Websites & support / Checklist
What to check after a WordPress update
Opening the home page after an update is a start. I'd also want to know whether a customer can still send an enquiry, choose the right product and pay. Those jobs often depend on different plugins.
Write your checks before updating, while the site works. Use actual page addresses and a clear expected result, so the person doing maintenance can repeat the same checks next time.
Before you press update
WordPress recommends backing up before an upgrade. Its backup guidance explains that the files and database are separate parts of the site. Ask where both are stored and how they can be restored.
A backup timestamp is useful, but I'd also ask when a restore was last tested. Agree who can authorise a rollback, how long it is likely to take and what happens to enquiries or orders received since the backup.
For a site that takes orders or bookings, arrange the update window around those activities. Keep a record of the WordPress, theme and plugin versions you started with. That gives the person investigating a fault something more useful than "it changed yesterday".
Make the test copy safe to use
A staging site is a separate copy used for trying changes. Ask the host or developer to keep it private, stop it sending customer messages and put payment and other integrations into their appropriate test modes. Copies can contain personal data, so restrict access.
Check that the important parts match live, including the PHP version and relevant server settings. A test on a different setup leaves unanswered questions about the live site.
Apply the planned updates there and run the business checks. Keep screenshots or notes of failures, including the exact page and steps. Someone trying to fix a checkout needs to know which delivery option and product combination caused the problem.
Check the jobs your customers need to do
Choose the rows that apply to your site and add any specialist workflow. Use test accounts and approved test payment methods; agree any live transaction test separately.
| Route | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|
| Enquiry | Submit the public form, receive the message and reply to the test sender. |
| Shop | Search, choose a variation, add to basket and verify totals and delivery choices. Complete checkout in a safe test setup. |
| Booking | Choose an available slot, check the saved appointment and test the agreed change or cancellation process. |
| Account | Sign in with a test customer and check the pages and downloads they should be able to access. |
| Mobile navigation | Open menus, follow a service link and use the contact buttons on a phone-sized screen. |
| Tracking and consent | Check that the agreed enquiry or purchase event still fires under the correct consent settings. |
Repeat the checks on live
A successful staging test is evidence for the planned change. Live still has its own settings, caches and integrations. After the live update, clear the appropriate caches and repeat the important routes as a signed-out visitor.
Be careful about copying a staging database over a live shop. Orders, enquiries or bookings may have arrived since the copy was made. Decide how those records will be protected before using any push-to-live or restore button.
If something fails, record what you know and contact the person responsible. Restoring an earlier database can discard later activity. Check which files or settings need reverting and how new records will be preserved before deciding on the recovery method.
Keep a short maintenance record
Record the date, versions changed, checks completed, faults found and any work still open. Name the person who will deal with each unresolved issue. Keep credentials in a password manager, away from the maintenance note.
Use the same list after the next update. If a customer later finds a broken booking option, add that exact journey to the checks. The list becomes useful because it reflects your business.
Sources
Checked on 22 October 2026.
- WordPress: updating WordPress
Back up before upgrading; official update and recovery guidance.
- WordPress: backups
Files and database are separate components of a complete backup.