WordPress plugins and themes are usually updated automatically from the admin page of any website. It is not a complex procedure, you just have to do a few clicks and the magic will be done. But when this method fails we have to go further and upload the plugins or templates manually via FTP.
Knowing how to update wordpress elements via FTP can save your life sometime. Although all updates are done automatically, in certain cases there are premium plugins that require manual installation.
What is FTP?
If you don’t know anything about insurance, the first thing you’re wondering is what the hell is FTP? In simple terms, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a protocol used to transfer files between PCs. In our case it is the tool that is used to transfer files from your PC to the server where your website is hosted and vice versa.
How to update and upload plugins or templates in WordPress by FTP?
Now yes, already entered into matter we can continue with what really interests us. Once you learn to update plugins and themes on your own, you will not have to go to a professional for this type of detail.
Make a backup of your website
It is essential that before you make any changes to your website you make a data backup. In general, transfers by FTP do not imply a greater risk that could affect the operation of the site.
The best thing is to prevent and avoid possible complications that only generate headaches and leave your website down. In any case, for future occasions, it is best to schedule the automatic backup of your website from time to time to keep it safe.
Download an FTP client
The first thing you need to do is download and install an FTP client. One of the most recommended for its reliability and compatibility with the different operating systems in FileZilla. The best thing about this FTP client is that it’s free because it’s open source and it’s available for Windows, Mac OS and Linux.
Download the plugin or theme to update
If the plugin or template you want to update is free, you will most likely find it on the official WordPress page. If this is not the case, you can download it from the official page of the plugin.
Once it is downloaded to your PC, you must unzip it. Use applications like WinZip or WinRAR to perform this action.
Connect to your website via FTP
Open the app you just installed and connect to your website. At the top of FileZilla, which is the application we are using in this case, is the section to connect. The data you need for the connection is the name of the FTP server, username, password and port.
In general, this type of data is provided by the company where you have contracted the hosting. In case you do not have it, you can search for it from the control panel of your website such as Cpanel.
Replace the files on the server
When you have successfully connected to the server where your website data is hosted, you will see that on the left side of FileZilla are the files from your PC and on the right side are the server files. The directory we are interested in accessing on the server is /wp-content/plugins/. In case you are updating a theme, the container folder is /wp-content/themes.
Locate in the application in the left panel the folder where the files of the plugin to be updated are located. Right click on the selected folder and select the Upload option.
As files are updated warning messages appear to tell you that you are overwriting a file that already exists. Select the Always use this action option and press the OK button. Already the plugin or theme will be updated, it is a very simple process and takes less time than it is supposed to.
