WordPress Maintenance Checklist: Monthly and Quarterly Tasks
A WordPress maintenance routine has four recurring jobs: update core, plugins and themes, take and test backups, review users and plugins, and check that the site still works and loads well. Run the update and backup checks monthly and the deeper reviews every quarter.
Use this checklist if you look after one or a few WordPress sites. It builds on the official handbook guidance on updates and backups.
Before every maintenance round
Take a fresh backup of the database and files. The handbook says to back up before any upgrade, and to treat database and files as one backup set made around the same time.
Monthly tasks
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| Update core | Use Dashboard > Updates. Minor releases usually install automatically. |
| Update plugins and themes | Update one at a time after core and check the site after each. |
| Check backups | Confirm the latest backup ran and sits in a second location. |
| Test the site | Walk through forms, checkout or booking, search and login. |
| Review comments and spam | Clear spam and check notification emails still arrive. |
| Read error logs | Look for repeating PHP errors after updates. |
Quarterly tasks
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| Restore a backup | Restore to a test location to prove the backup works. |
| Review users | Remove old accounts, reduce admin roles and check two-step login is on. |
| Remove unused plugins and themes | Delete what is not active. |
| Check file permissions | Directories 755, files 644, wp-config.php 400 or 440. |
| Review performance | Test key pages on mobile and remove slow, unneeded plugins. |
| Review SEO basics | Check titles, broken links and the XML sitemap. |
After a problem
If an update breaks the site, deactivate the non-default plugins and reactivate them one by one to find the cause, as the handbook suggests.
Common mistakes
- Updating without a backup.
- Keeping backups only on the web server.
- Skipping the restore test.
- Leaving former staff accounts active.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I update WordPress?
Check at least monthly. Minor core security releases install automatically by default on existing sites, and you should not turn automatic updates off completely.
What should a WordPress maintenance checklist include?
Updates, backups with a restore test, user and plugin review, security settings and a functional check of the site.
Should I back up before updating?
Yes. The handbook recommends a backup before any upgrade.
Related
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