Update WordPress from admin dashboard

In this article I'll quickly show you how to update WordPress to the latest, greatest, and secure version currently available. An updated WordPress installation will ensure your WordPress site is as fast as can be, and helps protect your website from malicious users.

It's really a very simple process to upgrade WordPress, that said you do want to take some caution before just diving right in. I'd recommend that you backup your WordPress database in case anything goes wrong, and it wouldn't hurt to be on the safe side and also backup your website files.

Upgrade WordPress to latest version

1. Login to your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. At the top of the WordPress admin dashboard you should see that a newer version of WordPress is available, click on Please update now to be taken to the Updates page.

   If you don't see that link for some reason, you can also click on the update icon at the top, or click on the Updates link in the menu on the left.

3. On the WordPress Updates page, click on Update Now.
4. To allow WordPress to automatically update itself you would need to change file permissions on your /wp-content/ directory to 775.

   Alternatively you can also go ahead and enter in your WordPress site's FTP information, and click on Proceed to download the latest version that way.

5. You should now see that WordPress has been successfully updated to its latest version, in this case WordPress 3.5.1.

You should now know how to update WordPress to the latest version available. After that you'll probably also be interested in learning how to update a WordPress plugin, or update a WordPress theme to ensure your full WordPress installation is completely up to date and secure.