Configure and monitor WordPress updates
With the Easy Updates Manager plugin you can manage the different types of WordPress updates in your backend and configure the automatic WordPress updates. This gives you full control over all updates and, if you wish, you can have them recorded in log files.
Update types in WordPress
WordPress distinguishes between four different update types:
- Core updates
- Theme updates
- Plugin updates
- Translation updates
The WordPress core updates are also divided into major and minor releases.
Automatic updates in WordPress
Automatic updates were introduced with WordPress 3.7 and are primarily used to close critical security gaps faster and more easily.
By default, automatic updates are therefore activated for minor releases of the WordPress core, which usually represent security and maintenance updates. Major releases with new features will still be installed manually.
Some new constants have been added to WordPress to configure automatic updates. These can be defined in wp-config.php in order to activate or deactivate the different types of updates . You can find detailed instructions about the various constants for WordPress updates in the WordPress Codex.
The configuration of WordPress updates with Easy Updates Manager succeeds without adapting the code and is therefore somewhat easier. In addition, more detailed settings are available with the plugin.
Easy Updates Manager
The plugin is free and installed on over 100,000 websites:
Manage all WordPress updates including individual updates, log files and much more. Also works fully with WordPress Multisite.
It is updated regularly and is compatible with the current WordPress version 4.9.4.
Configure WordPress updates
You can find the plugin's settings under Dashboard → Update options in your WordPress backend.
With the first option in the general settings, all updates can be completely deactivated. In addition to automatic and manual updates for core, themes and plugins are completely switched off. For security reasons, I would therefore strongly advise against this first option.
The second option allows you to precisely configure the automatic updates. Automatic updates for major and minor releases of the core, but also for all themes and plugins, can be activated here.
All update types can be deactivated individually below:
Important: Updates are completely deactivated, ie automatic and manual updates.
A few other settings allow the management of update notification emails and the recording of updates in log files - more on this later.
Enable automatic updates for themes and plugins
In addition to the general options, updates can also be activated and deactivated individually for each theme and plugin.
Log files for WordPress updates
If you have activated the recording or logging of WordPress updates in the general settings, you can view the logs in the Log files tab.
The logs show which themes and plugins have been updated and provide information on how the version number has changed. In addition to the time of the update, the user who performed the update is also displayed.
Can this also prevent a core update to the next 5.x branch, but still offer manual core updates within the 4.x branch?
Hello Kathi,
The core updates can only be completely deactivated, not configured according to branch.
Only automatic updates offer this option for configuration. Automatic updates for 5.x can be deactivated, while minor releases for 4.x are installed automatically anyway.
Many Greetings,
Brian
Would be a gap in the market if a plugin could do that, e.g. for websites that cannot / will not switch to Gutenberg and still want to import the 4.x security updates in a controlled manner.
For a long time now, I have been missing the possibility of manual core updates directly in WordPress for the controlled import of security updates (i.e. only at the patch level). Is really a niche in the market.
That works with the plugin. The automatic core updates can be deactivated for major releases as well as minor releases (= security patches). Each core update can then only be installed manually.
Test case: WordPress 3.9 and Easy Updates Manager 7.0.1 installed.
Easy Updates Manager settings:
Automatic Updates -> Custom
-> Major Releases: Off
-> Minor Releases: Off
WordPress 4.9.4 is then offered for manual update on the updates page.
What I'm looking for:
How do you configure the plugin that appears on the update page 3.9.1 or 3.9.2 for manual update? And not the 4.x branch?
As already mentioned, only the automatic updates after major and minor releases can be configured with the plugin, not updates per se.
This is because WordPress Core introduced extra filters with the introduction of automatic updates with which they can be configured. The plugin uses these filters and simplifies configuration because no code is required.
There are no options in the core to deactivate certain manual updates. Therefore it is not possible with the plugin either. Unfortunately, I am not aware of any other plug-in either. All known plugins can only completely deactivate the updates.
For the launch of WordPress 5.0, I would simply install the Classic Editor plugin if the switch to Gutenberg is not desired immediately. That is also the official recommendation.
https://de.wordpress.org/plugins/classic-editor/
Many Greetings,
Brian
Thanks for the tip, but according to various vague statements, the Classic Editor plugin should be available "only for a certain time". In addition, the website becomes (!) More resource-hungry and a lot slower, of course, since all actions etc. for Gutenberg are first loaded and then overlaid again by the Classic Editor.
That's why I stick with a number of websites that have complex custom fields etc., preferring to use 4.x, but there will be security updates for a very long time, which are currently even available for 3.x.