Automatic Updates for DreamHost WordPress installations

Keeping your WordPress core files, themes, and plugins up to date is the single best thing you can do to maintain your website. Updated software is less prone to hack attempts and often offers optimization and speed increases.

DreamHost updates

All DreamHost WordPress installations enable automatic updates by default, but you are able to disable this service if you would rather maintain your WordPress website yourself.

DreamHost's automatic updates are only available for sites with an active DreamHost WordPress installation. Automatic updates include the following features:

• DreamHost performs an upgrade of your WordPress site 1–3 weeks following a major version release. If you wish to upgrade manually before then, you can do so by manually updating it in your WordPress dashboard.
• DreamHost also upgrades any available plugins during this process.
• Once an upgrade completes, you are notified via email.
• If any errors are found during the upgrade process, DreamHost will reverse the upgrade and notify you via email.

WordPress automatic updates are separate from DreamHost's automatic updates. Since they typically include bug fixes and/or security updates, DreamHost highly recommends that you allow these updates to automatically occur. The following versions include automatic updates by the WordPress application

• WordPress version 3.7 and later — automatic updates for all minor revision releases
• WordPress version 5.6 and later — automatic updates for all major & minor releases

Deactivating DreamHost's automatic updates does not change this behavior. 

If you prefer to manually update your WordPress install, you can use the following instructions to opt out of automatic updates by removing your site from the DreamHost WordPress installs list:

1. Navigate to the Install WordPress page.

   The Install WordPress page opens.

2. Click the Manage My Apps button.
3. Click the domain to expand its configuration settings.
4. Click the Remove from List button.

   A warning message appears notifying you that this WordPress installation will no longer be managed by DreamHost. Click Ok to confirm.

Clicking the Remove from List button removes the ability for DreamHost to automatically update your WordPress version.

Going forward, you must continually check the Dashboard Updates Screen for any available updates. View the following article for further instructions:

• Manually updating WordPress

Contact DreamHost support to request that your non-managed DreamHost site be converted back into a a managed WordPress installation.