If you’re an online store owner using WooCommerce, staying updated with the latest versions of your platform, plugins, and payment gateways is crucial for keeping your business running smoothly. With the release of WordPress 5.0, significant updates for WooCommerce were rolled out, bringing improvements in security, performance, and user experience. This guide will walk you through the process of updating WooCommerce for WordPress 5.0.x, ensuring your store remains secure and fully functional.

Why It’s Important to Update WooCommerce Before Upgrading to WordPress 5.0

When WordPress releases a major update like version 5.0, it’s not just about adding new features—it’s also about enhancing security and performance. However, updating WordPress without first updating WooCommerce can lead to compatibility issues, broken functionalities, and potentially even downtime for your online store. By updating WooCommerce first, you ensure that your eCommerce site is fully compatible with the new WordPress version, minimising the risk of problems during the upgrade.

Step 1: Back Up Your WooCommerce Store

Before making any changes to your site, it’s essential to create a full backup. Backups are your safety net, allowing you to restore your store to its previous state if anything goes wrong during the update process.

WordPress stores its data in two main areas:

• Database: This is where all your important information is stored, including products, orders, customer data, and site settings.
• Files: This includes your themes, plugins, images, and any other content stored in the wp-content folder.

To fully protect your store, you need to back up both the database and the files.

Types of Backups:

1. Automatic Backups: These are scheduled backups that occur regularly without requiring any manual intervention. Automatic backups are the most reliable and ensure that you always have a recent backup available.
2. Manual Backups: If you prefer a hands-on approach, you can manually back up your database and wp-content folder. This method is particularly useful if you have custom themes or plugins that you want to safeguard before making updates.

Step 2: Test Updates on a Local Site

Once you’ve backed up your store, the next step is to test the updates on a local or development site. A local site is a copy of your live site that runs on your personal computer, isolated from the internet. This environment allows you to test the updates without affecting your live store.

Testing on a local site is crucial because it helps you identify and resolve any issues before they can impact your customers. If you’re not familiar with setting up a local site, consider seeking help from a WooExpert or using tools like Local by Flywheel.

Step 3: Set Up a Staging Site for Final Testing

After testing on a local site, it’s time to move to a staging site. A staging site is an exact replica of your live site but is not accessible to your customers. This environment is where you perform the final round of testing to ensure everything works as expected before applying the updates to your live site.

At FlexiCloud, we offer staging site setups specifically designed for WooCommerce updates. This allows you to test on different devices, browsers, and locations to catch any potential issues. You can also share the staging site with team members or developers for further testing and feedback.

Step 4: Update Your Live Site

Once you’re confident that everything works perfectly on your staging site, you’re ready to update your live site. However, to avoid any disruptions during the update, it’s advisable to put your site into maintenance mode. Maintenance mode temporarily prevents customers from making purchases or accessing certain parts of your site while the updates are being applied.

Even with all the precautions, always have a copy of your backup ready. In the rare event that something goes wrong during the update, you can quickly restore your site to its previous state, minimising downtime and lost revenue.

Remember: Any lost functionality can result in lost customers and sales. Thorough testing and careful execution are key to a successful update.

Step 5: Test Your Live Site After the Update

After updating your live site, don’t assume everything is working fine, test all the functionalities again. Go through your site as a customer would, checking the following:

• Can customers browse products, add them to the cart, and check out without any issues?
• Are all your payment gateways functioning correctly?
• Are your plugins and extensions working as expected?
• Is the site loading quickly and correctly on different devices and browsers?

Taking the time to test your site thoroughly after the update ensures that your customers have a seamless shopping experience, which in turn, helps maintain your reputation and sales.

Step 6: Update WooCommerce Extensions and Payment Gateways

Now that your site is updated and tested, don’t forget about your WooCommerce extensions and payment gateways. Keeping these up to date is just as important as updating WooCommerce itself.

Updating Extensions:

1. WooCommerce.com Extensions:
   • Navigate to WooCommerce > Extensions > WooCommerce.com Subscriptions to manage and update your WooCommerce extensions.
   • Ensure your store is connected to your WooCommerce.com account to easily view the status of your extensions, check for updates, and confirm compatibility with the latest WooCommerce version.
2. Third-Party Extensions and Plugins:
   • For extensions and plugins developed by third-party developers, you will need to contact them directly for updates and support. Make sure these are compatible with the latest versions of WooCommerce and WordPress to avoid any functionality issues.

Technical Details and Further Support

If you’re interested in learning more about the technical aspects of the new update, you can access the full documentation here. At FlexiCloud, we fully support WordPress 5.0.x and WooCommerce, and our high-performance servers are optimised for fast-loading, secure, and versatile eCommerce hosting.

Need Help? If you’re unsure about any step in this process, or if you’d like assistance setting up a staging site or updating your WooCommerce store, feel free to reach out to us. We’re here to help you ensure your WooCommerce site remains secure, functional, and ready to serve your customers.

This expanded version provides more detailed explanations and steps, making it easier for WooCommerce users of all experience levels to follow along and successfully update their stores.