Should I Update WordPress Plugins Automatically?

Probably not. Although it’s rare, automatic updates can cause significant issues and even cause your WordPress site to go down completely.

As the Support Manager at boxChilli, one of my many responsibilities is updating plugins on WordPress websites. One of the most frequently asked questions from new clients is whether they should enable auto updates for plugins. While the idea of saving time and effort by automating updates is tempting, in reality, it’s often a bad idea.

Why automatic updates for WordPress are tempting

Automatic updates for WordPress plugins can be a significant time-saver – that much is certain. For this reason, when you have a busy schedule or manage multiple sites, automating the update process can seem like a no-brainer. In fact, there are a number of benefits to automatic updates which it would be churlish not to consider.

Manually updating plugins can be time-consuming, especially if you have numerous plugins installed (my advice is to have as few as possible!). Automatic updates can manage installed plugins efficiently, freeing up time for more critical tasks, such as creating content or improving your site’s SEO.

There’s also the fact that outdated plugins can pose significant security risks. By enabling automatic updates, you ensure that your plugins are always up-to-date with the latest security patches, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities.

Knowing that your plugins are automatically updated can give you peace of mind, as you don’t have to worry about missing critical updates. You can manage these updates directly from the WordPress dashboard, making the process straightforward and centralised.

The Risks of Automatic Updates

However, while these benefits are compelling, they are not without potential downsides.

One of the most significant risks of automatic updates is compatibility issues. Manual updates can help avoid these issues by allowing you to test changes in a controlled environment before applying them to your live WordPress site. An updated plugin might conflict with other plugins or your theme, leading to site crashes or functionality problems.

For instance, I recall an instance where an e-commerce site experienced significant downtime because a critical plugin update conflicted with the custom theme. This incident resulted in lost sales and a lot of frustrated customers.

Had the update been tested in a safe, development environment, the issue would have been caught before it could damage the live site.

Sometimes, updates include changes that alter how a plugin works. This can be problematic if you rely on specific features or settings that get modified or removed in the update.

It’s also not unheard of for security issues and bugs to arise from plugin updates. For example, the extremely popular plugin UpdraftPlus once caused a bug where hackers were able to gain access to sensitive data. Ironically the update was designed to introduce bug fixes!

With automatic updates, you relinquish control over when and how updates are applied, meaning you might find yourself scrambling to fix issues at inconvenient times.

Best Practices for Managing Plugin Updates

Given the potential risks, I recommend a more cautious approach to plugin updates. Regularly updating your plugins is essential to maintain site security and performance. WordPress plugin updates are necessary to fix bugs, add new features, and ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress core updates. Here’s how to manage your updates efficiently:

1. Set Up a Development Environment

A development environment, or staging site, is essentially a clone of your live WordPress site where you can safely test updates, new features, and other changes without impacting your users.

By using a staging site, you can thoroughly vet updates to ensure they don’t introduce bugs, conflicts, or other issues. This process allows you to identify and address any problems before they affect your live site, ensuring a seamless experience for your visitors.

Utilising a development environment is best practice in general, as it provides a controlled setting for troubleshooting and refining changes, ultimately safeguarding the stability and reliability of your live site.

2. Regular Backups

Ensure that you have regular backups of your WordPress website to protect against potential issues caused by updates. I honestly can’t stress this one enough. If an update does cause problems, having a recent backup allows you to quickly roll back to a previous, stable version of your site.

Many hosting providers offer automatic backup services, providing an extra layer of security. Additionally, there are numerous plugins available that can automate the backup process for you, ensuring you always have an up-to-date copy of your site. Regular backups really are a critical safeguard, allowing you to recover quickly from any unexpected issues.

3. Selective Automatic Updates

If you really must use automatic updates (and I hope I’ve convinced you that you don’t!), be selective and consider enabling auto updates only for plugins that you trust and that have a good track record of stable updates.

For critical plugins or those that interact heavily with other components of your site, it’s better to handle updates manually. This approach minimises the risk of conflicts and issues, while still allowing you to take advantage of the convenience and security benefits of automatic updates. Regular backups will provide a safety net, enabling you to quickly revert to a previous version if something goes wrong.

4. Monitor Updates

WordPress users should stay informed about plugin updates by following the developers’ announcements and changelogs. It always surprises me how willing people are to apply updates when they don’t even know what they do!

By staying aware of what an update involves, you can anticipate potential issues or significant changes that might impact your site. This allows you to prepare and mitigate any risks, ensuring that updates enhance your site’s functionality without introducing new problems.

So, should I enable automatic updates?

While automatic updates can save time and reduce some of the burden of maintaining your site, they come with significant risks. At boxChilli, we’ve seen firsthand how updates can cause site crashes and other issues. That’s why we advocate for a more balanced approach. Where possible, use a development environment to test updates before applying them to your live site, and always ensure you have recent backups in place (really, just do it!).

By taking these precautions, you can enjoy the benefits of updated plugins without the associated risks. Remember, it’s better to spend a little extra time testing updates than to deal with the fallout of a crashed site and potentially a loss of sales. Enable WordPress automatic updates for core, plugins, themes, and translation files as part of a balanced approach. Automatic updates might seem like an easy solution, but in the world of WordPress, caution is always a good idea!

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