Steps You Can Do Now to Prepare for WordPress 3.6

Updated July 25, 2013

WordPress 3.6 looks to have some nifty user friendly options that overall will make using WordPress easier. Some highly convenient updates to make your blogging easier include:

• Improved handling of video and audio embeds, upload and WP puts in the player for users to see your video/audio.
• Scarp the code embeds from YouTube, Vimeo or Spotify. Simply put in the URL on line by itself and WP puts in the player for you!
• Menus will be much easier to manage in 3.6.
• Better AutoSaves and comparison of post revisions.

So before we take advantage of all the new shiny offerings – let’s get ready!

Check Your Version of WordPress

Check your current version of WordPress: do you have 3.5.2 installed or an earlier version? Big leaps can be more problematic but still possible. Notate your version first. To determine your current version, from the dashboard tag "Dashboard" look at the section "Right Now." Don’t see the version displayed? Head over to Sucuri, run a scan and on the Website Details tab will display the version of WordPress you have installed.

Backup Your Site

I use Backup Buddy for backups; do a full backup prior to making a large update (option for database backup is great for smaller updates). If you need to restore the previous version of your site due to a plugin or the theme breaking, you will save yourself a lot of time. Backup Buddy (affiliate link).

Keep in mind if you have customizations that are not in a child theme, you will need to manually back up those files.

Plugin Cleanup

Have some plugins your WordPress site isn’t using? Check your "Inactive" plugins and delete those (unless it’s just temporary and needed later). Outdated, inactive plugins, just like the active plugins, pose a security risk if they are not updated regularly. To find your inactive plugins from your WP dashboard, click "Plugins" and near the top click on "Inactive."

Update Your Active Plugins

From the WP dashboard, click on "Updates." From this view portal, any plugins with available updates will be shown. For example, below each plugin you will see a phrase "Compatibility with WordPress 3.5.2: 100% (according to its author)." The information comes from the WordPress.org plugin repository. Premium plugins may not have the information available from this portal (check their website). From this dashboard you can update your plugins as well as from the Plugins dashboard.

Is Your Theme Compatible?

To see if your theme needs updating, use the same method as above for Plugins. If you are using a premium theme, you will need to check with the vendor. Many themes are not compatible so please do your homework and check before you update your WordPress software. FYI: if you have customized files, be sure to have a professional help backup the individual files. If you have a child theme, in all probability you are in the clear.

Check Your Web Hosting Account

If you are currently running WP version 3.2+, your server is probably up to date, but if not, check that your hosting account has PHP version 5.2.4+ and MySQL version 5+ which are necessary to run WordPress 3.6. Head over to Sucuri, run a scan and on the Website Details tab will display the versions of PHP and MySQL you have installed on your server.

Following the above checklist, chances are you will have a smooth update to WordPress 3.6.

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