In this guide, we will explore the process of upgrading WordPress manually using FTP.

Download WordPress

Download the most recent WordPress release files from the WordPress website to your PC.

Extract WordPress files

Extract the compressed file that you just downloaded to a location on your PC.

Locate the files in your FTP client

Open FileZilla, or another FTP client of your choice and navigate to the directory where you saved the WordPress files.

Login via FTP

Sign into your web space using FTP.

Delete two directories

Delete these directories from your web space:

wp-includes

wp-admin

Upload the directories

Transfer the directories wp-includes and wp-admin from your PC to your web space, replacing the ones you just deleted.

Overwrite files in wp-content

Open wp-content and upload the files and folders in this directory from your PC to the corresponding folder in your web space. You overwrite the existing files, but retain any other files and folders that are there.

Note: The wp-content directory contains your plugins and themes so be sure not to delete any files and folders that are already there!

Upload individual files

Upload all individual installation files that are not in a folder from your PC to your web space, replacing the existing files.

WordPress upgraded!

You have now completed a manual upgrade of WordPress.

If you have upgraded to a newer WordPress version, you may need to rebuild your database. If so, you will be prompted to do so when you sign into WordPress.

If you need any further assistance please contact our support department.