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You can turn off automatic updates for selected plugins or themes in the WordPress dashboard, disable core updates with a setting in wp-config.php, or suppress all automatic updates. Choose the narrowest option that meets your needs: WordPress strongly discourages disabling updates, so you will need a dependable manual update and restore routine.
Choose what you want to stop
“Automatic updates” can mean plugin and theme updates, WordPress core updates, or all automatic updater activity. These controls have different scopes:
| Method | What it affects | Where to change it |
|---|---|---|
| Plugin toggle | One or more selected plugins | Plugins > Installed Plugins |
| Theme toggle | One selected theme at a time | Appearance > Themes |
WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE |
WordPress core update categories | wp-config.php |
AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED |
All automatic updates, including core and non-core updates | wp-config.php |
| Update filters | Fine-grained developer-defined rules | A must-use plugin |
If only one plugin or theme is causing a compatibility concern, use its dashboard control rather than disabling updates site-wide.
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Disable updates for individual plugins
- Sign in to the WordPress admin dashboard.
- Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
- In the Automatic Updates column, find the plugin and select Disable auto-updates.
You can also select several plugins and use the page’s bulk actions to change their auto-update setting together. The plugin’s files remain installed; this setting only changes whether WordPress updates it automatically. See WordPress.org’s Manage Plugins documentation.
Turn off automatic updates for a theme
- Go to Appearance > Themes.
- Open the details for the theme you want to manage.
- Use that theme’s auto-update toggle to disable automatic updates.
Theme auto-update settings are managed one theme at a time. Plugin and theme auto-update controls are available in WordPress 5.5 and later; a host or plugin may disable the feature. The controls and schedule are described in WordPress.org’s Plugin and themes auto-updates documentation.
Disable automatic updates for WordPress core only
To disable core updates without disabling every type of automatic update, add this constant to wp-config.php:
define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', false );WordPress documents three values for this setting:
| Value | Core update behavior |
|---|---|
false |
Disables development, minor, and major core updates. |
true |
Enables development, minor, and major core updates. |
'minor' |
Keeps minor core updates enabled while disabling development and major updates. |
When the constant is absent, the default depends on the installation. Existing installations receive minor core updates by default. Fresh installations made with WordPress 5.6 or later receive major and minor core updates by default unless WordPress detects a version-control checkout. See the WordPress Developer Resources guide to upgrading.
Disable all automatic updates
To disable automatic updates across core and other update types, add this constant to wp-config.php:
define( 'AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED', true );This is broader than WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE: the latter controls core update categories, while AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED disables all types of automatic updates. Make a backup of the file first, and put the line before the “That’s all, stop editing!” comment, if present. WordPress’s instructions for locating and editing the file are in Editing wp-config.php.
Do not use DISALLOW_FILE_MODS as a substitute. It blocks plugin and theme installation and update functionality in the admin area and also disables the plugin and theme file editor; it is not simply an automatic-update switch.
Use filters for narrower developer control
If you need rules more specific than a dashboard toggle or site-wide constant, WordPress provides updater filters. Examples include automatic_updater_disabled for automatic updates broadly, core-specific filters such as allow_minor_auto_core_updates, and auto_update_plugin and auto_update_theme for plugin and theme updates.
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Put these filters in a must-use plugin rather than adding add_filter() calls directly to wp-config.php. WordPress is not fully loaded when that configuration file is read, so it is not the right place for filter code. The WordPress upgrading guide documents the available controls.
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What changes when you disable updates?
WordPress says disabling automatic updates is strongly discouraged because updates help keep sites secure. Its developer handbook explains that automatic minor releases and translation updates are enabled by default to help sites stay current.
Plugin and theme automatic updates normally run twice per day, with scheduling dependent on WordPress Cron. WordPress sends email notifications about successful or failed attempts. This is a default schedule, not a guarantee that every site will run updates at those times.
If you turn updates off, take responsibility for checking, applying, and verifying updates yourself. WordPress’s Manage Plugins documentation recommends a current backup before plugin updates, while its auto-update guidance recommends having a rollback path before enabling automatic plugin or theme updates.
Maintain and recover the site safely
- Keep scheduled backups of both site files and the database. WordPress identifies scheduled backup plugins as one way to do this.
- Before a manual update, confirm that you can restore the backup rather than relying only on the existence of a backup file.
- Check for available updates regularly, review compatibility information, apply updates, and verify that the site still works afterward.
- If an update breaks the site, restore a known-good backup or use your established rollback procedure before troubleshooting further.
WordPress’s backup documentation covers database backups; make sure your recovery plan also accounts for site files.
Quick Recap
If the update controls are missing or updates do not run
- Check the WordPress version: plugin and theme auto-update controls are associated with WordPress 5.5 and later.
- Check for host or plugin overrides: a host or installed plugin may disable the feature or change its behavior.
- Check WordPress Cron and site communication: automatic update scheduling depends on Cron, and Site Health can help identify cron or communication issues. Open Tools > Site Health in the dashboard, then review the status and recommended information. WordPress documents this screen in its Site Health screen guide.
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