Update a plugin or theme

Plugin and theme updates include new features, bug fixes, and security patches. This guide will show you how to update a plugin or theme on your site.

If your plugin or theme is listed in the WordPress.org repository, these plugins, and themes will automatically update. Your site will check for new versions regularly and automatically install the latest version for you.

If you installed a plugin by going to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress.com dashboard and using the search function to find it, those plugins are from the WordPress.org repository. You can also verify if a plugin is in the WordPress.org repository by searching for the plugin name in the WordPress.org repository.

If your site is using a WordPress.com theme, we keep that up-to-date for you automatically, too. You can search for the theme in the WordPress.org repository to verify that the theme is part of the WordPress.org repository.

Updates will not always be automatically installed if you’re using a plugin or theme that’s not available in the WordPress.org repository. Commonly, this includes themes from theme shops like ThemeForest by Envato and plugins you purchased directly from the developer’s website. Updates for these plugins and themes may be distributed manually by the developers, or they may provide their own automatic update system. Reach out to the creators of the plugin or theme directly to learn about their process for updates.

Although we do not recommend turning off automatic plugin updates, you can do so by following these steps:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
3. To the right of each plugin, there will be a column for “Automatic Updates“.
4. Click the link “Disable auto-updates” to turn off automatic updates for the plugin.
   • If the link says, “Enable auto-updates”, that means automatic updates are already switched off.
   • Some plugins will say “Managed by host”, meaning we keep this plugin safely up to date for you.

You can install old or out-of-date versions of plugins or themes if needed for compatibility issues, but you would also need to disable automatic updates to remain on the older version.

For full control over update timing and to minimize potential disruptions, you can schedule your sites’ plugin updates.

When we manage a plugin or theme for you, it’s automatically updated to ensure safety and reliability. Examples of managed plugins include Akismet Anti-spam, Jetpack, and Gutenberg.

Managed plugins display one of the following labels beneath the plugin name:

• <Plugin name> is automatically managed for you

or

• This plugin was installed by WordPress.com and provides features offered in your plan subscription.

You’ll also notice a “Managed by host” label next to such plugins, indicating they are maintained on your behalf.

Managed themes will display the “Updates managed by WordPress.com” label on the WP Admin Theme Details page.

These labels signify that the plugin or theme is included in your plan and is maintained by us, so you can enjoy a seamless and secure experience.

To check if there is a new update for one of your installed plugins:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
3. If a plugin has an update available, you’ll have a notice and a link that says “Update now“:

If you have many plugins installed, you can use the filter at the top of the screen to show only plugins with updates available:

You can bulk update the plugins across all of your WordPress.com sites at once with the following steps:

To check if there is a new update for one of your installed themes:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Navigate to Appearance → Themes (or Appearance → Theme Showcase if using WP Admin).
3. Click on the “My Themes” tab.
4. If a theme has an update available, you’ll see a notice above the theme that says, “Update now:”