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Major WordPress Core Updates: What to Check Before and After

A woman in headphones works at a desktop computer with two screens in a bright office

Before a major WordPress core update, take a backup you can restore, check your plugins, theme and PHP version are ready, and pick a quiet time. Afterwards, test the pages that make you money: forms, checkout, logins and anything built with a page builder. Minor updates rarely need this. Major ones, like 7.1 or 7.2, do.

Key takeaways

  • Minor core updates (7.1.3 to 7.1.4) install themselves and are usually safe. Major updates (7.1 to 7.2) need a click and a plan.
  • WordPress has three major releases in 2026, so this checklist comes around every few months.
  • Core is rarely the problem. Plugins and themes that haven’t caught up are.
  • Test on a staging copy first if you can, and always have a restorable backup.
  • Check forms and checkout after every major update, not just the homepage.

What’s the difference between a major and a minor update?

WordPress numbers its releases like 7.1 and 7.1.4. A change in the first or second number is a major release, with new features and changes under the hood. A change in the third number is a minor release, mostly fixes and security patches.

WordPress has applied minor and security updates automatically since version 3.7. For major releases, you still need to click “Update Now” unless your site is set up otherwise (WordPress.org). Our guide to WordPress auto updates covers how to change those settings.

Major releases are frequent. WordPress 7.0 arrived on 20 May 2026 and 7.1 on 19 August, and 7.2 is scheduled for 8 December (WordPress.org News).

Why do major updates break sites?

Core itself is well tested. Patchstack counted only six new vulnerabilities in WordPress core in 2025, against thousands in plugins (Patchstack). Breakages usually come from plugins and themes that relied on something the new version changed.

For example, in WordPress 7.1 the post editor became fully iframed for all themes (WordPress.org News). That changes how styles and scripts load inside the editor, so older add-ons that styled the editor needed checking. That’s why skipping updates isn’t the answer either. Our article on why update WordPress sets out the security case.

Major WordPress update checklist: before, during and afterBefore the update: take a restorable backup, check plugin and theme compatibility, check your PHP version, update plugins that need to go first, and pick a quiet time. Update: run it on staging first, then live. After the update: update remaining plugins and themes, clear caches, test forms, logins and checkout, check page-builder pages on a phone, and watch for errors for a few days.Before1. Take a backup you know you can restore2. Check plugins and theme support the new version3. Check your PHP version is current4. Read update notes for plugins that must go first5. Pick a quiet time, with time to fix thingsUpdateOn a staging copy first, then on the live siteAfter1. Apply remaining plugin and theme updates2. Clear site, server and CDN caches3. Test forms, logins and checkout4. Check page-builder pages on a phone5. Watch for errors and emails for a few days
Most of the work happens before you click the button.

What should I check before a major update?

  1. Take a backup you can restore. Both files and database, stored away from the server. Our page on website backups you can restore explains what a usable backup looks like.
  2. Check plugin and theme compatibility. WordPress.org advises checking that plugins and themes support the version you’re installing. Look at each one’s changelog for a mention of the new version.
  3. Check your PHP version. WordPress recommends PHP 8.3 or newer (WordPress.org). Tools > Site Health shows what you’re running. Our guide to which PHP version to run explains the risks of an old one.
  4. Read update notes for the order. WordPress says there’s no single update order for every site. Some plugins need updating before core, others after.
  5. Wait a week if you can. A short pause lets plugin developers ship fixes for early problems. Security releases are different: apply those promptly.
  6. Pick a quiet time. Avoid sale days and Friday afternoons. Leave time to fix anything that breaks.
A man in a white shirt writes notes in a notepad at a desk with a laptop open behind him
Most of the work happens before you click Update Now Photo: Pexels

Should I test on a staging site first?

Yes, for any site that takes enquiries or orders. A WordPress staging site is a private copy where you can run the update and click around without customers seeing a broken page. WordPress itself warns against testing beta versions on production or mission-critical sites. The same caution makes sense for the first run of any major release.

What should I check after the update?

  1. Finish the job. Go to Dashboard > Updates and apply any plugin or theme updates that were waiting for the new core.
  2. Clear caches. Clear your caching plugin, server cache and CDN, so you’re testing the new version and not an old copy.
  3. Test what earns money. Submit every contact form and check the email arrives. On a shop, place a test order. Log in and out.
  4. Check the editor and page-builder pages. Open a few pages in the editor, then view them on a phone. Layout problems often show here first.
  5. Watch for a few days. Look out for WordPress’s recovery mode emails, error messages and sudden drops in enquiries.

If something’s broken, roll back the one plugin or theme involved rather than the whole site. Our guide for when a WordPress update broke your site walks through it.

Two people test a website on a laptop and a phone at a white table
After the update, test forms and pages on a phone as well as a computer Photo: Pexels

Can someone else handle this for me?

Yes. Our safe, tested WordPress updates follow this checklist for you, with a backup taken first. On Advantage and Elite, we also run visual and form checks after updates and repair anything an update breaks. Compare what’s included on our website maintenance plans page.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to update WordPress core?

Yes, with a backup and a quick check first. Core updates are well tested. Problems usually come from plugins or themes that haven’t been updated for the new version. Checking their compatibility and testing key pages afterwards catches most issues.

How long should I wait before installing a major WordPress update?

For a business site, waiting about a week is reasonable. It gives plugin developers time to fix early issues. Don’t wait months, though. If a security release comes out for your version, apply it promptly.

Should I update plugins or WordPress first?

It depends on the plugin. WordPress says there’s no single order that suits every site. Read the update notes for your main plugins, such as WooCommerce or your page builder. If none say otherwise, update core first, then plugins and themes.

Can I undo a WordPress core update?

Yes, by restoring the backup you took before updating. That’s the cleanest way, because a major update can change the database. Rolling back just the plugin that broke is usually quicker, so try that first.

Do I need to deactivate plugins before updating WordPress?

Not for the normal one-click update. WordPress’s manual update instructions do say to deactivate plugins, because you’re replacing files by hand. For most sites, a backup and a compatibility check are what matter.

Sources

  1. Updating WordPress, WordPress.org Documentation, updated November 2026
  2. WordPress 7.2 Beta 5, WordPress.org News, 10 November 2026
  3. WordPress 7.1 “Mary Lou”, WordPress.org News, 19 August 2026
  4. State of WordPress Security in 2026, Patchstack, 2026
  5. Requirements, WordPress.org

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