WordPress 3.5 is here and it’s time to upgrade again. With any major release, there are bound to be glitches with themes and plugins along the way. Known WordPress upgrade issues can be found on this post over at wordpress.org
How To Upgrade To WordPress 3.5
Don’t forget to back up before upgrading to WordPress 3.5!
I recommend The Backup Creator
I’m going to outline how I upgrade clients and my sites. Yes, it is longwinded!
But, if anything does go squelch (and with major upgrades things are more likely to fall over and die!) it’s easier to see where things have gone wrong and recover.
Step 1. Back up everything (I use Backup Creator)
Step 2. Upgrade any out of date themes and plugins and check your site works as expected.
Step 3. Back up everything again
Step 4. Disable your plugins
Step 5. Update WordPress and check your site loads
Step 6. Enable plugins one by one, checking your site after each one
Step 7. Back up again.
You will see plugin updates coming through regularly after upgrading WordPress. Back up and upgrade as they come through.
I can see you sighing and saying, “no chance!” from here. You can skip a couple of steps if you are feeling brave:
- Back up everything
- Update plugins and themes
- Update WordPress
- Check your site
- Back up again
If you get error messages and it is not obvious from the message what is causing the problem, then:
- disable all plugins,
- clear your cache and
- enable plugins one by one until you find the culprit.
Sometimes themes cause problems. If you have errors after disabling all plugins, switch the theme to a WordPress standard theme (Twenty Twelve comes with WordPress 3.5) to check if your theme is the issue.
Is upgrading to WordPress 3.5 too much hassle?
Get in touch and hire me to do it for you. A basic WordPress MOT that includes backing up and upgrading plugins, themes and WordPress starts at just £35
Over to you…
Have you upgraded your WordPress site yet? How did it go, do you like the new features? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
WordPress 3.5 Now Available – How To Upgrade To WordPress 3.5 by Jan Kearney
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Thanks for this very helpful as usual. I didn’t realise you handled this sort of thing actually so I will bear you in mind; my site is currently being redesigned (although veerrry slowwwwwly) so when it’s done I will be on the case.
Hi Ginny, get the whip out with that redesign! Yes, I do WordPress updates and a gazillion other things too – one day I’ll get all my services and products (when I have them ready!) up on that menu bar!
All done and dusted.
I do the same as you suggested, but having you provide a checklist made it a lot less anxious experience 🙂
You’re keen Rosie! Glad it didn’t fall over for you 🙂
Hi Jan, great blog and thanks for the useful info. Is is necessary to upgrade? I usually get my web guy to do these things.
Always upgrade, Debra! It’s not just the new features, but the security side of it too. Have a word with your web guy and do it sooner than later.
I tend to find that if you upgrade every time a update becomes available then you shouldn’t have an issue. I have found the most issues when you miss a version, from 3.2 to 3.5 for example. I must live on the edge as I never disable my plugins.
Hi Mike – I agree there are usually less issues if you update regularly. I’ve done so many now, I tend to disable plugins simply because I’ve been locked out of a site through incompatibilities on a few occassions. Not a happy bunny when that happens!
Hi there Jan,
I updated to the 3.5 yesterday I think it was. I don’t care for their new media library area. I liked it the old way better. From what I can see, there is no way to add a featured image at the same time I want to paste it into the blog post.
I used to be able to do both at the same time. Today, I had to do them separately. Am I missing something?
Hi Bonnie, I’ve not got around to my site yet! But, playing with the ones I’ve been upgrading last night it does seem to be a bit convoluted…
In your post, upload or choose the image you are using, add all the details on the right hand side and add the image. Then you can either use the the set featured image from the menu to the right of the post editing area (which brings up the media pop up) or click the Add Media button again and choose Set Featured Image from the left menu in the pop up.
I wonder if they’ll add featured image back in when you upload? I miss it already and I haven’t done my main blog yet!
Ok Jan,
I’m creating a new post as we speak, because someone asked me to in my comments area. I followed your instructions and I am about to share this post on the social GB group. We will see if it works. 🙂
Thanks for the instructions, but I think I was already doing it this way, so we’ll see.
I saw it still shows the little arrow – time for an Open Graph plugin me thinks, Bonnie 🙂
Hi Jan,
thanks so much for that incredibly informative post. The backup part is what, I suspect, many of us dip out on. I simply never bothered, even though I know it’s soooo important – go figure !
However, in an ‘aha’ moment recently, someone’s post recommended using XCLoner plugin to create backups. It was so easy – no more excuses.
So now I use this and also keep a copy on my pc.
Thanks again Jan, and all the best for your success 🙂
Paul
I love XCloner, Paul – it’s a great little plugin. You’re right, back up, back up, back up! 🙂 Thanks for popping in and taking the time to comment 🙂
Thanks Jan for this useful reminder list – just upgraded successfully – used to just click that button and hope for the best, until I started listening to your advice
So thanks Jan
Sue
Now you can do mine, Sue! Not got to it yet! Glad the checklist helped 🙂