To bulk update plugins from the WordPress dashboard, go to Dashboard > Updates, select the plugins with available updates, and click Update Plugins. You can also update a selected group from Plugins using Bulk Actions > Update, or run wp plugin update --all with WP-CLI. Back up the site first, review the results, and keep a rollback plan for failed updates.
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Which bulk-update method should you use?
WordPress offers three practical ways to update several plugins. The right choice depends on whether you need a one-time visual change, a carefully selected subset, or a repeatable process that can be logged and automated.
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| Dashboard > Updates | Updating one site interactively | Update all listed plugins or selected plugins | Administrator dashboard access | Watch the result messages and allow a maintenance window |
| Plugins screen bulk action | Updating a chosen subset while viewing the plugin list | Filter for updates, select individual rows, then apply Update | Administrator dashboard access | Manually installed or external plugins may not appear in the normal updater |
| WP-CLI | Scripts, cron jobs, deployment steps, and repeatable administration | Preview changes, exclude plugins, limit release types, or pin a version | Shell access and a tested command-line process | A command can update many sites or plugins quickly, so verify scope before execution |
| Automatic updates | Reducing routine manual work | Enable or disable selected plugins, or manage them with WP-CLI | Dashboard or shell access | Requires reliable backups, working WordPress Cron, and monitoring |
For a single visible change, use the dashboard. For a policy that must be repeated, filtered, or recorded, use WP-CLI. Automatic updates are useful only when you can restore the site if an update causes a problem.
Prepare the site before updating
Bulk updating is faster than updating plugins one at a time, but it also changes several components during one maintenance window. Complete these checks before selecting Update Plugins or running a command.
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- Make a current backup. Keep a copy of the database and the files needed to restore the site. WordPress recommends regular automatic backups before enabling automatic plugin or theme updates.
- Confirm you can restore. A backup that has never been tested is not a dependable rollback plan. Know where the restore controls or backup files are before starting.
- Choose a quiet period. The dashboard updater enables maintenance mode while it downloads, unpacks, installs, and replaces plugin files. Visitors may briefly see a maintenance message.
- Check available disk space and access. The updater must download and unpack packages, then remove the old versions. Ensure the account can write to the WordPress installation.
- Record the starting state. Note which plugins are active, which versions are installed, and whether the site already shows warnings. This makes a later comparison possible.
- Use a staging copy for high-risk sites. If the site handles transactions, has custom integrations, or has not been updated recently, test the group on a staging environment first and then repeat the approved change on production.
Do not close the browser simply because the page appears to pause. WordPress may be processing several downloads. Its documented status message says: “The update process is starting. This process may take awhile on some hosts, so please be patient.”
Bulk update from Dashboard > Updates
The Updates screen is the most direct dashboard workflow. It can update plugins and themes with available releases, whether those plugins are active or inactive.
Step-by-step procedure
- Sign in with an account that can manage plugins.
- Open Dashboard > Updates.
- Locate the Plugins section. WordPress lists plugins for which it has detected an available update.
- Review the list. If you do not want to update every item, clear the selection for any plugin you want to defer.
- Select the plugins to change, or use the control that selects all listed updates.
- Click Update Plugins.
- Wait while WordPress enters maintenance mode, downloads each package, unpacks it, installs the new files, removes the old version, and disables maintenance mode.
- Read the completion messages. Confirm that each selected plugin reports success rather than an error.
- Open the site in a new tab. Test the homepage, login, forms, checkout or other revenue-critical paths, and any feature supplied by the updated plugins.
What the result messages tell you
A successful result means WordPress completed the normal replacement process for that plugin. An error identifies an item that needs separate attention; it does not prove that every other selected plugin failed. Record the names of failed items and check the site before attempting another bulk run.
If the page remains in maintenance mode after the process stops, remove the temporary maintenance file only after confirming that no update is still running and that the administrator can access the files. Use your host’s file manager or shell access, and take a backup before making manual changes. If you cannot safely access the files, ask the host or administrator to clear maintenance mode.
Bulk update selected plugins from the Plugins screen
The Plugins page is useful when you want to update a subset rather than every available release. It also lets you see plugin names and activation status while making the selection.
Step-by-step procedure
- Open Plugins > Installed Plugins.
- Use the Update Available filter to show plugins for which WordPress has detected an update.
- Tick the checkboxes beside the plugins you want to update.
- Open the Bulk Actions menu above the list.
- Choose Update, then click Apply.
- Allow the updater to finish and read the individual status messages.
- Test the front end and the administrator workflows affected by those plugins.
This route is helpful when one plugin needs to remain at its current version while you update the rest. It also makes it easy to defer a plugin whose compatibility you still need to verify.
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Why a plugin may be missing from the update list
A plugin hosted in the WordPress Plugin Directory normally receives update information in the dashboard. A plugin installed manually from a ZIP file or obtained from another external source may not use WordPress’s normal update service. It will appear with an update only if its author supplies a functioning built-in updater that integrates with WordPress.
When an expected update is absent, check the plugin’s own settings or documentation for its updater, confirm that its license or account connection is active if the author requires one, and verify that the installed package is the same product that supplied the update. Do not replace an external plugin with an unrelated package merely to make it appear in the list.
Bulk update with WP-CLI
WP-CLI is the command-line interface for WordPress. It is suited to administrators who need repeatable commands, deployment steps, cron jobs, or a record of exactly what was changed. It requires shell access and an operational process that has been tested on the site.
Preview all available updates
Use a dry run before changing files:
wp plugin update --all --dry-runThe command reports the proposed change set without applying it. Use the output to check that the site, environment, and plugin scope are correct.
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Update every plugin with an available release
wp plugin update --allThis updates all plugins for which WP-CLI can obtain an available update. The documented process enables maintenance mode before downloads and disables it after completion.
Exclude a named plugin
wp plugin update --all --exclude=akismetReplace the example name with the plugin slug you intend to leave untouched. Verify the slug before running the command; a display name and a directory slug are not always identical.
Limit the release type
wp plugin update --all --minorUse --minor when your policy allows minor releases but you want to avoid major-version changes in that run. The --patch option narrows the operation further to patch releases:
wp plugin update --all --patchThese flags are policy controls, not a guarantee of compatibility. Read the resulting list and test the site after the command.
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Install a particular version
wp plugin update plugin-slug --version=1.2.3Use --version=<version> when you have a specific release to install. Substitute the actual plugin slug and version; do not treat the example as a universal version number.
Use WP-CLI in a repeatable process
- Run
wp plugin update --all --dry-runin the intended WordPress directory. - Save the output or deployment log.
- Confirm a recent backup and the maintenance window.
- Apply the approved command, with any required exclusions or release limits.
- Check the command’s exit status and output for failures.
- Run site checks and retain the log with the backup record.
WP-CLI’s plugin update command is designed to be placed in scripts, cron jobs, or deployment steps. That makes it more repeatable than clicking through a dashboard, but it also means a poorly scoped script can repeat an unwanted change. Use an explicit working directory, verify the target site, and test the script before scheduling it.
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Enable automatic updates for several plugins
Automatic updates reduce the number of manual update sessions, but they do not remove the need for backups or monitoring. WordPress documents that automatic updates can be enabled or disabled for several selected plugins through the bulk action selector.
Enable them in the dashboard
- Open Plugins > Installed Plugins.
- Select the plugins for which you want automatic updates.
- Open Bulk Actions.
- Choose the automatic-update action, then click Apply.
- Return to the list and verify the automatic-update status shown for each selected plugin.
The default schedule documented by WordPress.org is twice per day. The actual run depends on WordPress Cron, so an enabled setting does not mean the update runs immediately.
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The wp plugin auto-updates command family supports enable, disable, and status operations and has been available since WP-CLI 2.5.0.
# Enable auto-updates for all plugins
wp plugin auto-updates enable --all
# Show plugins whose auto-updates are enabled
wp plugin auto-updates status --all --enabled-only --field=nameUse the status command after changing policy to verify which plugins are actually enabled. If your policy excludes a high-risk plugin, manage that exception explicitly instead of assuming it survived a later bulk command.
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Automatic updates should be paired with regular automatic backups. WordPress recommends this because an update can expose a compatibility problem, and the practical recovery is to restore the site to a known-good state.
Check whether scheduled updates can run
Automatic plugin updates depend on WordPress Cron tasks. If updates never run, open Tools > Site Health and look for cron errors. A failing scheduled-task system can also affect other WordPress maintenance jobs, so treat the warning as an operational issue rather than repeatedly enabling the same setting.
Define a usable rollback
- Keep a backup made before the update window.
- Know whether the backup includes both database content and plugin files.
- Know how to restore without relying on the broken dashboard.
- Record the plugin versions before and after the change.
- After restoring, disable the problematic automatic update until its compatibility is understood.
Do not promise a rollback simply because a backup exists. Confirm that the restore procedure is available to the person responsible for the site.
Troubleshoot common bulk-update problems
The update button is unavailable
Refresh the Updates screen and confirm that WordPress still detects releases. If the plugin is external, it may not provide a normal dashboard update. Check the plugin’s own updater and verify its connection or license requirements.
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One plugin fails while others succeed
Note the failed plugin and leave the successful updates in place. Check the error message, available disk space, write permissions, and the plugin’s documented installation method. Retry that plugin separately after taking another backup; a second bulk run makes it harder to identify the failing package.
The site shows a fatal error after updating
Use the backup or a staging copy to restore service, then identify the plugin changed in the update window. If the dashboard is inaccessible, use the site’s hosting controls or file access to deactivate the suspected plugin, and have an administrator review logs before re-enabling it. Do not repeatedly update every plugin while the cause is unknown.
Automatic updates are enabled but nothing happens
Check Tools > Site Health for Cron errors, confirm that the plugin is still selected for automatic updates, and verify that WordPress can contact the update source. Remember that the documented schedule is twice daily, not instant execution.
The site remains in maintenance mode
First make sure no update process is still active. If the process has clearly stopped, clear the temporary maintenance file through secure file access, then inspect the site and administrator area. If you are unsure which file to remove or cannot access the installation safely, contact the host rather than deleting random files.
Practical policies for different sites
Small brochure site
Use Dashboard > Updates during a quiet period. Back up first, select the available plugin updates, wait for completion, and test the contact form and key pages. This keeps the process visible without introducing shell administration.
Content site with frequent publishing
Use the Plugins screen to select a subset, leave high-impact plugins for a planned window, and keep a backup immediately before the change. Record the result so an editor can distinguish an update-related problem from a content change.
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Use WP-CLI dry runs, explicit exclusions, logs, and a tested script. Apply the same policy across environments only after confirming that each site has compatible versions and a working restore path.
Site using automatic updates
Enable updates only after backups and monitoring are in place. Review the enabled list, check Cron health, and inspect the site after the scheduled window. Automatic updates are a labor-saving mechanism, not a replacement for rollback planning.
Quick Recap
Final verification checklist
- Every intended plugin reports a successful update.
- Plugins deliberately excluded remain at their previous versions.
- The front end loads without errors.
- Administrator login and editing work.
- Forms, payments, search, caching, and other site-specific functions work.
- No maintenance-mode message remains.
- Automatic-update status matches the intended policy.
- The backup and update log are retained.
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