Can I Safely Upgrade WordPress with an Older Version of Kadence Theme?

Hi there!

It’s a great question, and you’re definitely on the right track by thinking about compatibility.

Generally, it’s safest to update your theme (Kadence Premium in your case) before upgrading WordPress. Here’s why: newer versions of WordPress may introduce changes that older versions of themes aren’t fully prepared for, which can lead to issues like styling or functionality breaks on your site.

To keep everything running smoothly, I’d recommend:

1. Backup Your Site: Always a good idea before any major updates. This way, you can restore things if anything unexpected happens.
2. Update the Kadence Theme First: If you’re able to update Kadence to the latest version, it’s more likely to be compatible with the latest WordPress version.
3. Test in a Staging Environment: If possible, test the updates on a staging site first. This will let you see any issues in a safe environment without affecting your live site.

Once Kadence is updated, you should be in a good position to safely upgrade WordPress. If you’re still unsure, you might want to check with Kadence support to confirm there are no known issues between the theme version you’re using and the latest WordPress update.

Hope this helps, and best of luck with the updates!

Hello ,

1. Create a Backup Before Any Update

Before making any updates to your WordPress core or theme, always back up your site. This step ensures that you can restore your site to a working version in case anything goes wrong.

There are several ways to back up your site:

• Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, or All-in-One WP Migration.
• Manually back up your files via FTP and export the database via phpMyAdmin (this is for advanced users).

2. Best Practice: Update Your Theme First

If you’re using an older version of Kadence, it’s usually best to update the theme before updating WordPress. Here’s why:

• Theme Updates Often Include Compatibility Fixes: Theme developers like Kadence regularly update their themes to support the latest features of WordPress, including updates to the block editor, new features, and security fixes. An older theme version may not take full advantage of WordPress’s newer features and might cause display or functionality issues.
• WordPress Core Updates: WordPress updates can sometimes introduce changes to core functionality or the block editor (Gutenberg), and a theme that’s not updated to support those changes could break some functionality.

To update Kadence:

1. Go to your WordPress Dashboard.
2. Navigate to Appearance > Themes.
3. If there’s an update available for Kadence, you’ll see a notification there. Click Update Now.

Note: If you’ve made customizations to the Kadence theme (e.g., via child theme, custom CSS), ensure that your changes are preserved. A direct theme update could override changes made directly in the parent theme, so using a child theme is always recommended for customizations.

3. Update WordPress After Theme Update

Once you’ve updated Kadence and confirmed everything is working well, you can safely update WordPress.

To update WordPress:

1. Go to Dashboard > Updates.
2. Click Update Now to install the latest version of WordPress.
3. After the update is complete, clear your cache (if you use a caching plugin) and refresh the website to ensure the update was successful.