How to Install WP Plugins: 3 Methods You Can Try

WordPress continues to churn out new plugin versions that leave many site owners a bit anxious for fear that something could go wrong. On the other hand, some users ignore plugin updates, which puts them at a greater risk of cyberattacks and compatibility issues. 

Updating your WP plugins only takes a short time, and it’s important. Why? 

• Protects your site from hackers: Older versions will make your site more vulnerable, and eventually, the old code will no longer be able to protect your site from cyberattacks. 
• Fixed older errors: The reason behind frequent WP plugin updates is that they can help fix older issues. 
• Improves functionality: WP updates help improve the functionality of your site, which makes it really important. 

What to Know Before You Make a WP Update

Updating your WP plugins is pretty straightforward. Still, it’s crucial to take the necessary precautions. 

• Perform backups: Update errors can happen, and it’s best to be prepared. Regular backups are important to help protect your data.
• Turn off automatic updates for new plugins: Automatic plugin updates are unnecessary because they could go out of control. 
• Test the update: Do a local test to check the update before installing it on your real website. 
• Update during low-traffic hours: Should something go wrong in the middle of an update, it won’t affect a lot of site visitors during this time. 
• Wait it out: Before you update your WP, wait for a few days after the release. 
• Don’t update all plugins at once: It may be tempting to update all the plugins at once, but this isn’t a good idea. Update the plugins individually instead to give you a better understanding of which plugins might cause bugs. 

How to Update WordPress Plugins

Now, it’s time to do the update. As mentioned, updating WP plugins is simple. 

Automatic Update

Automatic updates are ideal for plugins that you found directly on the admin panel. You will be notified of the available updates, which you can see at the Plugins Menu and your dashboard. It is as simple as clicking the “Update Now” button. 

You also have the option of simultaneous WP plugins update, which means if you have multiple installed plugins ready for an update, you can do it simultaneously. 

Check the dashboard to view the information on all current updates. After that, go to the dashboard, and go to updates. From here, you will be able to see a list of all items ready to be updated to a newer version. Scroll the Plugins and choose the ones you want to update. 

Although automatic updates are easy, it’s not always the best solution. That’s why you could either go for a half-automated or manual plugin update. 

Half-Automatic Update

A half-automatic WordPress update will require you to download the ZIP file of the plugin’s newest version. Before you upload one to WordPress, you have to deactivate or remove the older plugin version. 

Manual Update

The manual WP update is necessary when other methods fail. This requires you to upload the ZIP file of the latest plugin version. Unzip the archive with the relevant software. Keep in mind that you will need an FTP client for this. 

Conclusion

Using these tips and steps will help you seamlessly install new WP plugins. Remember, you shouldn’t disregard these plugin updates at all! 

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