Updating your WordPress theme is essential for security and performance. First, back up your site and use a child theme to preserve customisations. You can update automatically via the Dashboard or manually by uploading the latest version. For advanced users, FTP is another option. These steps ensure your site remains fresh and secure.

Imagine this: You’ve just spent hours crafting the perfect blog post, only to realise that your WordPress website looks a bit… outdated. The design feels a little tired, and the theme you’ve been using for months doesn’t quite match the vibe you want to give off anymore.

Well, it’s a typical concern. The good news? You no longer have to stress about it! With the right steps, you can update your theme easily while keeping your customisations intact.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to update wordpress theme. Whether you’re giving your site a fresh look or simply ensuring it’s running the latest version of your theme, you’ve got this.

Why Update Your WordPress Theme?

Think of it as refreshing your site to keep it running safely and securely. Who would not want their site to look sleek, safe, and search-engine ready? Here’s why updating your WordPress theme is a must:

  1. Security: Updating your theme can fix a lot of bugs and also make your site less prone to threats. WordPress is open source, i.e., anyone can get access to your code; therefore, regular updates can keep the hackers at bay.
  2. Unlock New Features: Updates often come with modern templates, fresh layouts, and new design tools that can elevate the look of your website.
  3. Boost Performance: Updated themes are directly related to performance enhancements like faster page load times and better plugin compatibility.
  4. SEO Benefits: Updated themes usually come with new SEO-friendly features that can make your site more visible to visitors.
Also read: How to Improve SEO on WordPress: Essential Tips for Better Ranking

Pre-Update Checkup List

There are a few things to consider before updating your WordPress theme:

  1. Backup Your Website: Before you dive into making changes to your website, make sure you have backed it up. Tools like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy make this easy. If you are hosted with a reliable provider then their automatic backup services keep all your data secure.
  2. Safeguard Your Customisations: Move all the customisations you have made to a child theme so that all your changes are preserved.
  3. Check the Update Notes: Treat the changelog as a roadmap.It keeps you informed about fresh developments so you are never taken by surprise.
  4. Update Your Plugin: Ensure that your Plugin is compatible with the new theme version; otherwise, it may cause conflicts. Ignoring plugin updates can cause functionality issues after your theme update.
Also read: Website Backup Strategies: Protecting Your Data in Web Hosting
Pro Tip: Always check for your WordPress plugin updates to ensure compatibility with the new theme.

How to Update WordPress Theme

Here’s how to update your WordPress theme:

1. Automatic updates via WordPress Dashboard

This is the easiest way to update your WordPress theme. What you have to do is:

  • Login to your WordPress DashBoard
  • Go to “Appearance” and then click on “Themes”. If your theme has an update available then you will notice the “Update Now” button. Click it and the rest is taken care of. Your theme will be updated in a few seconds
  • Navigate to Appearance>Themes then click on the Update Now button.

After a few seconds your theme will be successfully updated

2. Manual Update via File Upload

If there are no automatic update options for your theme, then you can manually update them. Follow these steps:

  • Download the latest version of your theme from the developer or the marketplace.
  • Ensure that you deactivate your current theme to avoid issues during the update. Temporarily switching to a default WordPress theme will save you a lot of trouble.
  • Navigate to “Appearance” and click on “Themes”. You will notice an “Add Now” button; click it and download the zip file of your updated theme.
  • Once uploaded, activate your theme.

3. FTP for Tech-Savvy Users

If you feel at ease with file handling then FTP (File Transfer Protocol) might be a reliable option for you.

What is FTP?

FTP is a standard communication protocol used to transfer files between a client and a server on a computer network. Not only it supports large files but also allows transferring multiple files at once.

Think of it as a more organised way to send and receive files compared to regular email attachments. You can use FTP clients like Cyberduck and WinSCP to get started.

Steps for Updating your Theme using FTP:
  • Connect your FTP client to your website’s server. You would require hosting credentials like hostname, username, password, and port number. You can find these details on your hosting account dashboard or welcome email.
  • Once connected to your server via the FTP client, navigate to the wp-content/themes/ folder. Here you can upload your new theme folder.
  • After the update is completed, test your site to ensure everything is working smoothly.

Wrapping Up

Updating your WordPress theme is essential to a safe and effective website. When done properly, the process is pretty easy, regardless of whether you choose to use an FTP, manual updates, or automatic updates. You are ready to go as long as you remember to back up and protect your customisations.

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