WordPress powers 43% of all websites on the internet. [Source: W3Techs Web Technology Surveys 2024] It is also the platform most likely to break after an update. The reason is architectural: WordPress sites are built from layers of independently developed code — core, themes, plugins — each maintained by different teams on different release schedules. When these layers update, conflicts happen.
Understanding why WordPress breaks is the first step to preventing it.
Key Findings
- Plugin conflicts are the most common cause of WordPress breakage after an update. When one plugin updates and changes how it interacts with shared WordPress hooks, other plugins that use the same hooks can fail unexpectedly.
- Auto-updates without testing are the highest-risk practice on WordPress sites. Enabling automatic plugin updates on a production site without a test environment is how many businesses discover broken functionality at the worst possible time.
- The safe WordPress update process follows three steps: update on staging, test critical paths, then push to production. Most SMB websites skip the staging step.
Why WordPress Updates Break Things
WordPress has three update layers, each creating potential conflicts:
WordPress Core updates. Major WordPress updates (e.g., 6.3 to 6.4) introduce architectural changes. Plugins and themes built for the previous version may not handle these changes correctly. Rare but high-impact.
Plugin updates. The most frequent WordPress change. A plugin that updates its internal logic may conflict with another plugin using the same WordPress hooks, filters, or database tables. A contact form plugin update might conflict with a caching plugin. A page builder update might conflict with a custom theme’s CSS.
Theme updates. Theme updates change the visual and structural layer. A theme update may overwrite custom CSS you’ve added, reset customizations made in the theme editor, or change how page templates work in ways that affect specific pages differently.
The Most Common WordPress Update Failures
From Tuesday
Get website updates done in 48 hours — tested before they go live.
You send the request. We make the change, QA every affected page across desktop and mobile, and sign off before anything goes live. No follow-ups needed.
Book a free 15-min call →The white screen of death (WSOD). A PHP conflict between plugins or between a plugin and PHP version causes a fatal error. The site shows a blank white page. This is usually resolved by deactivating the conflicting plugin, but requires technical access.
Broken homepage or page builder layouts. A page builder update (Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, Gutenberg) changes how elements render. Existing pages may show broken layouts, misaligned sections, or missing content. This requires re-saving or rebuilding affected pages.
Forms stop submitting. A contact form plugin (Gravity Forms, WPForms, Contact Form 7) update introduces a conflict with a caching plugin or JavaScript optimization plugin. The form renders correctly but fails silently on submission.
Checkout failures on WooCommerce. A WooCommerce or payment gateway plugin update conflicts with a checkout customization. The cart works; the checkout page errors. This is the highest-stakes WordPress update failure for e-commerce sites.
Admin access issues. A plugin update conflicts with the login or session handling layer, preventing admin access to the dashboard. Resolving this requires file-level access via FTP or the hosting control panel.
The Safe WordPress Update Process
Step 1: Update on a staging site first.
All major WordPress hosts (WP Engine, Kinsta, SiteGround, Flywheel) offer one-click staging environments. Update plugins and themes on staging before touching the production site.
Step 2: Test critical paths on staging.
After updates, test:
- Homepage loads correctly
- All forms submit and deliver
- Checkout flow completes (if e-commerce)
- Mobile layout is intact
- Navigation works
Step 3: Update production and verify.
After testing clears on staging, update production. Run the same test checklist on the live site immediately after.
Never enable auto-updates on a production site without staging. The convenience isn’t worth the risk.
What a Tuesday Engagement Looks Like
Tuesday manages WordPress plugin and theme updates with a test-first process — changes are tested before they reach your live site.
Core Plan — $199/month:
- 10 change requests per month
- 48-hour standard turnaround
- Full regression QA on every change — including after plugin and theme updates
- Plugin conflict resolution included for regressions caused by Tuesday’s work
- Works on Wix, WordPress, Webflow, and Shopify
Growth Plan — $399/month adds monthly performance monitoring and Core Web Vitals tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I enable auto-updates on my WordPress site? For security patches (minor WordPress core updates), yes — auto-update is fine. For major core updates, plugin updates, and theme updates, test first. Auto-updating all plugins without a staging environment is the most common cause of SMB WordPress site failures.
How do I fix a WordPress site that broke after an update? Identify which update was applied most recently. Deactivate that plugin or theme via FTP (if you can’t access the admin). Test whether the site recovers. If yes, you’ve found the conflict. Report it to the plugin developer and investigate whether a newer version resolves the conflict.
What is the most dangerous WordPress update to apply? Page builder updates (Elementor, Divi, WPBakery) and WooCommerce updates carry the most risk because they affect visual rendering and checkout flows — the elements that most directly affect conversions.
How often should I update WordPress plugins? Security-relevant updates should be applied promptly. Feature updates can be batched monthly with testing. The key is always to test before applying to production.
Is there a service that handles WordPress maintenance and updates safely? Yes. Tuesday’s Core Plan at $199/month includes WordPress plugin and theme update management with regression testing.
Written by the Tuesday team — specialists in website maintenance and care plans for SMBs, with 500+ sites maintained across Wix, WordPress, Webflow, and Shopify.
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