Sometimes, updating themes or plugins directly from the WordPress dashboard doesn’t work maybe due to dashboard errors, broken auto-updates, or admin access issues. In such cases, you can still manually update WordPress themes and plugins via cPanel.
This article is written to help you as a website owner or client managing your site understand and safely perform manual updates without breaking your site.

Why Manual Updates Are Sometimes Necessary

You might need to update manually in these situations:

• Your WordPress dashboard is inaccessible or broken

• Auto-update failed or didn’t install the latest version properly

• A plugin/theme introduced a security issue that needs fixing immediately

• You’re restoring or replacing files from a backup

Manual updates allow you to upload the latest version directly into your site’s folders, bypassing any WordPress admin limitations.

Before You Begin: Take a Full Backup

Always back up your website before making any changes. You can do this from:

• cPanel → File Manager → Compress and Download your site files

• cPanel → phpMyAdmin to export your WordPress database

This ensures you can restore your site if anything goes wrong during the update.

Where to Get the Latest Theme or Plugin Files

1. Go to https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or https://wordpress.org/themes/

2. Search for the plugin or theme

3. Download the latest .zip file

If it’s a premium plugin or theme (like from ThemeForest or WP Rocket), download it from your account with the original provider.

Step-by-Step: Manually Update a Plugin or Theme via cPanel

Step 1: Log Into Your cPanel

Visit:

Enter your hosting credentials to access the dashboard.

Step 2: Open File Manager

1. Under the Files section, click File Manager

2. Navigate to your site’s root directory typically public_html or a subfolder if it’s a subdomain

Step 3: Locate the Plugin or Theme Folder

• Themes are stored in:

  /wp-content/themes/


• Plugins are stored in:

  /wp-content/plugins/


Identify the folder of the plugin or theme you want to update. For example, if you’re updating Elementor, find the folder named elementor.

Step 4: Delete the Old Version (Optional but Recommended)

To avoid conflicts, it’s best to delete the old version first. Here’s how:

1. Right-click the folder (e.g., elementor) and choose Rename (optional in case you want a backup)

2. Then right-click it again and choose Delete

Deleting a plugin or theme this way does not delete your settings or data (those are stored in your database). However, you’ll lose custom edits made directly to the files. If you made edits, consider using a child theme or backing up first.

Step 5: Upload the Latest .zip File

1. Click Upload (top bar of File Manager)

2. Select the .zip file you downloaded (e.g., elementor.zip)

3. After the upload completes, return to File Manager

4. Right-click the zip file and choose Extract

Once extracted, ensure the new folder (e.g., elementor) appears under wp-content/plugins/ or wp-content/themes/.

Step 6: Confirm the Update in WordPress

Now log in to your WordPress dashboard and:

• Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins
  or

• Appearance → Themes

The newly updated version should appear automatically. You can verify the version number by clicking View Details.

Pro Tips

• Don’t update multiple plugins/themes at once unless necessary. Do it one by one to isolate any issues.

• Avoid updating during peak traffic hours in case something goes wrong and your site needs a quick fix.

• If you face a white screen or error, restore from your backup or rename the plugin folder in cPanel to disable it.

When Manual Updates Help Most

Manual updates are ideal when:

• Plugin/theme updates fail via the dashboard

• You’re locked out of WordPress but need to fix a vulnerability

• You’re installing a beta or unreleased version for testing

• You need to replace corrupted files quickly

Final Thoughts

Manual updates through cPanel might seem intimidating at first, but they give you direct control over your website’s software especially when the WordPress admin interface isn’t an option.
With basic cPanel access, a reliable backup, and clear steps like these, any client can confidently manage their own updates and keep their WordPress site secure and stable.