Your Easy 5-Minute WordPress Downgrade Plugin Guide

WordPress plugin updates are meant to be a boon, bringing new features and security. But when an update turns your site into a minefield of issues, that sinking feeling is all too real. Your first instinct might be to restore your entire site, but that’s overkill.

You probably updated a bunch of plugins and just one bad apple caused the issue. A targeted downgrade is the quick, surgical way to regain control. This WordPress downgrade plugin guide will show you exactly how to do it safely.

TL;DR: Don’t do a full site restore for one bad plugin. The smarter move is using BlogVault’s selective reliable restore feature. It lets you surgically roll back just the plugin, leaving the rest of your site untouched.

How to downgrade a WordPress plugin

Downgrading a plugin means rolling it back to a previous, stable version. You’ve probably noticed there’s no simple “downgrade” button, a stark contrast to the constant alerts you see for updates.

This is intentional. Downgrades are a last resort, meant only for situations where other troubleshooting methods have failed. Fortunately, there are three distinct ways to handle a rollback, and we’ll cover them all.

A) Use a backup plugin

Honestly, the safest and most hassle-free way to rollback a plugin is with a solid backup tool. If you’re already using a service like BlogVault, you’re in a great spot because this process is incredibly straightforward. Here’s how you do it.

Find and open the correct backup: First, log in to your BlogVault account. Head to the Backup card for your site and click the Restore button. You’ll find it on the top right, just below your profile.

Select the backup version from before the update: This is the most important part. You need to pick a backup point from a time when your site was working perfectly, before you ran that troublesome update. Under the SELECTIVE RESTORE section, uncheck the main box for Restore Tables.

Isolate the specific plugin folder: Click on Select to browse your site’s structure. You’ll need to navigate to the wp-content/plugins folder, find the exact folder for the plugin you want to roll back, and select it. Just a heads up, be certain you’ve picked the right one before you click Confirm.

Review and start the partial restore: BlogVault will run some quick checks to make sure everything is good to go. Once it’s done, you’ll get a final review screen. Give it a quick look, then Initiate the restore. In just a few moments, your plugin will be safely downgraded to its previous version.

B) Use a rollback plugin

If a backup restore isn’t an option, a dedicated rollback plugin is the next best thing. These tools are built to reinstate a previous, stable version of a plugin. The real advantage is simplicity; the automated process makes it far better than a manual rollback, sparing you the technical hassle and risk of errors. While there are options like Revisr, we’ll use WP Rollback because it’s so straightforward.

First, get the WP Rollback plugin installed: Just find, install and activate the plugin from the official WordPress repository.

Find the plugin you need to roll back: Now, go to your Installed Plugins list. Find the plugin that’s causing the trouble. You should see a new Rollback option right under the plugin’s name. Go ahead and click that.

Choose a version and confirm the rollback: WP Rollback will show you a list of all the previous versions available. It’s usually best to pick the one right before the latest update. Select the version you want, click the Rollback button, and confirm your choice. The plugin will handle the rest, replacing the current version with the older one.

🚨 Note: Before you start: make sure you have a fresh backup of your site. While this process is generally safe, having a backup is your best safety net. After the rollback, test your site to make sure everything runs smoothly again.

C) Use a manual method

Using plugins is definitely the easiest way to handle a rollback. But sometimes, you have to get your hands dirty. You might need a manual fix if you don’t have a backup, are using a premium plugin, or the plugin isn’t in the WordPress repository. This is more challenging and a bit risky, but it’s still an option when you’re stuck.

Before you begin have a good backup strategy in place. You will really save yourself from a headache if anything goes wrong.

C1. Upload an older version of the plugin to the wp-admin dashboard

First, download the correct older version: Go to the plugin’s page on the WordPress repository or the developer’s site. Find the dropdown menu for previous versions, select the one you need, and download it. It will arrive as a .zip file on your computer.

Next, completely delete the current version: In your WordPress dashboard, go to your Installed Plugins list. Find the plugin, deactivate it, and then click Delete. This is important because it prevents plugin conflicts when you upload the old version.

Finally, upload and activate the older version: Go back to Plugins > Add New and click the Upload Plugin button at the top. Choose the .zip file you just downloaded, install it, and then activate it once it’s done.

C2. Upload an older version of the plugin through FTP

If a bad plugin has crashed your site and you can’t even get into your admin panel, you can still fix it using an FTP client. Again, please have a backup ready before you try this.

Start by connecting to your site with an FTP client: Use the server details your hosting provider gave you to connect your FTP client (like FileZilla) to your site.

Get the older plugin version ready on your computer: Unzip the older plugin file that you downloaded. This should leave you with a regular folder on your computer.

Now, upload the folder to the right place: In your FTP client, find your site’s root directory (often public_html or www). From there, go into the wp-content folder, and then into the plugins folder. Upload the unzipped folder of the older plugin version here. Your FTP client will likely ask if you want to overwrite the existing folder; say yes.

Lastly, check that the plugin is active: Once the upload is complete and your site is back up, check your WordPress admin dashboard to make sure the plugin is active.

C3. Upload an older version of the plugin through cPanel

If you have access to your hosting account’s cPanel, this is another great way to do a manual rollback.

First, log into cPanel and open the File Manager: Find the File Manager icon, usually under the Files section, and open it.

Find your way to the plugins folder: In the left-hand panel, find your root folder (public_html or www). Open it, then go into the wp-content folder, and finally into the plugins folder.

Delete the current plugin and upload the older version: Find the folder for the plugin you want to replace and delete it. Then, use the Upload button at the top of the File Manager to upload the .zip file of the older plugin version you downloaded earlier.

Finally, make sure the plugin is active: Once the upload is done, go back to your WordPress dashboard. You may need to refresh the page, but you should see the older version of the plugin there, ready to be activated.

How can a plugin update cause issues on WordPress?

Updating your plugins feels like a basic, responsible task. You click the button, expecting new features and better security, but then… your site breaks. So what’s really going on? Understanding why a plugin update can disrupt your site is the first step to preventing and fixing these headaches.

Here are a few common reasons things go sideways:

WordPress downgrade plugin: Best practices

Rolling back a plugin can be a quick fix, but it’s a move you want to make carefully. Before you jump in, it’s worth thinking through a few things to make sure you don’t accidentally create new problems.

Here are some critical points to consider:

Parting thoughts

When a plugin update leads to issues, knowing how to roll it back can quickly restore the site’s functionality and integrity. In more severe cases, recovering your WordPress website from a backup might be the safest solution to avoid any data loss or extended downtime.

Preparation and caution are your best allies. For those weary of installing specific rollback plugins, a comprehensive backup solution like BlogVault offers an excellent alternative. With BlogVault’s partial restore feature, you can easily roll back or downgrade any plugin without losing your current site changes.

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