WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) used by millions of websites around the world. With its frequent updates and new features, it’s important to keep your WordPress version up-to-date. However, there may be instances where you need to downgrade your WordPress version. This could be due to compatibility issues with your current theme or plugins, or simply because you prefer an older version. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of downgrading your WordPress version.
Why Downgrade WordPress?
There are a few reasons why you may need to downgrade your WordPress version. These include:
- Compatibility issues: Sometimes, a new WordPress update may not be compatible with your current theme or plugins, causing errors or breaking your website.
- Preference: You may prefer an older version of WordPress for various reasons, such as the user interface or features.
- Testing: If you’re a developer, you may need to test your website on different versions of WordPress to ensure compatibility.
No matter the reason, downgrading your WordPress version can be a simple process if you follow the steps below.
Before You Begin
Before you start the downgrade process, it’s important to take a few precautions to ensure that your website remains safe and functional.
Backup Your Website
Before making any changes to your website, it’s crucial to create a backup. This will ensure that you have a copy of your website in case anything goes wrong during the downgrade process. You can use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy to create a backup of your website.
Check Compatibility
Before downgrading, make sure to check the compatibility of your current theme and plugins with the older version of WordPress you plan to use. If they are not compatible, you may need to find alternative options or update them to work with the older version.
Disable Automatic Updates
To prevent your website from automatically updating to the latest version of WordPress, you can disable automatic updates. This can be done by adding the following code to your wp-config.php file:
define( ‘WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE’, false );
Step 1: Download the Older Version of WordPress
The first step is to download the older version of WordPress that you want to use. You can find all the previous versions of WordPress on the official WordPress website. Simply click on the version you want to download and save the zip file to your computer.
Step 2: Deactivate All Plugins
Before downgrading, it’s important to deactivate all your plugins. This will prevent any conflicts or errors during the downgrade process. You can do this by going to the “Plugins” section in your WordPress dashboard and clicking on “Deactivate” for each plugin.
Step 3: Deactivate Your Current Theme
Similar to deactivating plugins, you’ll also need to deactivate your current theme. This will ensure that there are no conflicts with the older version of WordPress. You can do this by going to the “Appearance” section in your WordPress dashboard and clicking on “Deactivate” for your current theme.
Step 4: Delete the wp-admin and wp-includes Folders
Next, you’ll need to delete the wp-admin and wp-includes folders from your WordPress installation. These folders contain the core files of WordPress and will be replaced with the older version.
Step 5: Upload the Older Version of WordPress
Using an FTP client, upload the older version of WordPress that you downloaded in Step 1 to your website’s root directory. This will replace the deleted wp-admin and wp-includes folders with the older version.
Step 6: Run the Upgrade Script
Once the older version of WordPress is uploaded, you’ll need to run the upgrade script to ensure that your database is updated to work with the older version. To do this, go to your website’s URL followed by “/wp-admin/upgrade.php”. For example, if your website is www.example.com, the URL would be www.example.com/wp-admin/upgrade.php.
Step 7: Reactivate Your Theme and Plugins
After running the upgrade script, you can now reactivate your theme and plugins. Make sure to check for any updates for your theme and plugins and update them if necessary.
Step 8: Disable Automatic Updates
To prevent your website from automatically updating to the latest version of WordPress, you’ll need to disable automatic updates again. This can be done by removing the code you added to your wp-config.php file in the “Before You Begin” section.
Step 9: Test Your Website
Once you’ve completed all the steps, it’s important to test your website to ensure that everything is functioning correctly. Check all the pages, links, and forms to make sure they are working as expected.
Conclusion
In this step-by-step guide, we’ve shown you how to downgrade your WordPress version. Remember to always backup your website before making any changes and to check compatibility with your current theme and plugins. With these steps, you can easily downgrade your WordPress version and continue using the version that works best for you.
