Phantom Plugin Update

  • Over the last few months, a number of the wordpress sites I manage have developed a phantom plugin update notification in the admin notification bar (and the sidebar navigation). It shows 1 or 2 plugin updates available, but when I go to the plugin admin, there aren’t any updates available (even says YOUR PLUGINS ARE UP TO DATE).

    None of the sites have the same plugins installed, so it isn’t a plugin issue itself. I have tried a few of the remedies I have found in these forums, but none have actually solved the issue… Thoughts on fixing this?

Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

  • Are you sure you’re being notified about plugin updates and not theme updates? I had one of those little red circles tell me there were updates and I kept checking the plugins only to later realize it was for a theme update.

    Thread Starter calsnoboarder

    (@calsnoboarder)

    Sorry for the delay… not, this is for a plugin… i get the red circle and it shows 1 update pending… but clicking on the link in the navigation, there is nothing listed as needing and update.

    Thread Starter calsnoboarder

    (@calsnoboarder)

    You can see the update panel here

    Thread Starter calsnoboarder

    (@calsnoboarder)

    This is the update page:

    You have the latest version of WordPress. Future security updates will be applied automatically.

    If you need to re-install version 4.6.1, you can do so here or download the package and re-install manually:

    Re-install Now Download 4.6.1

    Plugins

    Your plugins are all up to date.

    Themes

    Your themes are all up to date.

    Yet in the admin panel shows pending updates, but again… when clicking on the link to update plugins, there are NO updates available.

    Thread Starter calsnoboarder

    (@calsnoboarder)

    So no one has any advice? Could it be a specific plugin causing this? Would deleting all plugins and reinstalling fix the issue (I hesitate to do so since this site has 12 plugins, each with settings/configuration that has to be manually set). Thoughts?

    I have been having the same issue with a couple of different sites of mine. I find that eventually it goes away and I think that’s because whatever plugin is currently causing the phantom update notice gets a new update and the version number updates correctly. I don’t know any specific plugin that causes it and as you have said it is impossible to determine because the plugins don’t indicate that they have an update.

    I have tried deactivating the plugins and reactivating them to no avail. I imagine that deleting and re-installing the plugins would fix the issue, but as you have said then you loose all the settings for those plugins.

    I’m having the same issue on my site and it only started a few weeks ago. The number in the red circle won’t go away after I update. If I look at the Updates panel, it tells me my theme and plugins are updated. Has anyone found a solution to this?

    See screen shot
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/e5rq81ohcogka4q/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-31%20at%202.42.45%20PM.png?dl=0

    Honestly, you won’t find much help in the forums for this particular issue. It is absolutely related to a plugin (which one is open to debate), but I can tell you how I solved this issue on my sites… I simply deleted each plugin and installed a fresh version… i would try manually deleting and reinstalling fresh versions of each plugin and see if that works for you.

    Thank you @inherentlydifferent. I’m not very techy. Is there any risk to my site or what the plugin is for if I get rid of it and reload it? Will I lose data, reformatting, etc.?

    Thread Starter calsnoboarder

    (@calsnoboarder)

    Deleting and RE installing plugins shouldn’t cause any problems with existing settings… but as a precaution (and as a standard practice), you should create a backup so you can revert back in case something goes awry…

    Thanks for the advice. I just learned how to make a backup yesterday, so will do!

    If this doesn’t affect the security of the WP, I’m not worried. But if some plugin doesn’t update for some reason and leaves the WP vulnerable, it is a problem.

Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
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