Have you ever seen that nag in WordPress about how there is a new version of WordPress or new plugin updates available? We get asked all the time, “can I update WordPress? Should I update my WordPress plugins?”

Well, the short answer is yes, you should keep your WordPress installation and plugins up to date. There are security vulnerabilities that present themselves with out-of-date WordPress and plugins. However, this comes with a caveat. Many plugin developers stop supporting a plugin, or quit updating it altogether. If you update WordPress, your plugins may not be completely compatible with your website anymore. Sometimes, WordPress also has hiccups, and may not play well with other plugins. This may cause your website to disappear completely!

If you’re going to make an update, make sure you have backups, and make sure you’ve got our number on speed dial in case something in fact goes wrong!