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Update WordPress Core from Dashboard > Updates, and make a restorable backup of your files and database first. Most capable sites can install minor and security releases automatically, but major feature releases generally require an administrator to choose Update Now. If the one-click update cannot write files, WordPress documents a manual procedure as the fallback.
What a WordPress Core update changes
WordPress Core is the software that runs the WordPress platform. A Core update replaces or adds Core files and may also upgrade the database. It is separate from updating plugins, themes, and translations, even though the Dashboard Updates screen can show all of them.
WordPress says its automatic update process downloads the release, unpacks it, verifies the files, installs the update, and upgrades the database when required. Because Core files are replaced, direct edits to those files can be lost. Keep customizations in a theme, child theme, or plugin rather than modifying Core files.
WordPress.org’s Dashboard Updates screen guide describes the update controls and process.
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How to update WordPress Core
Use the Dashboard one-click update
- Sign in to the WordPress administration area with an account that can manage updates.
- Go to Dashboard > Updates.
- Review the available Core release and select Update Now when prompted. Wait for the process to finish rather than closing the page mid-update.
- Confirm that WordPress reports the update succeeded. Review the release changes and test important pages and functions, such as the homepage, navigation, forms, and checkout if your site has one.
WordPress describes this as the easiest method for most site owners. The Dashboard Updates screen may also offer a package-based manual route.
Use the documented manual procedure when needed
If the one-click update fails or you need hands-on control, follow WordPress’s manual update instructions. Do not improvise by deleting files or mixing files from different releases. Make a backup before either method; manual updating also requires more care with file handling and server access.
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Does WordPress update automatically?
WordPress documentation says that, since WordPress 3.7, most sites capable of performing one-click updates without FTP credentials can apply minor and security Core updates in the background. Major feature releases generally require an administrator to select Update Now. This is the documented general behavior, not a guarantee for every host or site: configuration, hosting limitations, or update failures can affect whether a background update runs.
For a dated example, WordPress.org announced that WordPress 7.1.1, released September 17, 2026, included 17 Core bug fixes, 19 Block Editor bug fixes, and 11 security fixes. The announcement recommended immediate installation because it was a security release and said supported sites would begin the background process automatically. Those details apply to WordPress 7.1.1, not to releases generally. See the WordPress 7.1.1 announcement.
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Back up before updating—and know how restoration works
WordPress recommends backing up your site before updating. A useful backup covers both the database and the site files; having a backup is only a recovery path if you can restore it. Confirm that your backup completed and that you know how to restore it before starting an update.
- Before: Create a current backup of files and database, and verify that restoration is possible.
- During: Use the Dashboard route or the official manual procedure. Avoid unrelated file or permission changes while an update is in progress.
- After: Check the success message, review release changes, and test the site’s key pages and functions.
These precautions apply whether you use a one-click or manual update. WordPress’s updating guide and Dashboard Updates documentation both recommend a backup before upgrading.
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Why WordPress asks for FTP credentials
The updater needs permission to write or replace files. If the filesystem ownership or server configuration does not let the web server update files with appropriate ownership, WordPress may request connection credentials instead of completing the one-click update.
Do not respond by blindly changing ownership or recursively loosening file permissions. Ownership setups vary, and WordPress warns that making the web server the owner can pose a security risk on some shared hosting platforms. Ask your host or server administrator to check the filesystem arrangement, or use WordPress’s documented manual update method if appropriate. The official update guide explains the ownership and credential issue.
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What to do if a Core update fails
- Download or connection error: The Dashboard Updates troubleshooting guidance identifies connectivity and name-lookup failures as possible causes. Check whether the server can reach the update service and resolve names, then follow the official troubleshooting steps.
- FTP or connection credentials appear: Treat this as a filesystem-write or configuration issue, not as a prompt to apply broad permission changes. Consult the host or use the documented manual procedure.
- A maintenance warning remains: WordPress identifies a lingering
.maintenancefile as one possible cause. Follow the official instructions to remove it, and first verify that the update did not otherwise leave WordPress incomplete. - The site is broken or the update is incomplete: Check the reported version and site behavior, then use your known-good backup restoration path if needed. Consult the official update and troubleshooting documentation rather than deleting files at random.
See the Dashboard Updates screen troubleshooting guidance and WordPress update instructions.
Core updates versus plugin and theme updates
Plugin and theme updates are separate from Core updates. Since WordPress 5.5, administrators can opt in to automatic updates for individual plugins and themes. WordPress says these jobs normally run twice daily, depend on WP-Cron, and send email notifications about successful or failed attempts. A host or plugin may disable the controls, and scheduled runs can fail; WordPress suggests checking Tools > Site Health for cron errors.
Before enabling plugin or theme auto-updates, have a rollback option. The timing and controls for these updates do not change the distinction: a plugin or theme update is not a Core update. Details are in WordPress’s plugin and theme auto-updates guide.
Which update method should you use?
| Method | Best suited to | What it requires | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dashboard one-click update | Most site owners when WordPress can write the files | Administrator access and a working server-side update path | Simple and automated, but dependent on filesystem permissions and server connectivity |
| Manual package/file procedure | Owners who need hands-on control or whose one-click update fails | Careful file handling and access to the server’s files | More control, but more technical work and more opportunity for mistakes if instructions are not followed |
WordPress documents both methods and recommends the one-click route as easiest for most people. Use its manual instructions rather than inventing a file replacement process.
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WordPress.org’s support documentation says only the latest major version is officially supported. Older major branches may receive security fixes as a courtesy, but there is no guarantee or fixed timeframe. Do not plan on an older branch receiving ongoing fixes; check current release information and keep Core current. See WordPress’s supported versions documentation, last updated January 7, 2026.
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