Short answer
Take a backup, then update plugins and themes first and WordPress core last, checking the site after each step. Updates are the main defence against being hacked, so putting them off is riskier than doing them.
Learn more
- Updating WordPress, themes and plugins safelyWhy updates matter, the safe order to update, how automatic updates work, and what to do if an update breaks your site.
- Keeping website software updatedWhy updates are the most important security task, what needs updating beyond the CMS itself, and a routine that keeps a small site current.
- How to back up WordPressThree ways to back up a WordPress site on Traxio — Softaculous, a plugin, or files plus database — and how to keep backups off the server.
Step-by-step
- Back up WordPress and prove you can restore itIntermediate · 45 min · 9 steps
Everything in this guide works on Traxio’s WordPress hosting: 30 days free, then £0.99 a month.