with each new WordPress upgrade. Being able to take advantage of new WordPress plug-ins, features and themes will ensure your blog is always on the cutting edge of technology.

Remember: before upgrading WordPress, either you automatically or manually you must do the following:

-        Check requirements to ensure your host runs the required versions of MySQL and PHP. Though many sites are using latest coding styles but php web hosting is also existing and it is no more obsolete in current web world wide.

-        Backup your database so you won’t lose any of your posts and pages.

-        Check plug-ins and theme to work with upgraded WordPress installation.

-        Disable plug-ins for the upgrade by using Bulk Action to deactivate all plug-ins at once.

-        If the plug-ins won’t work with the WordPress installation, you’ll either have to wait to upgrade until the plug-ins and themes are ungraded to work with the new version or forgo using the plug-ins or themes.

-        It’s not recommended to use plug-ins that aren’t approved with the upgraded WordPress theme if you want to have a stable WordPress installation.

Manually upgrade WordPress

-        To upgrade WordPress manually, you’ll need the updated WordPress version.

-        Unzip the WordPress to a folder on your drive.

-        Now open up your FTP program and log into your site.

-        Remember where WordPress is installed.

-        Once you’ve located your WordPress installation folder on you site, you’lll want to navigate to the updated files you unzipped.

-        You’ll need to upload the upgraded WordPress files to your hard drive to the corresponding folders on your site. Important!The wp-content folder is the only exception to overwriting the files. If you have any special WordPress themes or plugins you are using you will not want to overwrite this folder or you will lose your WordPress theme and have to re-upload them.

-        After you’ve uploaded your WordPress files, you’ll want to go back to your browser and log into your WordPress blog.

-        If your database needs to be updated, then WordPress will display a link to update your database that you can click on and follow instructions.

-        At this point you’ll want to make sure everything works right and also check the WordPress version.

Automatically install WordPress theme

If you prefer to take the safe and easier route, then you’ll surely want to let WordPress do the work for you and Upgrade WordPress automatically.

-        To make your WordPress work, you’ll need to first log in to your blog.

-        After you have logged in, you should see a message at the top the screen saying that you need to update you WordPress blog, if you have an out of date installation at your midst. If you don’t see a message you will want to go to your dashboard and click the updates option.

-        You’ll encounter a version of the WordPress displayed with a message as to whether or not you need to upgrade WordPress.

-        WordPress will ask you for your connection information and proceed to update once you have entered this information.

-        Remember: If you customized the default or classic theme then you will need to back up these files to re-upload one the WordPress upgrade is completed or you will need to manually upgrade WordPress.

-        After you are sure of everything and that everything is working correctly, you can go in and then enable you plugins. If you are unhappy with your web hosting check out some of these cheap web hosting providers.

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