Check your WordPress version

On WordPress.com, we manage all the server-side features for you, including the version of WordPress your site is running on. We make sure your site is automatically updated to the latest, most secure version of WordPress software so you don’t have to.

If you have a plugin-enabled website, you can check what WordPress version your site is running with the following steps:

1. Visit the Sites page at https://wordpress.com/sites
2. Select your plugin-enabled website.
3. Underneath the site’s title and address, the WordPress version will be shown:

You can compare your site’s WordPress version with the latest version of WordPress software available here. If WordPress.com is one version behind, it means we are actively testing the latest version to ensure it is safe to update.

If you have a site without plugins, the WordPress version is not needed for troubleshooting an issue — your WordPress.com site will always be running on the latest version of WordPress.

WordPress, like any other software, is constantly iterated on and improved to launch new features, fix bugs, and improve its functionality. We update your WordPress version automatically when a new version becomes available.

WordPress releases occasional beta versions ahead of each new major release. Testing a beta version is a good way to check how the next release will affect your plugins, themes, and other site tools before it reaches your live site.

If your site is on the Business plan or above, you can switch to the beta version on either your live site or a staging site. Testing on staging first is recommended, since beta releases may contain bugs that could affect features like checkout, user registration, or plugin compatibility.

For step-by-step instructions, see Switch to the latest WordPress beta version.

On WordPress.com, your site is considered a live website; therefore, it is not possible to revert to a previous version of WordPress. This can be a common suggestion from plugin and theme developers to resolve an issue, but please note that it isn’t a viable option on the WordPress.com platform. Nor is it recommended as a best practice is to keep your website up to date.

Third-party plugin and theme developers have access to beta releases so that they can test their plugins and themes before the latest version of WordPress is pushed to your site. While that doesn’t mean every issue will be caught, it does give them an opportunity to prepare for the WordPress version that will be launched and how it will impact the plugins and themes on your site.

Rather than trying to revert to a previous version of WordPress to resolve an issue, you can use the next recommendations to troubleshoot further.

If you notice sudden issues with your site after a WordPress update, we recommend updating your plugins.

Outdated plugins may not be compatible with the most recent WordPress version. We recommend that you enable auto-updates for your plugins so they will automatically update to the latest version.

To check for plugin updates:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
3. Check your active plugins for any available updates.

To check if a plugin is compatible with the latest WordPress version:

1. Make a note of the current WordPress version on your site.
2. Visit your site’s dashboard and navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
3. Click “View Details” for the plugin you’re having trouble with.
4. Check the “Compatible up to” version to see if it matches the latest WordPress Version.

If you discover that a plugin you need for your website is incompatible with the latest version of WordPress, you can contact the plugin’s developer to inquire about their plan for releasing an update:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins.
3. Click “View Details” for the plugin you’re seeing errors with.
4. In the Plugin Details section, click the “WordPress.org Plugin page” or “Plugin Homepage”.
5. Look for a link to help/support and reach out to them with the WordPress version number you require compatibility for.

We have a step-by-step guide that will walk you through identifying which plugin is causing a conflict on your site. You can check the step-by-step troubleshooting guide here.