Plugins add extra features to your website — contact forms, SEO tools, and more. They're powerful, which is exactly why updating them deserves a little care.

Think of plugins like apps on your phone Most updates are routine and trouble-free, just like a phone app update. Occasionally, one changes something in a way that affects your site — which is why we always want a backup on hand first, exactly like you'd want before a big phone software update.

Viewing your plugins

Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins to see everything currently on your site, whether it's active, and whether an update is available.

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The Installed Plugins screen, with an "Update Available" notice on one plugin

Safe update checklist

  • Confirm a recent backup exists. See Backups: Manual, Download & Restore. If your automatic backups are running on schedule, you're already covered.
  • Update one plugin at a time rather than several at once, if you're updating more than one. This makes it much easier to identify the cause if something looks different afterward.
  • Click Update Now next to the plugin showing an available update.
  • Visit your live website afterward and click through a couple of pages to confirm everything still looks and works as expected.
    • Security and performance plugins are usually safe to auto-update Some plugins, like security or backup tools, tend to have very safe, low-risk updates. If you're ever unsure about a specific plugin, it's fine to wait and ask us before updating.

    Enabling and disabling a plugin

    • To disable a plugin without removing it: find it in the list and click Deactivate.
    • To re-enable it: click Activate.

    Deactivating doesn't delete anything — it simply switches the feature off until you turn it back on.

    Installing new plugins

    Please don't install plugins you haven't researched Every plugin is code running on your website — a poorly maintained or malicious one can slow your site down or create a real security risk. If you'd like a new feature, tell Kemet Group Consulting what you're trying to achieve, and we'll recommend (or install) something reliable and well-supported.

    If something looks wrong after an update

    Don't worry — this is uncommon, and always fixable. Deactivate the plugin you just updated (see above), which should immediately restore your previous state, then contact support so we can look into it properly.