You see a message in your WordPress dashboard: New update available. You think, let’s update for new features and better security. But as soon as you click Update Now, the screen goes white or the site appears messed up. A bit of panic sets in. Maybe all the work is gone!
This happens to many WordPress Update broke are crucial for keeping a website safe and fast. But sometimes updates clash with plugins, themes, or custom code. This can cause minor problems or even crash the entire website.
But, if you’re prepared and have a plan, there’s no need to panic about a broken site. With the right preparation and a step-by-step plan, you can recover from a faulty update in minutes, not hours.
In this guide, you’ll find:
- A pre-update checklist to prevent problems
- A step-by-step rollback plan if your site goes down after the update
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Table of Contents
Pre-Update Prevention Plan
The best way to fix a broken site is to prevent it from breaking in the first place. With a little smart planning, you’ll have neither tension nor panic when updating. Here are 5 important steps you should take before pressing the update button.
Always Backup
This is the golden rule of website maintenance. If you’re updating the WordPress core, theme, or plugins, take a full backup first.
A backup means a complete copy of your site both files and the database. If something goes wrong after an update, you can restore the backup and fix it again.
Many hosting companies offer daily backups. You can also create backups using plugins like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy. Keep the backups in a safe place, like Google Drive or Dropbox.
Check the Changelog and Update Plugins One-by-One
Clicking the WordPress update broke All button seems easy, but it’s risky. If your site breaks, you won’t know which plugin caused the problem.
So, update each plugin individually. Check the changelog before updating. The changelog tells you what’s new in the update bug fixes, features, or compatibility issues.
Update one plugin, check the site. If everything is fine, update the next plugin.
Test major updates on the staging site first
If there’s a major WordPress update or a major plugin update, testing directly on the live site is risky.
A staging site is a copy of your live site, where you can safely test updates. Many hosting companies offer one-click staging.
Update on the staging site, check if the design is broken, if features are working, and for any errors. Once everything is fine, update on the live site.
Turn on the Maintenance Page
If you’re updating on the live site, it’s professional to inform visitors that the site is temporarily updated.
WordPress automatically applies maintenance mode, but you can create a nice, branded page using a plugin like WP Maintenance Mode or SeedProd. You can also add a timer, messages, and a contact form.
Turn on WordPress Debug Mode
If you encounter any problems after an update, WordPress debug mode is very helpful. Debug mode displays errors, warnings, and notices, helping you pinpoint the problem.
To turn it on, open the wp-config.php file. Find this line:
define( 'WP_DEBUG', false );Change false to true.
Once the problem is found, set it to false again, because errors should not be visible to users on the live site.
5-Minute Rollback and Recovery Plan
Follow these steps one by one, starting with the easiest and fastest step.
Step 1: Restore a Backup
If you created a backup before the update, restoring it now is the fastest and best solution.
There’s usually a Restore button in the Backup plugin or hosting panel. Clicking this will restore your site to its previous, safe state.
The update is undone, and any problems that occurred are resolved. Your site returns to normal.
Step 2: Revert to the Old Version of the Plugin/Theme Causing the Problem
If you suspect a plugin or theme update caused the problem, there’s no need to restore your entire site. You can easily revert to the old version using the WP Rollback plugin.
In just 2–3 clicks, the plugin or theme is reverted to the old version. This is safer than manually uploading.
Step 3: Use Recovery Mode if a Critical Error Occurs
A feature introduced with WordPress 5.2: Fatal Error Protection.
If a plugin or theme update causes your site to crash, WordPress update broke sends you an email with a special Recovery Mode link.
This link allows you to log into your dashboard, even if the frontend crashes.
From here, you can easily disable the problematic plugin or change the theme.
Step 4: Disable Plugins via FTP
If you haven’t received a recovery email and the dashboard won’t open, you’ll need to use FTP.
How to do it:
- Connect to your site’s server via FTP.
- Go to the wp-content folder.
- Rename the plugins folder to plugins_old.
- Then open the site.
- Renaming the folder disables all plugins.
If the site starts up, it means the problem was with a plugin.
Now rename the folder to plugins, go to the dashboard, and turn on plugins one by one wherever an error occurs, that’s the culprit plugin.
Step 5: Find the Problem and Update Again with Confidence
When the site is fixed, consider what caused the issue:
- Plugin conflict?
- Theme issue?
You can talk to the plugin or theme’s support team. They might already have a fix. Once the problem is resolved, try the update again but it’s best to test on a staging site first.
Bonus: Your Proactive WordPress Toolkit
To make managing updates easier, be sure to use these tools:
• UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy: For creating reliable and automatic backups.
• WP Rollback: For reverting plugins and themes to an older version.
• WP Staging: For creating a safe staging site where you can test updates.
• SeedProd: For creating professional maintenance and coming soon pages.
Frequently Asked Questions About WordPress Update Broke
Is it safe to update WordPress?
Yes, updating WordPress is absolutely safe and very important. Updates improve security, improve speed, and also add new features.
Just follow the safe method back up first, and if possible, test on a staging site before updating.
How do I know which plugin broke my site?
- The easiest way is to turn off all plugins, then turn them back on one by one.
- The plugin that causes the site to error again when turned on is the culprit.
- The browser console or WordPress debug mode can also help find the error.
What is the WordPress white screen of death?
This is a common error where your site displays a completely white, blank page.
It’s normally caused by a PHP error or database issue most often a faulty plugin or theme.
Following the rollback steps in this guide often resolves the problem.
Can I ignore WordPress updates?
No. Ignoring updates is very risky.
Old plugins, old themes, and old WordPress versions are the biggest causes of hacking.
Regular updates are essential to keeping your site secure.
