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To bulk update plugins from the WordPress dashboard, go to Dashboard > Updates, select the plugins with available updates, and click Update Plugins. WordPress places the site in maintenance mode, downloads and unpacks each package, installs the new versions, removes the old versions, and then disables maintenance mode. You can also update a selected group from Plugins, or run wp plugin update --all with WP-CLI for repeatable administration.
The right method depends on how much control you need. The Updates screen is the clearest option for a one-site change, the Plugins screen is useful when you want to choose a subset, WP-CLI is better for scripts and deployment processes, and automatic updates reduce routine work only when backups and monitoring are already in place.
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Bulk update plugins from Dashboard > Updates
The Updates screen is the most straightforward workflow when you manage one site and want a visible record of what WordPress is changing. It can update active and inactive plugins that have available releases.
- Sign in to the WordPress administration area with an account that can manage updates.
- Open Dashboard > Updates.
- Review the plugins listed as having updates. Select all available plugin updates or clear the boxes for plugins you want to defer.
- Click Update Plugins.
- Keep the page open while WordPress performs the update sequence. The screen may display: “The update process is starting. This process may take awhile on some hosts, so please be patient.”
- Read the completion messages and confirm that the selected plugins show their current versions rather than an outstanding update notice.
During this process, WordPress enables maintenance mode, downloads the packages, unpacks them, installs the new files, removes the previous versions, and disables maintenance mode when the operation finishes. A short maintenance window is therefore normal. The exact duration depends on the host and the number and size of the updates.
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When to use the Updates screen
- One site, occasional updates: You get a visual list and immediate status messages without shell access.
- Mixed active and inactive plugins: The Updates screen can include both, so an inactive plugin does not have to be activated merely to update it.
- Review before applying: You can leave a particular plugin unchecked while you investigate its release or test it elsewhere.
Bulk update a chosen group from the Plugins screen
The Plugins page is convenient when you are already reviewing the installed-plugin list and want to update only selected rows.
- Open Plugins in the WordPress administration menu.
- Use the Update Available filter to narrow the list to plugins with pending releases.
- Select the checkboxes beside the plugins you want to update.
- Open the Bulk Actions menu and choose Update.
- Click Apply.
- Wait for the update results, then check the list for any plugin that still reports an available update or an error.
This route gives you row-level selection control. It is useful when, for example, you want to update a small set while leaving a high-impact plugin for a separate test or maintenance window.
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A plugin hosted in the WordPress Plugin Directory normally reports an available update through the dashboard. A plugin installed manually from a ZIP file or obtained from another external source may not use WordPress’s normal update service. It will appear as updateable only if its author supplies a compatible built-in updater. In that situation, the absence of a dashboard notice does not prove that no newer release exists; it means WordPress has no update information from the plugin’s distribution channel.
Choose the right bulk-update method
| Method | Best for | Selection and control | Access required | Operational consideration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dashboard > Updates | A visible, one-site update | Update all listed plugins or clear individual selections | WordPress administration access | Review result messages and allow for the maintenance window |
| Plugins bulk action | Updating a chosen subset from the installed-plugin list | Filter by Update Available, select rows, then apply Update | WordPress administration access | External plugins may not expose the normal updater |
| WP-CLI | Scripts, cron jobs, deployments, and repeatable multi-site work | Exclude names, limit release types, pin a version, or preview with a dry run | Shell access and a tested operational process | Build logging, maintenance timing, and rollback into the process |
| Automatic updates | Reducing recurring manual work | Enable or disable selected plugins in bulk, or manage them with WP-CLI | Dashboard access or shell access, depending on the method | Keep backups and monitor scheduled runs |
Selection control, repeatability, access requirements, maintenance behavior, and rollback readiness are the practical differences between these options. A dashboard update is easy to observe but manual; WP-CLI is precise and automatable but requires a process; automatic updates save time but still need recovery planning.
Update every available plugin with WP-CLI
WP-CLI’s primary command for a complete plugin update is:
wp plugin update --allThe command updates every plugin for which an update is available. It is appropriate for a controlled shell session, a deployment step, or a scheduled script. Run it from the WordPress installation directory, or supply the usual WP-CLI context options used by your environment.
Preview the change set first
A dry run lets you inspect what WP-CLI intends to update without applying the changes:
wp plugin update --all --dry-runUse this before a production run to identify the plugins and versions in scope. A dry run is a preview, not a compatibility test; it does not exercise the updated code on the site.
Exclude a plugin
To update everything except a named plugin, add --exclude:
wp plugin update --all --exclude=akismetThe excluded plugin remains untouched while the other available updates proceed. Repeat the option as required by your script’s policy when more than one plugin must be held back.
Limit updates by release type
You can restrict the command to specific release categories:
wp plugin update --all --minorFor patch-level updates only, use:
wp plugin update --all --patchThese switches are useful when your change policy separates smaller maintenance releases from broader minor updates. Confirm the resulting list with a dry run before applying it.
Pin a plugin to a version
To request a particular version, use --version:
wp plugin update plugin-slug --version=1.2.3Replace plugin-slug and 1.2.3 with the plugin identifier and version you have approved. Pinning is useful when a deployment must reproduce a known version, but you should still verify that the requested release is available from the plugin’s update source.
Use WP-CLI in scripts and deployments
WP-CLI describes plugin updates as actions that can be placed in a script, cron job, or deployment step. A repeatable process should capture the command output, stop or alert on a failed update, and define what happens to excluded plugins. Run a dry run as a preflight, apply the update during an agreed maintenance window, and retain a tested backup so the site can be restored if an update causes a problem.
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Enable or disable automatic updates for several plugins
Automatic updates can be managed in bulk from the Plugins screen. Select the plugins, choose the automatic-update action in the bulk selector, and apply it. The same control can be used to disable automatic updates for a selected group.
WordPress schedules automatic plugin updates through WordPress Cron. The documented default schedule is twice per day, as stated by WordPress.org in 2023. A schedule is not a guarantee that every run will succeed: the site’s cron tasks must execute, and the plugin’s update source must provide a compatible package.
Manage automatic updates with WP-CLI
The wp plugin auto-updates command family supports enable, disable, and status operations and has been available since WP-CLI 2.5.0.
Enable automatic updates for all plugins:
wp plugin auto-updates enable --allInspect the plugins that currently have automatic updates enabled:
wp plugin auto-updates status --all --enabled-only --field=nameUse the corresponding disable operation when a plugin must be removed from the automatic-update policy. Keep the policy explicit in scripts so a later deployment does not silently change which plugins update.
Prepare safely before a bulk update
WordPress recommends regular automatic backups before enabling plugin or theme automatic updates so the site can be rolled back if an update fails. The same discipline is sensible for a manual bulk update, especially when several plugins will change in one maintenance window.
- Confirm a usable backup: It should be recent enough for the site’s recovery requirements and accessible independently of the WordPress dashboard.
- Know the rollback procedure: A backup is only useful if you know how to restore it and who is responsible for doing so.
- Choose a maintenance window: The dashboard and WP-CLI workflows can enable maintenance mode while files are replaced.
- Separate risky changes: If one plugin is business-critical or has previously caused conflicts, update it separately instead of hiding its result among many simultaneous changes.
- Check available disk space and connectivity: WordPress must download, unpack, and replace plugin files; an interrupted transfer or insufficient space can leave an update incomplete.
- Record the starting state: Save the plugin names and versions, particularly when the command is part of a deployment or scheduled job.
What to check after the updates finish
- Read every success, warning, and error message on the Updates screen or in the WP-CLI output.
- Return to Plugins and verify that the selected plugins no longer show an available update.
- Open the site’s key public and administrative pages and perform the actions that matter most to its visitors or staff.
- Confirm that maintenance mode has ended. If visitors still see a maintenance message after the command or dashboard process has completed, investigate before running another update.
- For automated runs, review the job log and confirm that the next scheduled task is still present.
Do not treat a completed download as proof that the site is healthy. The important result is that the files were installed and the site continues to perform its essential functions.
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Troubleshoot common bulk-update problems
A plugin is missing from the bulk-update list
First check whether it is installed from an external ZIP or another non-Directory source. Such plugins need an author-provided updater to report releases through the dashboard. If the plugin uses a separate account, license, or update service, follow that service’s update process rather than repeatedly refreshing the WordPress Updates screen.
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Automatic plugin updates depend on WordPress Cron. Open Tools > Site Health and look for cron-related errors. Resolve the scheduling problem before enabling more automatic updates; otherwise the dashboard may show an enabled policy while no update task is actually completing.
The update appears stuck in maintenance mode
Allow the operation the time indicated by the status message, especially on a slower host. If the process has clearly stopped and the site remains in maintenance mode, use the host’s documented recovery method and inspect the update log before trying again. Do not launch repeated bulk updates while the first operation’s state is unknown.
One plugin fails while others succeed
Separate the failed plugin from the successful changes. Record the error, check whether the plugin is external or has a different update channel, and restore the backup if the site is impaired. Once the site is stable, test that plugin alone during a controlled maintenance window instead of rerunning the entire group.
WP-CLI updates more than intended
Run wp plugin update --all --dry-run first, then add --exclude, --minor, --patch, or a version constraint to match your policy. Keep the final command in the deployment record so another administrator can see exactly which scope was approved.
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For a small site, review updates on the dashboard, take a current backup, and update a selected group from Dashboard > Updates or Plugins. For a site maintained by a team, standardize on a dry-run-and-log WP-CLI process: preview the available changes, exclude anything awaiting testing, apply the approved set in a maintenance window, and verify the site’s critical paths. For automatic updates, enable only after backups, cron monitoring, and rollback ownership are established.
Bulk updating is therefore not one button with one risk profile. The dashboard provides the clearest immediate control, WP-CLI provides the strongest repeatability, and automatic updates provide convenience when the surrounding operational safeguards are already working.
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