WordPress Update Button Missing? 8 Causes and How to Fix Them

Work through the causes below in order. Each one says how to check it and what fixes it.

1. Your user role can't update

WordPress only lets users with the update permissions see and run updates. Out of the box, that's the Administrator role. Editors, Authors and Contributors don't see the Updates screen or the update links, even when updates are waiting.

How to check: go to Users, find your name and look at the Role column. If it says anything other than Administrator, that's why.

The fix: ask whoever runs the site to do the updates, or to change your role to Administrator if you should have that access.

On a multisite network, only a Super Admin can update, even if you're an Administrator of one of the sites. Updates are run from Network Admin, Updates.

2. DISALLOW_FILE_MODS is set in wp-config.php

This setting blocks WordPress from changing its own files. With it switched on, the update buttons disappear for everyone, including Administrators, and so do the options to add, upload and delete plugins and themes. If "Add New" is missing from the Plugins menu too, this is the likely cause.

How to check: open wp-config.php in your hosting file manager or over FTP, and look for this line:

define( 'DISALLOW_FILE_MODS', true );

The fix: change true to false, or remove the line. But find out why it's there first. A developer or host may have set it on purpose, for example because updates are tested elsewhere and deployed separately, and removing it could undo that arrangement. A plugin can switch file changes off in the same way without touching wp-config.php, so if the line isn't there, check cause 4.

3. Your host manages updates for you

Some managed WordPress hosts run updates themselves and turn off updating from the WordPress dashboard. They usually do it with the setting above or with a plugin of their own.

How to check: look in your hosting account for an updates or auto-updates section, or search your host's help pages for "WordPress updates".

The fix: run updates from the host's own tools, or ask them to turn dashboard updates back on if you'd rather manage them yourself.

4. A plugin is hiding update notices

WordPress lets plugins change the update information before it's shown, so a plugin can hide some or all updates. Plugins that "disable updates" or tidy up admin notices do this on purpose. Sometimes it's custom code a developer added and forgot about.

How to check: look through your plugins for anything with "update", "notices" or "admin" in its name. Also check Plugins, Must-Use: must-use plugins run automatically and can't be switched off from the normal plugins list, so they're easy to miss.

The fix: switch off the plugin doing the hiding, then go to Dashboard, Updates and see whether updates appear.

5. A premium plugin or theme has an expired licence

Free plugins and themes get their updates from WordPress.org. Premium ones get them from the seller's own server, and the seller decides who gets them. If your licence has expired, the key was never entered, or the site's address has changed since it was activated, the update usually won't show at all.

How to check: open the plugin's or theme's licence page in the admin, or log in to your account on the seller's website.

The fix: renew or re-enter the licence. If you can't, download the latest version from your account on the seller's site and upload it. Running a premium plugin without updates leaves you without security fixes, so don't leave it.

6. WordPress hasn't checked for updates yet

WordPress checks for updates in the background twice a day, so a plugin released this morning may not show yet.

How to check and fix: go to Dashboard, Updates. Opening that screen makes WordPress check plugins and themes again, and the Check again link next to "Last checked on" forces a fresh check for WordPress itself.

7. "Another update is currently in progress"

WordPress locks core updates while one is running, so two can't run at once. If an update was interrupted, the lock can be left behind and you'll see this message when you try again.

The fix: wait 15 minutes. The lock expires on its own after that, and you can try the update again. If you're comfortable with your database, the lock is stored in the wp_options table as core_updater.lock, and deleting that row clears it straight away. If you're not, ask your host.

If an interrupted update has left the site showing a maintenance message, see why your WordPress website is stuck in maintenance mode.

8. WordPress asks for FTP details

If clicking update brings up a "Connection Information" screen asking for an FTP hostname, username and password, WordPress can't write to its own files directly. It checks this by creating a test file, and if the owner of that file doesn't match the owner of WordPress's own files, it falls back to asking for FTP.

The fix: ask your host to correct the file ownership and permissions, so WordPress can update itself directly. Entering FTP details each time works, but it's a sign the hosting isn't set up the way WordPress expects.

If updates go through but nothing looks different

That's a different problem. If an update finished but the live site still looks the same, it's usually caching: see why your WordPress website isn't showing recent changes.

Before you click update

Once the buttons are back, don't update everything at once on a live site without a backup. Updates are a common reason working sites break; see why WordPress websites break after plugin updates.

Quick checklist

• Your role is Administrator (or Super Admin on multisite)
• No DISALLOW_FILE_MODS set to true in wp-config.php
• Your host isn't managing updates for you
• No plugin or must-use plugin hiding updates
• Premium licences active and entered
• Dashboard, Updates opened and "Check again" clicked
• No update lock left behind (wait 15 minutes)
• No FTP prompt; if there is one, ask your host about file ownership

If you'd rather someone else kept on top of updates, the WordPress care plan covers updates run after a backup and checked by a person, plus security monitoring. For a site that's already broken, see WordPress fixes.