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Disable WordPress automatic updates when you want to review WordPress core, plugin, or theme changes before they reach your live site. This guide explains how WordPress automatic updates work on an ORIV-hosted site and how to manage them safely from inside WordPress. Important: ORIV does not currently provide a dashboard setting to disable WordPress automatic updates. WordPress handles its own update system, and update behavior can also be changed by plugins, themes, custom code, or WordPress configuration. If you want to disable WordPress automatic updates, manage the setting inside WordPress.

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Before you disable WordPress automatic updates

Automatic updates help keep WordPress secure and maintained. Disabling them gives you more control, but it also means you are responsible for reviewing and installing important security, maintenance, plugin, and theme updates on time.
  • Create a fresh backup before changing update settings.
  • Use a staging site to test major updates when possible.
  • Keep security and maintenance updates enabled unless you have a manual update process.
  • Review plugin and theme changelogs before updating business-critical sites.
  • Keep a rollback plan ready before changing WordPress core update behavior.

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What this guide covers

  • How WordPress automatic updates work
  • How to disable plugin auto updates from the WordPress dashboard
  • How to disable theme auto updates from the WordPress dashboard
  • How to disable WordPress automatic updates with a plugin
  • How to disable WordPress core automatic updates with custom code
  • How to verify that automatic updates are disabled
  • What to do if updates still happen after changing the setting

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How WordPress automatic updates work

WordPress can update different parts of your site automatically, including WordPress core, plugins, themes, and translation files. Minor WordPress core security and maintenance releases may run automatically in the background. Plugins and themes can also be configured to auto update from the WordPress admin area. Automatic updates reduce maintenance work, but they can occasionally cause compatibility issues with a plugin, theme, custom code, checkout flow, form, membership system, or third-party integration. For this reason, some site owners prefer to disable WordPress automatic updates and review changes manually. If your site is hosted on ORIV, the update control still comes from WordPress itself. ORIV can help with hosting-side workflows such as backups, staging, logs, restore options, and server checks, but WordPress core update behavior is controlled inside the WordPress installation.

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Option 1: Disable plugin auto updates from WordPress

Use this option if you want to disable WordPress automatic updates for one or more plugins while keeping other update types unchanged.
  1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
  2. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
  3. Find the plugin you want to manage manually.
  4. Click Disable auto-updates next to that plugin.
  5. Repeat the same step for any other plugin you want to manage manually.
After this, WordPress will not automatically update that plugin. You can still install the update manually after checking compatibility.

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Option 2: Disable theme auto updates from WordPress

Use this option if your active theme, child theme, or parent theme should not update automatically.
  1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
  2. Go to Appearance → Themes.
  3. Click the theme you want to manage.
  4. Click Disable auto-updates.
  5. Check the parent theme as well if your site uses a child theme.
Theme updates can affect layout, templates, custom styling, and block patterns. Test theme updates on staging first if your production site depends on custom design work.

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Option 3: Use a plugin to disable WordPress automatic updates

If you want more control without editing files, use a trusted WordPress update management plugin. These plugins usually let you manage WordPress core, plugin, theme, and translation updates from one settings screen.
  1. Create a backup of your site.
  2. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
  3. Go to Plugins → Add New.
  4. Search for a trusted update management plugin, such as Easy Updates Manager.
  5. Install and activate the plugin.
  6. Open the plugin settings page.
  7. Choose which update types you want to disable or manage manually.
  8. Save your changes.
This is the best option for most users because it avoids direct code changes. Review the plugin settings carefully so you do not disable more update types than intended.

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Option 4: Disable WordPress automatic updates with custom code

Use custom code only if you are comfortable managing WordPress configuration. A code snippets plugin or a small custom plugin is usually safer than editing your active theme’s functions.php file, because theme updates can overwrite theme file changes.

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Disable all WordPress automatic updates

To disable all WordPress background automatic updates, add this line to your site’s wp-config.php file before the line that says /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */:
This disables the automatic updater. Use it carefully because it can stop important background updates.

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Disable WordPress core automatic updates

To disable WordPress core automatic updates, add this line to wp-config.php:
This gives you manual control over WordPress core updates. Check for new WordPress releases regularly and apply security updates as soon as possible.

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Disable plugin automatic updates with a code snippet

Add this snippet using a code snippets plugin or a small custom plugin:

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Disable theme automatic updates with a code snippet

Add this snippet using a code snippets plugin or a small custom plugin:

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Disable translation automatic updates

If you also want to disable automatic translation updates, add this snippet:
For most ORIV users, we recommend this order when you need to disable WordPress automatic updates:
  1. Use the WordPress dashboard to disable auto updates for selected plugins or themes.
  2. Use a trusted update management plugin if you need broader control.
  3. Use custom code only when you understand the impact and have a rollback plan.
Do not disable WordPress automatic updates and then ignore maintenance. Plan a regular update schedule so your site continues receiving security fixes.

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How to verify automatic updates are disabled

  1. Open your WordPress admin dashboard.
  2. Go to Dashboard → Updates.
  3. Review available WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates.
  4. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins and confirm the auto update action shows the expected state.
  5. Go to Appearance → Themes and confirm the theme auto update setting is correct.
  6. Check any update management plugin settings if one is installed.
(Screenshot: WordPress Updates screen showing available updates to review manually) You can also review the official WordPress update configuration documentation for advanced update constants and filters: WordPress upgrade documentation.

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Troubleshooting

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I disabled auto updates, but updates still appear in WordPress

Disabling automatic updates does not hide available updates. WordPress will still show updates in the dashboard so you can review and install them manually.

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A plugin or theme updated after I changed the setting

Check whether another update management plugin, custom code snippet, hosting maintenance service, or WordPress configuration rule is controlling updates. Also confirm the setting was changed for the correct site, plugin, or theme.

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My site broke after a manual update

Restore from a recent backup if needed, then test the update on staging before applying it again. If the issue is caused by plugin, theme, or custom code compatibility, contact the plugin/theme developer or your site developer for help.

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ORIV settings did not stop WordPress auto updates

ORIV notification settings do not control WordPress core, plugin, or theme automatic updates. WordPress automatic updates must be managed inside each WordPress site.

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FAQ

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Does ORIV disable WordPress automatic updates?

No. ORIV does not currently provide a dashboard-level control to disable WordPress automatic updates. WordPress handles automatic updates inside each WordPress installation.

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How do I disable WordPress automatic updates?

You can disable WordPress automatic updates from the WordPress dashboard for plugins and themes, with an update management plugin, or with safe custom code in wp-config.php or a custom plugin.

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Should I disable all WordPress automatic updates?

Only disable the update types you plan to manage manually. Keeping security and maintenance updates enabled is usually safer unless you have a regular update review process.

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Can ORIV Support disable WordPress auto updates for me?

ORIV Support can guide you on backups, staging, restore options, logs, and hosting-side checks. Custom WordPress code changes, plugin configuration, theme compatibility, and update strategy are usually handled by your site developer or WordPress administrator.

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What should I do after disabling automatic updates?

Set a regular maintenance schedule. Review updates, create backups, test important changes on staging, and apply security updates as soon as possible.