Everybody should know how important is to have all the stuff upgraded to the last version. Normally the most important objetive of upgrades is to solve security problems and this is the main reason to be up to date.

If you have WordPress surely you know how to install it, in other case you have here my WordPress Guide. But perhaps you have never updated your WordPress and you are not sure how to do it. Don’t worry because it is simpler that you think. Here are the steps you must follow in order to have you WordPress blog protected against security bugs:

1. First of all you have to make a backup of your database. If you don’t know how to do it take a look at my article about the WordPress Database Backup Plugin.
2. Download the last version of WordPress, you have it available here.
3. You should deactivate all of your active plugins. The reason is for possible compatibility issues. Before doing it it’s a good oportunity to upgrade them to their last version.
4. Now you have to upload all the files and folders of the new version to your blog folder except the wp-content directory and the wp-config-sample.php file. Don’t overwrite of modify your wp-config.php file, ok? Keep this file as it is in your server because it contains the information needed to connect with the database. You also have to keep your wp-content folder because as it is because it stores all your plugins and themes so in case of overwriting it you could lose your own modifications in case that you have made some.
5. Before v2.5 you had to write the URL http://yourblog.com/wp-admin/upgrade.php in your navbar to start the upgrade process but after that version WordPress detects that there are files of a new version and it automatically shows the upgrade page, you just have to follow the simple instructions, there is only one step which upgrades your database scheme but you only have to press one button.

And we have finished! You have your WordPress blog upgraded to the last version. Check out that your blog works properly. Now you have to reactivate again your plugins but it is advised to do it one by one, this way if there is any compatibility problem you’ll know which one doesn’t work with the last version of WP.

There is something else. It is available a plugin that can do all these steps for you: WordPress Automatic Upgrade. I don’t use it because I prefer to have the total control over the upgrading process, but most people that use it like this plugin. If you decide to install and use this plugin I recommend you to deactivate the automated mode. This way you must to start the upgrading process manually but you can chose when to do it, I mean when you know that the new version has been tested by other users and it is safe to use it. Why I recommend this? Because sometimes a new version comes with some undetected important bugs and it is preferable to wait for a version that have that problems solved. Don’t worry because it doesnt happen frequently, but for example when the v2.5 was released it came with some serious problems and I waited to the v2.5.1 to upgrade.

If you liked it then share it with others