How To Easily Downgrade WordPress Plugin

WordPress plugin updates are meant to be a boon, bringing new features, enhanced security, and improved performance. But what happens when that shiny new update turns your website into a minefield of issues? 

Plugin incompatibilities, broken themes, and unexpected crashes can quickly turn excitement into frustration. If you’re pulling your hair out over a plugin update gone awry, you’re not alone—but more importantly, you’re not stuck.In these cases, knowing how to downgrade WordPress plugin can offer a quick way to regain control and stability on your site.

TL;DR: If you’re encountering problems on your site after a WordPress plugin update gone awry, don’t let panic take over. With BlogVault’s partial restore feature, you can easily revert to an older version of your plugin without losing your current site changes.

Downgrading a WordPress plugin, also known as a rollback, can be your saving grace in moments like these. This means undoing an update by reverting to a previous plugin version. 

However, as you have no doubt already noticed, there is no easy way to downgrade a plugin easily. This is in stark contrast to updates, where you are bombarded with alerts in every conceivable place. 

There is a reason that downgrades are difficult to do: they aren’t meant to happen. Only in cases that cannot be solved by other troubleshooting, does a downgrade come into play.

In such situations, knowing how to restore your WordPress site from backup becomes invaluable. Choose a backup plugin that takes automatic and regular backups, and allows partial restores, and you are good to go.

Option 1: Use a backup plugin (RECOMMENDED)

One of the safest and most hassle-free ways to perform a rollback is using a reliable backup plugin like BlogVault. If you are a customer, rolling back a plugin just got easier for you. Here’s how to rollback a plugin update using BlogVault: 

1. Access your backup on BlogVault: Login to your BlogVault account and in the site overview, find the Backup card and click on the Restore button.

2. Select a backup: Select the backup version you want to restore and expand the Selective Restore option. 

3. Choose the plugin: Uncheck Restore Files and Restore Tables, then click on (All Files). Here, pick the plugin you want to roll back. Navigate to the wp-content folder > plugins, find and select the folder of the plugin you want to roll back, and click Confirm. Then proceed to click on Confirm to restore only that specific folder.

Option 2: Use a WordPress rollback plugin

A rollback plugin allows you to undo an update of a plugin by reinstating a previous version. It restores your website’s stability and functionality by reverting the plugin to a likely issue-free version.

The beauty of using a rollback plugin lies in its simplicity and efficiency. With just a few clicks, the entire process of rolling back a plugin is automated, sparing you the technical hassle and minimizing the risk of errors associated with manual adjustments. 

Rollback plugins such as Revisr, WP Rollback, Rollback Auto Update, WP Pusher, etc, make this process straightforward and user-friendly. For this article, we will show you how to roll back a plugin using the WP Rollback plugin.

1. Install and activate the plugin: Once you’re in your admin panel, hover over Plugins on the left-hand menu and select Add New. In the search bar, type WP Rollback, then hit Install and Activate.

2. Find the plugin you want to roll back: Next, navigate to the Installed Plugins section and find the plugin you want to downgrade. Thanks to WP Rollback, you should now see a Rollback option under the plugin name. Click on it.

3. Rollback the plugin: WP Rollback will present you with a list of available versions of the plugin you want to revert. Select the version you wish to downgrade to and click the Rollback button to confirm your selection. WP Rollback will then replace the current version of the plugin with the older one you’ve chosen.

Remember: always backup your site before making any changes and test thoroughly to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Option 3: Use a manual method

Using plugins like BlogVault and WP Rollback is the easiest way to revert to a previous version of a plugin. However, there are situations where you might need to perform the rollback manually—such as when you don’t have a backup, you’re using a premium plugin, or your plugin is not present in the WordPress repository. 

This can be more challenging and risky, but it’s a viable option. Just make sure you take a full backup of your site before proceeding. Here are the steps to manually rollback a plugin update:

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

1. Download your plugin: From the plugin’s page, or the plugin developer’s page, download the older version you want to download from the dropdown menu and click Download. The selected version will be downloaded as a .zip file to your computer.

2. Delete the current plugin version: In your WordPress admin dashboard, go to the Installed Plugins section, find the plugin, and click on Delete to remove the current version. This ensures that the plugin is completely removed from your WordPress installation and won’t cause issues during the manual replacement.

3. Upload the previous plugin version: Go back to your WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to Plugins > Add New. Click the Upload Plugin button at the top and choose the .zip file of the older version you downloaded. Click Install Now and, once the installation is complete, click Activate.

B. Upload an older version of the plugin through FTP

If you don’t have access to your admin panel, in the event your site has crashed for example, you can still roll back your plugin update manually using an FTP client. Always remember to back up your site before making changes, and proceed with caution to avoid causing further issues. Here’s how to go about it:

Connect FTP client to your WordPress site: Connect your FTP client to your site using the server details provided by your hosting provider.

2. Prepare your plugin: Extract or expand the .zip file of the older plugin version into a folder.

3. Upload your plugin: Navigate to your root directory, often named public_html or www. Within this root folder, find and click on the wp-content folder. Then, navigate to the plugins folder. In the plugins folder, replace the existing plugin folder with your recently downloaded one by right-clicking and selecting Upload.

4. Activate your plugin: Activate the plugin from the WordPress admin dashboard.

C. Upload an older version of the plugin through cPanel

If you have cPanel access, here’s another method you can use to upload the older version of your plugin to your site.

1. Access cPanel’s File Manager: Login to cPanel with your credentials. Navigate to File Manager under the Files section.

2. Navigate to the plugins folder: Find your root folder, often named public_html or www, on the left panel. Locate the wp-content folder and open it. Within this folder, navigate to the plugins folder.

3. Prepare your plugin: Extract or expand the .zip file of the older plugin version into a folder.

4. Replace the updated plugin: Find the plugin you want to replace with the older version. Delete it, then use the Upload button to upload the new (or rather, older and more reliable) version of the plugin.

5. Activate your plugin: Activate the plugin from the WordPress admin dashboard by refreshing your admin dashboard.

Where to test your plugin downgrade safely?

Plugins often store options and licenses in the database, for example, and may not handle the sudden downgrade seamlessly. Therefore, testing a plugin downgrade in a safe environment is crucial to ensure that the rollback won’t cause further issues on your live website. 

Here’s how you can test your plugin on a staging site using BlogVault.

BlogVault doesn’t just back up a part of your WordPress site; it backs up your entire site, including files, databases, media, configurations, and more. So even if you decide to roll back a plugin on the live site, you will always have a comprehensive backup to fall back on in case anything goes wrong—because who doesn’t love a good safety net?

1. Add a staging site: To create a staging site, navigate to your site’s dashboard in BlogVault and look for the Staging card. Click on the Add Staging button. You’ll be prompted to select a Backup and a PHP to create a copy of your site.

2. Access your staging site: BlogVault will then create a staging site for you. You can access this staging site using the credentials that appear on your screen. This isolated environment allows you to test your plugin downgrade thoroughly without risking your live website. It’s like having a private testing lab where mistakes are free and fixes are easy.

By following these steps, you’ll ensure that any changes you make don’t disrupt the functionality of your live site.

Tip: We recommend always taking a backup before updating any plugins and testing the updates on a staging site to prevent the need to roll back plugins in the future. 

How can a plugin update cause issues on WordPress?

Updating plugins is a routine task for maintaining a WordPress site, but sometimes, these updates lead to unexpected issues. Understanding why a plugin update can disrupt your site is crucial for preventing and addressing such problems effectively. Here are several common reasons why a plugin update might cause issues on your WordPress site:

Theme conflicts: Conflicts between a plugin update and your active WordPress theme can cause various display or functionality issues. Themes often rely on specific coding standards or plugin versions, and updates can sometimes break this harmony. If you’re using nulled themes (pirated or unauthorized versions of premium themes), the risk of conflicts is even higher.

Plugin conflicts: WordPress sites always have multiple plugins. When you update one plugin, it can cause conflicts with others, leading to errors or malfunctioning features. 

Bugs and coding errors: Updates often introduce new or modified code intended to enhance the plugin. However, these changes can sometimes bring new bugs or vulnerabilities that were not present in previous versions leading to coding errors or oversights that slip through testing and cause site issues.

Incompatibility issues: Plugins interact with server settings. If your hosting environment has custom configurations or is running outdated server software, a plugin update might lead to incompatibility issues.

Database changes: Updates can alter database tables or structures, leading to compatibility issues with other parts of your WordPress site. Misalignments in database schema due to updates can result in data loss or failures in retrieving information.

Security patches: Some updates include important security patches that change how a plugin interacts with the rest of the site to close vulnerabilities. While necessary, these changes can sometimes interfere with other site functionalities.

Limited testing: Developers might not have the resources to test every possible environment and configuration, leading to updates that haven’t been thoroughly vetted for issues on different setups.

Things to consider before downgrading a WordPress plugin update

Rolling back a WordPress plugin update can often be a quick fix to restore stability to your website after encountering issues. However, there are several factors to weigh before proceeding with a rollback to ensure that you don’t unintentionally introduce new problems or exacerbate existing ones. Here are some critical things to consider:

Identify the root cause

Before deciding to rollback, confirm that the plugin update is indeed the root cause of the problem. Sometimes issues may stem from other factors, such as changes in the WordPress core, theme conflicts, or server settings. Try deactivating the plugin first to see if that resolves the issue.

You can also check your WordPress error logs for any clues that point to the plugin update as the source of the problem. This can help you isolate the issue more accurately.

Backup your site

Always create a full backup of your WordPress site, including the database and all files. This will enable you to restore your site to a stable state in case anything goes wrong during the rollback process. Also, try to test your backup to make sure that it is complete and functional. A corrupted or incomplete backup will not be helpful in the case of a failed rollback.

Compatibility

Verify that the version you plan to roll back to is compatible with your current WordPress core and theme versions.If you decide to downgrade WordPress to a previous version, make sure it is compatible to avoid installing an incompatible version, which might cause new issues or even more severe crashes.Be aware of any bugs or vulnerabilities in the earlier version you plan to roll back to. Sometimes a previous version might bring back old flaws, undermining the security or functionality of your site.

Feature loss and customizations

Understand that rolling back to an earlier version might remove or disable new features introduced in the latest update. Ensure that reverting will not disrupt any critical functionalities your site relies on. If you’ve applied custom code or settings specific to the updated version, these might not work with the older version. Evaluate the impact of downgrading on any customizations you’ve made.

Developer response

Check if the plugin developer has acknowledged the issue and is working on a fix. Sometimes it’s worth waiting a short period for an official patch instead of rolling back immediately. 

Plan when to downgrade

Plan the rollback during scheduled maintenance windows or low-traffic periods to minimize disruptions to your site’s visitors.

Staging environment

Perform the rollback on a staging environment first. This allows you to observe the effects without impacting the live site. Testing can reveal additional issues that might arise and confirm that the rollback will resolve your initial problems. Consider using a backup plugin like BlogVault or a rollback plugin like WP Rollback to simplify the process. These tools are designed to minimize risks and errors that can occur during manual rollbacks.

Community input

Check the plugin’s support forums for any discussions around the issues you’re facing. Other users’ experiences can offer valuable insights and might even provide a solution without the need to roll back.

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.

FAQs

When should I consider rolling back a plugin update?

Consider rolling back a plugin update only after confirming that the plugin is the one causing issues. If the update of the plugin to a newer version disrupts your site’s stability or introduces new bugs, rolling back can be a quick fix to restore normalcy.

Is it safe to roll back a plugin update?

Rolling back a plugin update is generally safe if done correctly; providing the older version doesn’t have vulnerabilities. In any case, always ensure you have a full backup of your site before proceeding. Test the rollback in a staging environment to check for any additional issues. Being cautious and prepared helps mitigate the risks involved.

Can I roll back a plugin update without accessing the WordPress admin dashboard?

Yes, you can roll back a plugin update without accessing the WordPress admin dashboard. You can use BlogVault, FTP, or cPanel to manually replace the current plugin version with an older one. These methods are useful if the update locks you out of your admin panel.

Where can I find previous versions of a plugin?

You can find previous versions of a plugin on the plugin’s page or the plugin developer’s page. Visit the plugin’s page, click on the Advanced View button, and navigate to the Previous Versions section. Select the version you need and download it as a .zip file.

Should I back up my site before performing a rollback?

Yes, absolutely. Always create a full backup of your website, including the database and all files, before rolling back a plugin. This ensures that you can revert to the current state of your site if anything goes wrong during the rollback process.