Tag: Update the Plugin

This article considers the steps to update the plugin manually via FTP. Manually updating a plugin via FTP involves replacing the old plugin files with the new ones on your web server. It’s useful when the automatic update in the WordPress dashboard fails.

Downloading the New Plugin Version:

1. Find the latest version of the plugin you want to update. You will get it from the plugin’s official website or the WordPress plugin directory.

Using an FTP Client:

• You can download and install an FTP client like FileZilla if you already don’t have one.
• Next, you can use your FTP credentials (host, username, and password) to connect to your web server. These can be found in your web hosting provider’s control panel.

Backing Up and Replacing the Old Plugin:

• Here, you have to navigate > /wp-content/plugins/ directory within your server’s file structure.
• Then, you have to locate the folder for the plugin you want to update.
• Here’s where you create a backup: Right-click on the plugin folder and choose “Rename.” Add “-old” to the end of the folder name (e.g., “my-plugin-old”). This creates a backup in case you need to revert to the previous version.
• Now you can delete the original plugin folder.

Uploading the New Plugin Files:

• Now, on your local computer, you have to locate the downloaded folder containing the new plugin version. 
• In your FTP client, go to the local files section (usually on the left side) and browse to the new plugin folder.
• Here, you have to right-click on the folder and select “Upload” to transfer it to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory on your server.

Activating the Updated Plugin:

1. To activate the plugin, you have to log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Move to the “Plugins” page.
3. You will see the newly uploaded plugin listed as inactive.
4. Find the plugin and click “Activate.”

Optional: Cleaning Up

1. Once you’ve verified the updated plugin that works properly, you can go back to your FTP client and delete the old plugin folder (the one renamed with “-old”) if you don’t need it anymore.

Remember: Updating plugins via FTP bypasses the WordPress update process, so the plugin’s database entries might not be automatically updated. If the plugin requires database changes, you need to follow additional instructions provided by the plugin developer.

It’s generally recommended to update the plugins through the WordPress dashboard whenever possible, as it’s a simpler and safer process. But in case of issues, manually updating via FTP can be a helpful alternative.