Checklist to Avoid Breaking Your Website When Updating WordPress (Yes, Even if You Use Elementor)

I'm a freelance web developer since 2010, working exclusively with WordPress, Elementor Pro, and JetEngine.
After years of updating client websites, here’s my personal checklist to update WordPress with technical care (and zero panic):

1. 🔄 Take a Full Backup
   Not just the database: files + database, and make sure you can restore it without wanting to cry.
   I use UpdraftPlus or do manual backups when the server allows it.

2. 🔍 Check Compatibility with Your Theme and Plugins
   Before updating, check whether your key plugins are already compatible with the new WP version.
   Especially Elementor, JetEngine, WooCommerce, and your active theme.

3. 🛠 Disable Cache (and Any Plugin That Might Interfere)
   Cache, minifiers, and optimizers sometimes break layouts after an update.
   Better to deactivate them for a moment and reactivate once everything’s fine.

4. 💻 Use Staging First (If You Can)
   Not everyone has a staging environment, but if your hosting provides one, use it.
   Update there first, test everything, and only then update your live site.

5. 🧪 Manually Check the Key Areas of Your Site
   After updating, don’t assume everything’s fine just because the homepage loads.
   Log in, edit a page with Elementor, submit a form, check sliders, menus… and any other custom feature the site has.

6. 📉 Monitor Performance
   Sometimes updates change the rules, and some plugins start using more resources.
   Use tools like Query Monitor or simply check the loading time and CPU usage.

7. ✍️ Keep a Note of the Versions
   Having a quick log of “what you had before” can save you when things go wrong.
   A simple Google Doc with your WP, theme, Elementor and key plugin versions goes a long way.

Anything Else?
Yes: take your time. Rushing is the best friend of silly mistakes.
And if something breaks, remember: there’s always a backup.
And if there isn’t… well, there’s trauma and a life lesson. ;)

_{🌱 I'm Ellie, a WordPress freelancer since 2010, working with Elementor and JetEngine. You can see more about how I work at elliemiguel.es}