Regular maintenance is crucial for the security, performance, and functionality of your WordPress website. This guide will walk you through logging into your WordPress admin area and performing the most common updates.
Step 1: Logging into Your WordPress Website
- Open your web browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
- In the address bar, type your website’s URL followed by /wp-admin (e.g., www.yourwebsite.com.au/wp-admin).
- Alternatively, you might use /wp-login.php (e.g., www.yourwebsite.com.au/wp-login.php). Both will take you to the same login page.
- Press Enter. You will see the WordPress login screen.
- Enter your Username or Email Address and your Password in the respective fields.
- Click the Log In button.
- If you have Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) set up, you will be prompted for an additional code from your authenticator app or via email/SMS.
- Once successfully logged in, you will be taken to your WordPress Dashboard, which is the control panel for your website.
Step 2: Understanding the WordPress Dashboard
The WordPress Dashboard is your central hub for managing your site. On the left-hand side, you’ll see a navigation menu with items like “Posts,” “Pages,” “Plugins,” “Appearance,” and “Settings.”
When updates are available, you’ll often see notification circles with numbers next to “Updates,” “Plugins,” and “Themes” in the left-hand menu, or at the top of the dashboard screen.
Step 3: Performing WordPress Updates (Core, Themes, and Plugins)
Important Pre-Update Step: Before performing any updates, it is highly recommended that you create a full backup of your website. This allows you to restore your site if an update causes an unexpected issue. If you are unsure how to do this, please contact Define Marketing support.
Updating WordPress Core
- From your Dashboard, look for a notification at the top that says “An updated version of WordPress is available.” or click on Dashboard > Updates in the left-hand menu.
- On the ‘WordPress Updates’ screen, you will see information about the new version.
- Click the Update Now button.
- Allow the system to complete the update. Do not navigate away from the page.
- Once finished, you will see a success message.
Updating Plugins
- From your Dashboard, navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins in the left-hand menu. Alternatively, click on Dashboard > Updates and select the plugins from there.
- You will see a list of your installed plugins. Any plugins with an available update will display a message like “There is a new version of [Plugin Name] available. View details | Update now.”
- You can update plugins individually by clicking Update now next to each one.
- To update multiple plugins at once:
- Check the box at the top to select all plugins, or check individual boxes next to the plugins you wish to update.
- From the “Bulk Actions” dropdown menu above the list, select Update.
- Click the Apply button.
- Allow the updates to complete. You will see a success message for each updated plugin.
Updating Themes
- From your Dashboard, navigate to Appearance > Themes in the left-hand menu. Alternatively, click on Dashboard > Updates and select the themes from there.
- If a theme has an update available, you will see a notification on its thumbnail image, typically saying “New version available.”
- Click on the theme thumbnail to reveal its details.
- Click the Update now button.
- Allow the system to complete the update.
- You will see a success message. Repeat for any other themes needing updates.
After Updates: Checking Your Website
Once all updates are complete, it’s a good practice to:
- Clear your website’s cache (if you use a caching plugin).
- Visit your website’s front end (what your visitors see) to ensure everything looks and functions correctly. Check a few key pages and functionalities.
When to Seek Assistance
- If you encounter any error messages during an update.
- If your website behaves unexpectedly or looks broken after an update.
- If you are unsure about creating a backup.
For any issues or if you prefer professional assistance with your website maintenance, please contact the Define Marketing support team.