Understanding WordPress Core Updates: A Beginner’s Guide (2025)

Running a WordPress website for your small business means wearing many hats – designer, content creator, marketer, and yes, website administrator. One critical aspect of administration is keeping your WordPress core updated. But what exactly does that mean, and why should it matter to you as a business owner? Let’s break it down in simple terms.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases and sometimes recommend products from other sellers at no extra cost you. For more details see my disclosure policy and privacy policy.

What are WordPress Core Updates?

WordPress core is the foundation of your website – the essential files and functionalities that power your site before you add any themes or plugins. When WordPress releases an update to this core system, it’s improving, securing, or enhancing this foundation.

Major vs. Minor vs. Security Updates

Not all WordPress updates are created equal:

• Major Updates (like WordPress 6.0): These introduce significant new features, substantial improvements, and sometimes redesigned interfaces. They’re typically released 2-3 times per year and are represented by a new first number (5.0, 6.0, etc.).
• Minor Updates (like WordPress 6.1.1): These provide smaller improvements, bug fixes, and compatibility enhancements. They’re more frequent than major updates and are represented by changes to the second or third number.
• Security Updates: These critical updates specifically address vulnerabilities discovered in the WordPress core. They’re released as needed, often with minimal advance notice, and should be applied immediately to keep your website secure.

How Often Does WordPress Release Updates?

WordPress typically releases major updates 2-3 times per year, with minor updates and security patches occurring more frequently as needed. In 2025, we’re seeing a more streamlined approach, with updates being released on a more predictable schedule to help site owners plan accordingly.

Why Keeping WordPress Updated Matters

You might wonder if updates are really necessary, especially when your site seems to be running fine. The answer is a resounding yes, and here’s why:

Enhancing Security and Preventing Hacks

The most critical reason to update WordPress is security. Each update often includes patches for newly discovered vulnerabilities that hackers might exploit. By skipping updates, you’re essentially leaving your front door unlocked for potential intruders.

According to recent statistics, over 70% of WordPress sites that get hacked were running outdated versions of WordPress. For more on securing your site, check out our guide on Securing Your WordPress Website: Essential Tips for Beginners.

Improving Website Performance and Speed

Updates frequently include performance improvements that make your website faster and more efficient. In today’s fast-paced online environment, even a one-second delay in page loading can significantly impact visitor engagement and conversions.

For more ways to enhance your site’s speed, see our article on Achieve Faster Load Time in WordPress with These 5 Powerful Techniques.

Maintaining Plugin and Theme Compatibility

As WordPress evolves, plugins and themes need to be updated to remain compatible. Running an outdated WordPress version can lead to plugin conflicts, broken layouts, and functionality issues on your site.

Many of our clients use the Kadence WordPress Theme for its lightweight performance and easy customization, which is regularly updated to maintain compatibility with the latest WordPress core.

SEO Benefits of Regular Updates

Search engines favor websites that are secure, fast, and well-maintained. Regular updates contribute to all these factors, potentially improving your search engine rankings. Additionally, newer WordPress versions often include improvements that make your site more accessible and mobile-friendly – factors that search engines increasingly prioritize.

For more on optimizing your WordPress site for search engines, read our guide on 5 of the Best SEO Plugins to Help with On-Page SEO.

What’s New in WordPress Core in 2025

Key Features of the Latest Version

The 2025 WordPress core updates have introduced several exciting features designed to enhance both user experience and developer capabilities:

• Enhanced Block Editor Experience: Building on the successful Gutenberg editor, WordPress has refined the editing experience with improved block patterns, more intuitive controls, and faster performance.
• Improved Site Health Tools: The site health feature now provides more detailed information and actionable recommendations to keep your site running optimally.
• Advanced Responsive Controls: Better tools for ensuring your site looks great on devices of all sizes, from desktop to mobile.

Notable Improvements and Changes

Beyond the headlining features, WordPress has made numerous improvements under the hood:

• Performance Optimizations: Significant improvements to database queries and asset loading, resulting in faster page loads.
• Accessibility Enhancements: Continued focus on making WordPress accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
• Enhanced REST API: More robust API capabilities for developers building applications on top of WordPress.

Deprecated Features and Replacements

As WordPress evolves, some older features are phased out in favor of newer, better approaches:

• Legacy Widget System: The classic widget system is being gradually replaced by block-based widgets that offer more flexibility and visual editing capabilities. Learn more about using widgets effectively in our Comprehensive Guide to WordPress Widgets.
• PHP Version Requirements: WordPress now requires PHP 7.4 or higher, as support for older PHP versions has been deprecated for security and performance reasons.

How to Safely Update WordPress Core

Updating WordPress can seem intimidating, but with the right approach, it’s a straightforward process.

Step-by-Step Guide to Updating WordPress

1. Before updating:
   • Check plugin and theme compatibility with the new WordPress version
   • Create a complete backup (see below)
   • Update all plugins and themes first
2. Performing the update:
   • Go to Dashboard > Updates
   • Click “Update Now” if a WordPress update is available
   • Wait for the update to complete (this usually takes just a minute or two)
3. After updating:
   • Check your site thoroughly
   • Test key functionality like forms and e-commerce features
   • Verify that your theme displays correctly

How to Create a Backup Before Updating

Never update without a backup! A full backup ensures you can restore your site if anything goes wrong during the update process.

For detailed instructions on creating backups, read our guide on How to Back Up Your WordPress Site and Why It’s Important.

Managing Automatic Updates: Pros and Cons

WordPress offers automatic updates for minor and security releases. Here’s what to consider:

Pros of automatic updates:

• Immediate security protection
• No manual intervention required
• Ensures you’re always running the latest stable version

Cons of automatic updates:

• Potential for compatibility issues with plugins or themes
• Updates might occur at inconvenient times
• Less control over the update process

For most small business websites, enabling automatic updates for minor and security releases while manually controlling major updates offers a good balance of security and stability.

Troubleshooting Common Update Issues

Even with preparation, sometimes updates don’t go as planned. Here are solutions to common issues:

• White Screen of Death: Often caused by a plugin conflict. Access your site via FTP and rename the plugins folder to deactivate all plugins, then activate them one by one to identify the culprit.
• Broken Layout: Usually a theme compatibility issue. Try switching to a default WordPress theme temporarily to isolate the problem.
• Maintenance Mode Stuck: If your site gets stuck in maintenance mode, delete the “.maintenance” file in your WordPress root directory via FTP.

Best Practices for Managing WordPress Updates

Choosing Reliable Hosting Providers

Quality hosting plays a significant role in successful WordPress updates. Look for hosts that:

• Offer WordPress-specific hosting plans
• Provide staging environments
• Use current PHP versions
• Have good backup solutions

For more guidance on hosting selection, read our Website Hosting Review and learn How to Select the Best Website Hosting for Your Blog.

Using Staging Sites to Test Updates

A staging site is a private copy of your live website where you can safely test updates before applying them to your live site. Many quality hosting providers offer one-click staging environments.

The process typically works like this:

1. Create a staging copy of your site
2. Perform the WordPress update on the staging site
3. Test thoroughly
4. Once satisfied, push the changes to your live site or perform the update there

Tools and Plugins for Easier Update Management

Several tools can help streamline the update process:

• ManageWP, MainWP, or InfiniteWP: These management tools allow you to update multiple WordPress sites from a single dashboard.
• WP Rollback: This plugin lets you quickly roll back to previous versions of plugins if an update causes problems.
• UpdraftPlus: One of the most popular backup plugins, making it easy to create and restore backups before updates.

For more on choosing the right plugins for your site, see our guide on How to Make Smart Decisions When Choosing WordPress Plugins.

Understanding Update Notifications and Error Messages

Common Notification Messages Explained

WordPress communicates update information through various notifications:

• “WordPress X.X is available! Please update now.”: Indicates a new major version is available.
• “WordPress X.X.X is available! Please update now for security and stability.”: Indicates a minor or security update.
• “An automated WordPress core update has failed to complete.”: This appears when an automatic update attempt hasn’t succeeded.

How to Respond to Critical Update Alerts

When you see a security update notification, it’s important to act quickly:

1. Create a backup immediately
2. Update as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours
3. If you can’t update right away, consider temporarily enabling a security plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri until you can perform the update

Resolving Frequent WordPress Update Errors

If you encounter persistent update issues:

1. Insufficient Memory: Add define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '256M'); to your wp-config.php file to increase available memory.
2. FTP Credentials Request: Add your FTP credentials to wp-config.php or consider switching to a host with better file permissions settings.
3. Update Failed: Try the manual update method by downloading WordPress from WordPress.org and uploading the files via FTP.

FAQs about WordPress Core Updates

Do WordPress Updates Affect SEO Rankings?

In general, WordPress updates themselves don’t directly impact SEO rankings. However, they can indirectly affect SEO by:

• Improving site speed and performance
• Enhancing security (avoiding penalties for hacked sites)
• Improving mobile responsiveness
• Adding new SEO-friendly features

The bottom line is that keeping WordPress updated is generally beneficial for SEO.

Can I Skip WordPress Core Updates Safely?

While you might get away with skipping a minor update occasionally, it’s not recommended practice, especially for security updates. Each update builds on previous versions, so skipping multiple updates can lead to:

• Increased security vulnerabilities
• Plugin and theme compatibility issues
• Missing out on performance improvements
• More difficult updates when you eventually do update

What Should I Do if an Update Breaks My Site?

If you find yourself with a broken site after an update:

1. Don’t panic! This is why we create backups.
2. Restore from your backup if the issue is severe.
3. If it’s a plugin conflict, deactivate all plugins and reactivate them one by one.
4. If it’s a theme issue, switch to a default WordPress theme temporarily.
5. Check for error logs to identify specific issues.
6. Consult with a WordPress professional if needed.

Conclusion

Keeping WordPress core updated is one of the most important maintenance tasks for your website. While it might seem technical or time-consuming, the benefits far outweigh the effort: better security, improved performance, and access to the latest features.

At Skylark Website Design, we understand that not every business owner has the time or confidence to manage WordPress updates themselves. That’s why we offer maintenance plans that include regular updates, monitoring, and support to keep your website secure, fast, and functioning optimally.

Whether you manage updates yourself or entrust the task to professionals, remember that a well-maintained WordPress site is an valuable asset to your business – one that continues to work effectively for you around the clock.

Need help with your WordPress updates or website maintenance? Contact Skylark Website Design today for expert assistance tailored to your business needs.