Auto Update
Auto Update is built for site owners who want WordPress to stay current without logging in to run updates manually.
Consider an alternative
Auto Update shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 90+ sites and was last updated 7 months ago, and scores 40/100 on our health check.
- Small user base (90+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.9 (latest is 7.1)
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Auto Update stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| Automatic updates | >100 |
| background updates | #66 |
| core updates | >100 |
| Plugin Updates | >100 |
| theme updates | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
About Auto Update
From the official readme · v1.0.2Description
Auto Update is built for site owners who want WordPress to stay current without logging in to run updates manually.
It keeps WordPress core, plugins, and themes updated automatically, which helps reduce maintenance work, apply security fixes sooner, and keep the site closer to the latest stable releases.
Once activated, it enables both minor and major core updates and allows installed plugins and themes to update in the background.
There is no settings page. Activate the plugin and let WordPress handle updates automatically.
Installation
In most cases you can install automatically from WordPress.org.
However, if you install this manually, follow these steps:
1. Create the directory ‘auto-update’ in your ‘/wp-content/plugins/’ directory
2. Upload all plugin files to the newly created directory
3. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
Note: There is no “control panel” for this plugin.
Changelog
1.0.2
- Updated: tested up to WordPress 6.9
- Updated: minimum supported PHP version is 7.4
- Changed: removed the manual translation loading call and rely on WordPress.org language loading
1.0.1
- Fixed: translation text domain
1.0.0
- First Release
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Auto Update alternatives
All Automatic updates plugins →
FAQ
Auto Update: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 6, 2026
Is Auto Update free?
Yes. Auto Update is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Auto Update safe to use in 2026?
Auto Update shows warning signs in 2026 — compare the alternatives below before installing. It runs on 90+ sites and was last updated 7 months ago, and scores 40/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Auto Update?
Auto Update is active on 90+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 4,824 times since it launched in January 2016. It was downloaded 158 times in the last 30 days.
Does Auto Update work with WordPress 7.1?
Auto Update is officially tested up to WordPress 6.9.9, while the latest release is 7.1.2. It may still work, but try it on a staging site first.
What PHP version does Auto Update need?
Auto Update requires PHP 7.4 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Auto Update last updated?
The latest version, 1.0.2, was released on March 14, 2026 (7 months ago).
Who makes Auto Update?
Auto Update is developed and maintained by Valeriu Tihai.
What are the best alternatives to Auto Update?
The most popular alternatives to Auto Update are Disable Updates (9K+ installs), WP Auto Updater (7K+ installs) and Update Control (4K+ installs).
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