
Keeping the WordPress website updated is crucial for its overall performance and security because updates fix bugs, improve site speed, and introduce new features that make your website more user-friendly and enjoyable for visitors. Plus, they help protect your site from potential security threats.
But sometimes, updating WordPress can create unexpected problems. For example, your theme or plugin may not work well with a new update, causing certain features on your site to break. This often happens when those themes or plugins aren’t updated to match the latest WordPress version.
However, sometimes the update may have bugs that disrupt your site’s functionality. In this case, downgrading WordPress to an earlier version can be a practical solution.
This tutorial teaches numerous ways to downgrade WordPress core, themes, and plugins. We’ll also learn how to manage the PHP version, leading to post-downgrade things. Let’s get started.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Downgrading WordPress can fix issues caused by updates, like theme or plugin incompatibilities.
- Always create a full website backup before making any changes; this will protect your files and data.
- Use a staging environment to test the downgrade process without affecting your live site.
- You can manually downgrade WordPress by replacing core files with an older version via SFTP.
- Plugins like WP Downgrade or WP Rollback offer easier ways to downgrade WordPress, plugins, or themes.
- Restoring from a backup is another simple method to revert to a previous version.
- After you downgrade WordPress, reactivate plugins and themes one at a time to check for issues.
- Test all website features to ensure everything works correctly after the downgrade.
- Monitor your site’s performance and security, as older WordPress versions may have vulnerabilities.
- Regular backups and testing updates in a staging environment can help prevent future problems.
Table of Contents
Why Downgrade WordPress?
As we mentioned, updating WordPress can sometimes lead to unexpected issues instead of improving your website. Let’s explore some common reasons you may need to downgrade.
Compatibility with Theme or Plugin
One common problem is compatibility with plugins or themes. After an update, certain WordPress themes or plugins may not work because they haven’t been designed for the new version yet. This can cause broken features or errors on your site.
If this is the case, check your theme or plugin’s official page for details and see if it supports your current WordPress version. If it doesn’t, rollback WordPress version until the required theme or plugin is updated. Once updated, you can also upgrade WordPress core.

Website Stability Concerns
Another reason for downgrading is site stability concerns. Updates may bring bugs or glitches that make your site behave unpredictably. For example, pages can load incorrectly, certain functions may stop working, or the site may slow down or crash; this ultimately harms your visitors’ experience.
Use of an Older PHP Version
As of now, the PHP 8.4.2 version has been released. However, WordPress requires your web host to run at least PHP 7.4. If your website uses an older version, this could result in performance or compatibility issues. On the other hand, using a newer PHP version could cause problems if your plugins or themes haven’t been updated to support it yet.

If your PHP version is below 7.4, update it as soon as possible to meet WordPress requirements. If you can’t immediately update to PHP 7.4, you may need to downgrade WordPress to a version that works with your current PHP setup until you can make the update.
TIP: To check your PHP version from the WordPress dashboard, go to Tools → Site Health and click on Info. Under Server, you’ll find the PHP version listed.
Use of Outdated Themes or Plugins
Plugins and themes are important to your WordPress site but require regular updates to stay compatible with the latest WordPress version. When developers stop maintaining their plugins or themes, it can lead to compatibility issues; that may break your site’s functionality.
In the WordPress directory, outdated plugins and themes show their last updated date, with warning messages displayed if they haven’t been updated for a long time.

So, if your site relies on critical plugins or themes that aren’t yet compatible with the latest WordPress version, you may need to downgrade WordPress. However, this should only be a short-term fix to keep your site running smoothly until developers release necessary updates, or you find alternatives.
Precautions Before You Downgrade WordPress
Before you downgrade WordPress version, take a few important steps to help protect your website and avoid potential issues. The first and most important step is to back up your website, including WordPress files and database. It ensures you can restore everything if something goes wrong during the downgrade process.
You can use reliable backup plugins like UpdraftPlus for automatic backups. Alternatively, you can perform a manual backup using your hosting’s backup tool or an FTP client. To simplify this for you, we’ve already covered it and you can refer to the following:
– How to Backup WordPress Files Manually
– How to Manually Create Full WordPress Website Backup Using Using SFTP + phpMyAdmin
– How to Use UpdraftPlus to Create Full Backup Automatically
If you’re a Hosted.com user, you can read the following:
– Use Hosted.com to Create a Full Backup of Your WordPress Website
Regardless of how you create a backup, always store your backup in a secure location for easy recovery.
Next, test the downgrade in a staging environment. The staging website is a duplicate of your live website where you can safely try changes without affecting your main site. This prevents downtime or errors on your live site and allows you to troubleshoot any issues before making the changes permanent.
Before proceeding, you should also check compatibility. Ensure the older WordPress version is compatible with your current plugins and theme to avoid breaking your website’s functionality. Some plugins or themes may not work well with outdated WordPress versions, leading to errors or missing features.
Finally, disable automatic updates to deter WordPress from automatically upgrading to the latest version again. You can turn off auto-updates by adding the following line of code to your wp-config.php file:
define('AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED', true);
This step ensures your downgraded version remains stable until you can update again. Following these precautions will make downgrading smoother and safer for your website.
How to Downgrade WordPress Version?
To downgrade your WordPress version, you can use plugins, manual methods, or hosting tools to roll back to an earlier release. However, the manual approach is most suitable if you can’t access your WordPress dashboard; let’s continue using that example.
Downgrade WordPress Manually
Downgrading WordPress manually is a straightforward process. However, this approach involves setting up an FTP client, such as FileZilla and requires a basic understanding of the WordPress file structure.
After configuring your site in FileZilla, connect to your server and navigate to the following directory:
/public_html/wp-content
Right-click on the plugins folder and select Rename to rename it something like plugins-disabled. This will deactivate all plugins.

Next, locate the currently active theme folder inside the themes directory and rename it (as we did for plugins earlier). This forces WordPress to revert to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Four. It’s important to prevent compatibility issues during the downgrade.

Then, visit the official WordPress.org release archive and download the version you wish to use. This ensures you’re getting a safe and verified file.
Then, extract that downloaded file on your computer. Delete the wp-content folder and wp-config-sample.php file from this version. This ensures your existing content, themes, and configurations won’t be overwritten.

Next, navigate to your WordPress files on the Local site panel, select all the files, right-click, and choose Upload to transfer them to the public_html directory on the Remote site panel.

Overwrite all the existing files. Here, choosing the Overwrite optionand marking Always use this action and Apply to current queue only checkboxes will save you from seeing this prompt repeatedly.

Now, log in to your WordPress dashboard after uploading the files. If WordPress detects changes, it will prompt you to update the database. Follow the instructions to ensure your database matches the downgraded version.

You can now access your WordPress Admin Dashboard and see that you’ve successfully downgraded WordPress version.

Then, return to the original names of the plugin and theme folders via FTP. To do this, return to your WordPress dashboard and reactivate the theme and each plugin one at a time. This helps identify if any plugin or theme is causing issues.
Important:
Ensure you have disabled WordPress from upgrading automatically by editing the wp-config.php file. How? We’ve covered this above while discussing precautions before rolling back the WordPress version.
Use a Plugin to Rollback WordPress Version
If manual downgrading feels complicated, you can use the WP Downgrade plugin to simplify the process. This method is beginner-friendly and avoids manual file uploads, making it a hassle-free solution. Here is how to do it:
First, log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to Plugins → Add New Plugin. Search for WP Downgrade in the search bar. Once you locate your plugin, click Install Now and then Activate. The plugin will now be ready for use.
After activating it, head to Settings → WP Downgrade in the WordPress dashboard. Here, you’ll find an option to specify which WordPress version you want. Enter the version number (for example, 6.2.6) in the provided field. Save the changes, and the plugin will verify the version to ensure it’s available.

You’ll see the screen below if the plugin detects the WordPress version you previously entered. For this demonstration, we’ll rollback WordPress version to 6.2.6.

Our security features, including FortiGate firewalls and automated daily backups, safeguard your WordPress site from malicious traffic and cyber threats.
With Hosted.com, your WordPress site is in safe hands, benefiting from optimized performance, expert support, and scalable solutions designed specifically for WordPress Hosting.
Once the target version is set, go to Dashboard → Updates. WordPress should now display your specified version as the target version for the core update; if it doesn’t, click Re-install version 6.2.6 to downgrade WordPress.

WordPress will handle the installation, and your site will revert to the specified version without affecting your content. Once done, you’ll see the following screen showing your recent WordPress version:

Downgrade WordPress by Restoring a Backup
Restoring your website backup is an effective way to revert WordPress to a previous version. However, you’ll need a backup file from when your site ran the desired WordPress version. If you don’t have a backup system, check if your hosting provider offers automatic backups.
Some hosting providers include automatic backup services depending on your hosting plan. However, Hosted.com users have an automatic backup feature on all WordPress hosting plans. You can use that backup to restore your site.
But remember, a backup is a snapshot of a complete website, including the WordPress database and files. So, when you downgrade WordPress by restoring a backup, the content on your site will be reverted to how it was when the backup was created. This means:
- Any new posts, pages, or edits made after the backup will be lost.
- Images, videos, or other files uploaded after the backup will not be restored.
- Comments, form submissions, and any WooCommerce data (if applicable) added after the backup point will also be lost.
- Any updates, installations, or settings changes made after the backup will be reverted.
To avoid losing new content while downgrading, go through the following steps to restore a backup using the Hosted.com cPanel:
Go to cPanel → Files → Backups.

Click on Download Full Account Backup.

This will take you to the list of available backups for download. Click on your desired backup to download it to your local machine.

Extract the download file to your local machine. Then, connect to your web server via an FTP client (we use FileZilla for this tutorial example). Once connected, do the following:
- Go to the public_html directory on the Remote site. This is the folder where we’ll be uploading WordPress files; however, if you’ve created any new file to the public_html directory, ensure you make a file backup. You can restore it after uploading WordPress files in step 3.
- Head over to the extracted folder, then to homedir/public_html directory inside it.
- Select all files, excluding the wp-content folder and wp-config.php file. This way you won’t lose your content, theme, plugin, and website-related configuration settings. Then, right-click and choose Upload. This action will upload the selected files to your web server.
- Ensure you overwrite existing files when prompted.

Once the upload is complete, go to your WordPress dashboard. If prompted, click Update WordPress Database to ensure the database matches the restored files.

Finally, visit Updates in the dashboard to confirm your site is now running the older WordPress version.

This way, you can successfully downgrade WordPress to a previous version using a backup while preserving any new content or changes made since the backup.
Downgrade Specific Plugins or Themes
If a plugin or theme is causing problems after an update, you can downgrade that specific theme or plugin to its previous version using the WP Rollback plugin. This method is simple and effective.
First, ensure you’ve downloaded and installed this plugin by navigating to Plugins → Add New Plugin. Then, to roll back plugin(s), visit Plugins → Installed Plugins and click Rollback under the plugin’s name that you want to revert to a previous version.

However, for themes, go to Appearance → Themes in your dashboard. Click on your theme and then on Rollback to downgrade it to your required version.

Whether you roll back a plugin or theme, a list of available versions for the plugin or theme will appear as soon as you click Rollback. Select the version you wish to install and confirm your choice. WP Rollback will automatically handle the process, replacing the current version with your selected one.
Manage PHP Version Compatibility
Themes and plugins depend on the PHP version they’re designed to support. If your server runs an older version of PHP, it may not work well with the latest updates to your site’s tools. This can lead to crashes, errors, or missing features. However, updating to a compatible PHP version ensures everything runs smoothly and keeps your site fast and secure.
Here’s how to switch to a newer PHP version using the Hosted.com cPanel:
Login to your Hosted.com Account and open the cPanel. Then, go to Software → Select PHP Version. Ensure you’re on My domains tab. Choose the latest stable PHP version that your themes and plugins support. Lastly, click Apply to update your server.

After making the change, check your site to ensure everything works correctly. Keeping PHP updated is a small step that can make a big difference in your site’s performance and security.
Steps After Downgrade WordPress
Once you’ve successfully downgraded WordPress, there are essential steps to take to ensure your site remains stable, secure, and fully functional. Follow these steps to avoid further issues and keep your website running smoothly.
Start by checking that your theme and plugins are compatible with the current WordPress version. Then, start thoroughly testing your website. Check all the key features, such as forms, navigation menus, and media files, to ensure they work as expected.
Browse through multiple pages and perform common actions like submitting a comment or completing a transaction. This helps confirm that everything functions properly, and your site is user-friendly.
Next, monitor your site’s performance and security. Older WordPress versions can have vulnerabilities, so keeping an eye on your site’s health is important. Additionally, strengthen security by enabling a firewall, installing a security plugin, or using other protective measures to shield your site from threats.
Finally, plan for future updates to avoid downgrading again. Deal with compatibility issues with themes and plugins by contacting developers or switching to frequently updated alternatives.
Regularly back up your site to ensure you can restore it quickly if necessary. Before applying future updates, use a staging environment to test changes and fix any problems without affecting your live site. These proactive steps will help maintain your site’s stability and keep visitors happy.
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FAQs
Can I downgrade WordPress without technical skills?
Yes, tools like the WP Downgrade plugin or Jetpack’s backup restore feature simplifies the process, even for beginners. These tools handle most of the technical steps for you, making it easy to downgrade WordPress.
How do I know which version of WordPress to downgrade to?
Choose the version you were using before the issues started. You can find previous versions of WordPress on the official WordPress.org website. If unsure, check your backups or contact your hosting provider for assistance.
Will downgrading WordPress affect my SEO rankings?
Downgrading doesn’t directly impact SEO, but if your site experiences downtime or functionality issues during the process, this could affect rankings. Ensure a smooth transition by testing in a staging environment and monitoring site performance.
What’s the difference between downgrading WordPress core and downgrading a plugin or theme?
Downgrading WordPress core involves replacing the main WordPress files with an older version. Downgrading a plugin or theme is a more specific process, where only the individual tool is downgraded to a previous version without affecting the WordPress core.
Is downgrading a long-term solution?
No, downgrading is usually a temporary fix. The goal is to restore your site while waiting for plugins, themes, or WordPress to release updates that resolve compatibility issues.
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