Updates are one of the most common ways owners break their own site. What to check before you click update, and what to do if it goes wrong. Tick items off as you go - your progress saves in this browser.
Take a full backup - files AND database - and confirm it downloaded completely
Check when your last successful backup ran - if it's stale, take a fresh one now
Note which plugins and themes are currently active
Check plugin compatibility - look for "tested up to" version on each plugin page
Deactivate any plugins you haven't used in 6+ months before updating
Update one thing at a time: WordPress core first, then theme, then plugins
If you have staging, run the update there first and click through key pages
Clear all caches after updating - page cache, object cache, CDN
Check the homepage, a product page, the checkout, and a contact form
Check browser console (F12) for new JavaScript errors
Verify images, menus, and page layouts still look correct on mobile
Confirm forms still submit and emails still send
If something breaks, restore from the backup you just took - don't troubleshoot live
Document what you updated and when - helps diagnose future issues
If the site is critical to revenue, consider scheduling updates for low-traffic hours
Set up update notifications so you know when new versions are available
If errors appear, check the PHP error log before changing anything else
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