Upgrading WordPress should be a simple task if its maintained and updated over time and adapted to each major version with the requirements of that moment.
What happens with older versions?
WordPress provides security support from WordPress 4.1 to the latest version (WordPress 6.6, when creating this document), each with its own database versions, PHP versions and a series of compatibilities that need to be updated over time.
What if it is not updated?
On this page there are some ideas and suggestions on how to upgrade. In many cases it will not be possible to upgrade the operating system, include new PHP versions, so will have to migrate WordPress to an updated hosting.
Many assumptions will be made in this document, as each case will be different. Before doing any kind of upgrade, please make a backup of all site data: WordPress files, Database, Certificates and OS / Services configurations.
IMPORTANT: This is a very manual process, not a massive one. There will be probably losses and some updates will be needed after the upgrade.
[tip]In case only a major version (X.X) is indicated, use its minor (X.X.x) latest version available.[/tip]
Goals:
- WordPress: upgrade to WordPress 6.2
- PHP: upgrade to PHP 7.4
- SQL: upgrade to MySQL 8.0 / MariaDB 10.11
Losses:
- Content: none
- Plugins: all
- Themes: all
These are the oldest versions of WordPress and the ones that have not been supported for years. In general, have to assume some losses, although not of the contents, but probably of some functionality on themes and plugins.
Considering that the goal is to keep the contents and assuming the loss of the rest of the elements, there are some steps.
As with any upgrade, the first thing to do is to make a backup copy. The best way to upgrade from WP < 3.6 is to perform a content migration.
- Create a brand-new WordPress, without the database.
- Copy the old WordPress files from the "/wp-content/uploads/" content to the new one.
- Create a new database with the old database information. The best way is using "mysqldump".
- Configure the wp-config.php with all the new data.
- Access the "/wp-admin/" page, and follow the upgrading process.
With this way, WordPress will be able to maintain and update the contents in the database and be able to work with these contents in an updated version of WordPress.
A WordPress with the default theme, and all the contents should now be available.
Character Encoding commonly presents technical hiccups when restoring a database. It is possible that backup data is not encoded in UTF-8 and instead may be in an ISO or ASCII "deprecated" format. Make sure that the character encoding is updated correctly upon restoring a database! More information on converting Character Sets in a WordPress database can be found here.
Goals
- WordPress: upgrade to WordPress 4.1
- PHP: upgrade to PHP 5.6.20+
- SQL: upgrade to MySQL 5.6 / MariaDB 10.0
Losses:
- Content: none
- Plugins: probably yes
- Themes: probably yes
WordPress Versions <= 4.0 are compatible with PHP versions that are hardly available today. They can range from PHP 5.2 (or even earlier) to PHP 5.5. That is why the main goal will be to go to a version that is still easy to get on many operating systems.
The same will happen with the database. It is very likely that there is a MySQL 5.5 or earlier. Depending on whether want to continue with MySQL or move to MariaDB, choose which way to go and migrate the database to a MySQL 5.6 or MariaDB 10.0.
Note that WP-CLI is not available for PHP versions lower than PHP 5.6.20, so this process still must be done somewhat manually.
As with any upgrade, the first thing to do is to make a backup copy.
Remove all themes that are not active, leaving only the main theme. If there is a child theme active, please, maintain the child and parent.
Install and activate the Twenty Ten theme and activate it. This theme works in all sites since WordPress 3.7.
In the same way, delete all deactivated plugins (and, therefore, not working).
Deactivate all left active plugins.
Now, WordPress will have:
- Core: any version (between WordPress 3.7 and WordPress 4.0)
- Themes: Twenty Ten is active, and the main theme is deactivated.
- Plugins: all plugins that should be active are deactivated.
At this point, overwrite the WordPress Core with WordPress 4.1, available in the release list. Install WordPress 4.1 major version or, if available and recommended, the latest 4.1.x minor version.
Upgrade the systems up to PHP 5.6.20+ and MySQL 5.6.x or MariaDB 10.0.x. Please, do not install the newest major version.
Access the "/wp-admin/" page, and follow the upgrading process.
WordPress will be able to maintain and update the contents in the database and be able to work with these contents. WordPress, with the default theme and all the contents should now be available and working.
Character Encoding commonly presents technical hiccups when restoring a database. It is possible that backup data is not encoded in UTF-8 and instead may be in an ISO or ASCII "deprecated" format. Make sure that the character encoding is updated correctly upon restoring a database! More information on converting Character Sets in a WordPress database can be found here.
Proceed to the next step, which is upgrade to WordPress 4.9 from WordPress 4.1.
Goals
- WordPress: upgrade to WordPress 4.9
- PHP: upgrade to PHP 7.2
- SQL: maintain or upgrade to MySQL 5.6 / MariaDB 10.0
Losses:
- Content: none
- Plugins: probably yes
- Themes: probably yes
If you don't have PHP 5.6.20+ configured yet, do it. Chances are that everything will still work normally.
From WordPress 4.1 and PHP 5.6.20+, you can continue with the manual update process, or start using WP-CLI, the tool to run WordPress commands directly via console, something that can easy the process.
As with any upgrade, the first thing to do is to make a backup copy.
Remove all themes that are not active, leaving only the main theme. If there is a child theme active, please, maintain the child and parent.
Install and activate the Twenty Ten theme and activate it. This theme works in all sites since WordPress 3.7.
In the same way, delete all deactivated plugins (and, therefore, not working).
Now, WordPress will have:
- Core: any version (between WordPress 4.1 and WordPress 4.8)
- Themes: Twenty Ten is active, and the main theme is deactivated.
- Plugins: all plugins that should be active are deactivated.
At this point, overwrite the WordPress Core with WordPress 4.9, available in the release list. Install WordPress 4.9 major version or, if available and recommended, the latest 4.9.x minor version.
Upgrade the systems up to PHP 7.2 and, if they are not already, to MySQL 5.6.x or MariaDB 10.0.x. Please, do not install the newest major version.
Access the "/wp-admin/" page, and follow the upgrading process.
WordPress will be able to maintain and update the contents in the database and be able to work with these contents. WordPress, with the default theme and all the contents should be available and working.
Character Encoding commonly presents technical hiccups when restoring a database. It is possible that backup data is not encoded in UTF-8 and instead may be in an ISO or ASCII "deprecated" format. Make sure that the character encoding is updated correctly upon restoring a database! More information on converting Character Sets in a WordPress database can be found here.
Proceed to the next step, which is upgrade to WordPress 5.3 from WordPress 4.9.
Goals
- WordPress: upgrade to WordPress 5.3
- PHP: upgrade to PHP 7.4
- SQL: maintain or upgrade to MySQL 8.0 / MariaDB 10.3
Losses:
- Content: none
- Plugins: probably no
- Themes: probably no
If you don't have PHP 7.4 configured yet, do it. Chances are that everything will still work normally.
WordPress 4.9 was the last version with the Classic Editor, so, a lot of people, afraid of the new editor, stopped updating WordPress. WordPress 5.0+ is fully compatible with the Classic Editor content, so it can be upgraded without losing any content.
Also, when WordPress 4.9 was released, PHP 7.0+ was very stablished and WordPress 5.0 version had support. Upgrading from PHP 5.6.20+ to PHP 7.0+ should be very stable.
From WordPress 4.9, you can continue with the manual update process, or start using WP-CLI, the tool to run WordPress commands directly via console, something that can ease the process.
As with any upgrade, the first thing to do is to make a backup copy.
Remove all themes that are not active, leaving only the main theme. If there is a child theme active, please, maintain the child and parent.
Install and activate the Twenty Ten theme and activate it. This theme works in all sites since WordPress 3.7.
In the same way, delete all deactivated plugins.
Now, WordPress will have:
- Core: any version (between WordPress 4.9 and WordPress 5.2)
- Themes: Twenty Ten is active, and the main theme is deactivated.
- Plugins: all plugins that should be active are deactivated.
At this point, overwrite the WordPress Core with WordPress 5.3, available in the release list. Install WordPress 5.3 major version or, if available and recommended, the latest 5.3.x minor version.
Upgrade the systems up to PHP 7.4 and, if they are not already, to MySQL 8.0.x or MariaDB 10.3.x. Please, do not install the newest major version.
Access the "/wp-admin/" page, and follow the upgrading process.
WordPress will be able to maintain and update the contents in the database and be able to work with these contents.
Getting this moment, make a new backup copy, because some more updates will be made and, at this point, there is a good WordPress situation.
Most of the plugins available in WordPress 4.9+ should work with WordPress 5.3, so try to update everything available in the plugin list. Please, do it one by one and check all the warnings and errors. If you get some big error, try an older release for this plugin. Usually they are at the end of the "Developer" tab in each plugin page at wordpress.org.
Try the same with the theme. Most of the themes available in WordPress 4.9+ should work with WordPress 5.3.
Proceed to the next step, which is upgrade to WordPress 6.2 from WordPress 5.3.
Goals
- WordPress: upgrade to WordPress 6.2
- PHP: upgrade to PHP 7.4
- SQL: maintain or upgrade to MySQL 8.0 LTS / MariaDB 10.11 LTS
Losses:
- Content: none
- Plugins: probably no
- Themes: probably no
If you don't have PHP 7.4 configured yet, do it. Chances are that everything will still work normally.
Upgrade everything normally. Everything should work fine.
Goals
- WordPress: upgrade to WordPress 6.6
- PHP: upgrade to PHP 8.1
- SQL: maintain or upgrade to MySQL 8.0 LTS / MariaDB 10.11 LTS
Losses:
- Content: none
- Plugins: probably no
- Themes: probably no
If you don't have PHP 8.1 configured yet, do it. Chances are that everything will still work normally.
When WordPress 6.3 was released, support for PHP 5.6 dropped and PHP 7.0 was stablished as the minimum PHP version. Upgrading from PHP 5.6.20+ to PHP 7.0+ should be very stable.
When WordPress 6.6 was released, support for PHP 7.0 and 7.1 dropped and PHP 7.2.25 was stablished as the minimum PHP version. Upgrading from PHP 7.0+, or PHP 7.1+ to PHP 7.2+ should be very stable.
Upgrade everything normally. Everything should work fine.
- 2024-07-04: Updated to WordPress 6.6
- 2024-04-05: Updated to WordPress 6.5
- 2023-10-04: Updated to WordPress 6.4
- 2023-09-08: Updated to WordPress 6.3
- 2023-04-07: Updated to WordPress 6.2, and fixes
- 2023-02-17: Updated to WordPress 6.1
- 2022-11-12: Updated to WordPress 6.0, and fixes
- 2022-08-18: First version