Suggested stepping stone versions when upgrading from version 5.3

  • I’m going to update a Multisite WordPress installation from WordPress 5.3.18, and plan on updating it to WordPress 6.6, but I want to do this somewhat gradually with a few days in between. So I’ll have a bit better control over the work needed to be done to our custom themes and plugins, and I’ll be able to identify which versions introduce which problems, et cetera.

    However, going through every major version between 5.3 and 6.6 seems a bit excessive. Is there like 3-5 recommended versions that would good to use as stepping stones for this process?

    • This topic was modified 2 months, 2 weeks ago by prebennor.
    • This topic was modified 2 months, 2 weeks ago by prebennor.
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  • Moderator James Huff

    (@macmanx)

    5.3.18 can safely go to 6.6.1 via the automated updater in the Dashboard.

    The biggest change would be between the 5.x and 6.x code bases, but any problem you encounter at 6.0, you’ll encounter at 6.6.1 too, so there isn’t really an advantage to stepping gradually like that.

    I recommend making a backup first https://developer.www.ads-software.com/advanced-administration/security/backup/ then just going for it, and fixing problem as (and if) they come up.

    If you get locked out of your Dashboard after the update, you should get an emailed link for recovery mode.

    If you don’t get the email, try?manually resetting your plugins?(no Dashboard access required). If that resolves the issue, reactivate each one individually until you find the cause.

    If that does not resolve the issue, access your server via SFTP or FTP, or a file manager in your hosting account’s control panel (consult your hosting provider’s documentation for specifics on these), navigate to /wp-content/themes/ and rename the directory of your currently active theme. Hopefully, this will force the default theme to activate and rule out a theme-specific issue (theme functions can interfere like plugins).

    Two more hints:

    • I would first test such a major update in a staging environment. Yes, with multisite it is difficult to make all pages accessible there. But I think it’s worth it.
    • And: pay attention to the PHP version. The WP 5.3 was still compatible with PHP 5.6, the WP 6.6 is not. So if you are still using PHP before 7.4, I would recommend switching to PHP 7.4 first before updating. This is the version with which both versions are stable. If you discover plugins and themes that have a problem with this, you can check them more closely here before the update (or sort them out straight away).
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