Knowing how exactly to upgrade WordPress is an essential skill that you will have to have if you want to keep your WordPress blog up to date.
There are lots of reasons you want to keep your WordPress blog up to date. Most importantly are security issues. Keeping your WordPress installation current will make sure that you Weather Blog - new have plugged up the latest security holes in your blog.
Needless to say there are always new features, templates and plugins that can come along with each new WordPress upgrade. To be able to make the most of new WordPress plugins, features and themes will make fully sure your blog is definitely on the leading edge of technology.
*Important! Before upgrading WordPress either automatically or manually you have to:
Check certain requirements to make fully sure your host is running the mandatory versions of PHP and MySQL.
Produce a backup of one's database so you are certain that you do not lose many posts and pages.
Make sure that your plugins and theme works with the upgraded WordPress installation.
Disable your plugins for the upgrade process by using the Bulk Action to deactivate your entire plugins at once.
If your plugins or theme will not assist the new WordPress installation you will either have to wait to upgrade before plugins and theme are upgraded also to utilize the new WordPress version, or you will have to forgo using the plugins and/or theme.
There has been times where I have used a plugin or theme that has been not upgraded to utilize the latest WordPress version. Sometimes I was successful and sometimes I wasn't. I do not recommend using plugins or themes which have not been approved with the upgraded WordPress theme if you want to have a well balanced WordPress installation.
Manually upgrade WordPress
First I should go over how exactly to upgrade WordPress manually.
To upgrade WordPress manually you will have to download the updated WordPress version.
You will even need certainly to unzip WordPress to a folder in your hard disk drive (try not to forget where you add it).
Now you will have to start your FTP program and log into your site.
You would want to note where you WordPress is installed. Whether it is in your root folder or whether you have installed it in another folder such as /blog.
After you have located your WordPress installation folder in your web site, you would want to see a updated WordPress files you unzipped in your hard disk drive (you did remember where you add it, didn't you?).
You will then need certainly to upload the upgraded WordPress files in your hard disk drive (folders and all) to the corresponding folders on your online site. Important! The wp-content folder is the sole exception to overwriting the files. If you have any special WordPress themes or plugins you are using you will not wish to overwrite this folder or you will lose your WordPress theme and have to re-upload them.
After you have uploaded your entire WordPress files, you would want to go back to your browser and log into your WordPress blog in your site.
If your database must be updated also then WordPress will display an url to update your database as possible click on and follow directions.
Now you would want to make certain everything is working properly as well as check the WordPress version to ensure you uploaded everything correctly and your WordPress upgrade took effect.
Automatically install WordPress theme
If you want to take the safe and easy route like me then you definitely would want to let WordPress do most of the do the job and upgrade WordPress automtically.
To put WordPress to work you will have to first log into your blog.
Once you are logged in you need to see a message at the top of the screen stating you'll need to update WordPress when you yourself have an out of date installation. If you do not see a message you would want to go to your dashboard and click the updates option.
You will see your version of WordPress displayed with a message as to whether or not you'll need to upgrade WordPress.
WordPress will ask you for your connection information and check out update once you've entered this information.
Note: In the event that you customized the default or classic theme then you definitely will have to back up these files to re-upload one the WordPress upgrade is completed or you will have to manually upgrade WordPress.
Once you are sure everything is working correctly you are able to go in and enable your plugins.
Once you receive the hang of it, updating WordPress is not too difficult. It is not at all something you is going to be doing daily but as people see new security holes and add new features, you may find that you will have to know how to update WordPress periodically.