Most simple WordPress websites can be set to auto-update, and WordPress will handle that critical maintenance process for you. But there are times that the upgrade process must be done manually, and these may include major WordPress version upgrades and updates to more complex websites.
If a WordPress website uses a custom theme (including a custom WooCommerce theme) or a custom plugin, then this increases the chances of an automatic update failing. And when an automatic update fails, you may be left with a non-functioning website.
Additionally, if your WordPress website uses any plugins, and that includes probably 99% of WordPress installations, then it’s always possible that the plugin author will stop maintaining the plugin. When that happens, it will probably continue working for a little bit, but eventually WordPress will come out with an update that breaks that plugin. Consequences could be a few errors in parts of your website, or a completely broken website.
In a worst-case scenario, a WordPress installation with plenty of customizations and third-party plugins could just be set to not update itself for fear of breaking the website. Sites like this are irresistable to malware and it’s only a matter of time that an un-updated WordPress installation gets hacked.
If you find yourself in any of these situations, Crunch42 can help smooth the WordPress update process.