Automatic minor version updates have been a feature of WordPress since version 3.7. Automatic major Updates was introduced in WordPress version 5.5.
Whilst we agree it’s a good idea to keep WordPress updated with the latest security fixes as soon as possible, we do advise caution and for this reason we don’t advise using auto updates except in certain circumstances.
For a second independent opinion, see this thread on Reddit about other WordPress users’ experience of enabling auto-upgrades.
Here’s why we think it’s generally a bad idea:
- You do not have an opportunity to review the update and determine if new features or changes may break your site or alter site behaviour
- We have seen several instances of plugins being replaced by totally different plugins on upgrade – usually this happens in the case of acquisitions. We have seen users mysteriously having large commercial plugins installed on heir websites in place of smaller simple plugins
- The upgrade time is not entirely predictable so can not be synced with a backup first and errors may be live for some time before they are noticed
If you decide not to enable Auto Updates, but would like assistance, we provide managed WordPress maintenance and update services for different budgets and requirements. See our WordPress Support Contracts page for more details.
