{"id":4167,"date":"2022-04-06T16:26:36","date_gmt":"2022-04-06T13:26:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/?p=4167"},"modified":"2022-09-01T11:38:46","modified_gmt":"2022-09-01T08:38:46","slug":"how-to-update-your-wordpress-theme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scalahosting.com\/kb\/how-to-update-your-wordpress-theme\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Update Your WordPress Theme"},"content":{"rendered":"

Setting up a <\/span>WordPress website<\/b><\/a> is the more straightforward part of starting a new online project. You can now install the CMS in seconds, and thanks to the <\/span>notoriously user-friendly <\/b>WP dashboard<\/b><\/a>, you can easily add and manage content.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s the <\/span>day-to-day maintenance tasks<\/b>, like <\/span>updating a WordPress theme<\/span><\/i>, that usually prove more difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n

Users who have updated <\/span>regular WordPress themes<\/b><\/a> in the past will probably say that there’s nothing particularly complex or technical about the process. Examine it in a bit more detail, however, and you’ll see that there are a few things worth bearing in mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s have a look at them.<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Why Should You Update Your WordPress Theme?<\/b><\/b><\/h2>\n

The reasons for updating your software have been reiterated time and again. However, just in case someone missed them, we\u2019ll go over them real quick:<\/span><\/p>\n

Security<\/b><\/h3>\n

Your WordPress website is a collection of components that work together. The theme is one of them, and like the rest, if it has a security bug, it can <\/span>present cybercriminals with an easy entry point to your site<\/b>.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Reputable developers and security specialists invest a lot of time and effort into hunting down and patching these bugs. All you have to do is ensure you use the theme’s latest version where all the holes are plugged.<\/span><\/p>\n

Functionality<\/b><\/h3>\n

<\/b>The theme is mostly associated with the website’s looks. However, <\/span>modern WP templates<\/span><\/i> are complex software products that <\/span>contribute a great deal to the site’s overall user experience<\/b>.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Theme developers know this all too well, and they constantly try to stay on top of the latest web design trends, giving their customers the newest, most advanced features they can get. If you want to keep visitors interested, you’ll want to have those features on your website.<\/span><\/p>\n

Compatibility<\/b><\/h3>\n

The theme isn’t the only thing you need to update. You must also install the latest versions of the <\/span>WP core<\/b> and all the plugins you use for precisely the same reasons \u2013 keeping your website <\/span>as secure and functional as possible<\/b>.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>However, when you update the core and plugins, you must also ensure your theme will work well with them. The best way to do that is to <\/span>update it to its latest version <\/b>as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, you have plenty of reasons for updating your WordPress theme. Let’s see how to do it safely.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Updating a WordPress Theme: Tips and Tricks<\/b><\/b><\/h2>\n

Updating a WordPress theme is a relatively straightforward process, especially if it’s available on <\/span>WP’s official repository<\/span><\/a>. Here are the steps:<\/span><\/p>\n