Updating your WordPress software is vital for keeping your website safe from threats and ensuring compatibility with different tools. Each new version of WordPress brings new features, performance enhancements, and security fixes. So, you need to make sure you have the latest version to get the most out of your website!
WordPress maintains a list of the previous and current software versions to keep users informed about updates. However, if you’re curious about which core version powers your website, there are a few ways to find out.
Suppose you’re curious about your WordPress version and want to check it without getting too technical. In that case, this article will show four methods to do just that!
What Are the Benefits of Checking Your WordPress Version?
It’s essential to keep your WordPress site up-to-date with the latest software version. This ensures that your site works flawlessly and is safe from cyberattacks.
The WordPress version you’re using can affect compatibility with plugins and themes. Regularly updating WordPress will allow you to use newer themes and plugins without problems. They’re developed to work with the most recent release of WordPress.
Take the time to check the current WordPress version to keep your site secure. Of all WordPress vulnerabilities, 5% are related to the core software. WordPress fixes earlier errors in its code as each new version is released. So keeping your site up-to-date is essential for security reasons.
Make sure you’re running the latest version of WordPress to avoid any potential issues. To check your version, follow these simple steps.
Here Are Four Methods to Check WordPress’ Current Version
You can check the WordPress version on a website in a few different ways. The first method is through your WordPress admin area, which you can access by logging in to the Dashboard. If you’re having trouble logging in and need to check the WordPress version to resolve the issue, you may be able to find it in the page’s source code.
You can quickly check your WordPress version by opening the version.php file on your web hosting account. Or you can check the WordPress section in the DirectAdmin control panel if you use Rovity to host your website. This way, you’ll always know what version of WordPress you’re using and can ensure that your site is running smoothly.
You can use several methods to check the WordPress version on a site. Let’s take a look at four of them.
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1 – Using the Admin Area to Check WordPress Version
The WordPress admin area is a great place to find helpful information – including the WordPress version number. You’ll find it listed four times in different places.
Suppose you’re looking for information on the latest WordPress updates. Then, the first place to check is the WordPress Updates section in your Dashboard. Just log in and head to Dashboard > Updates.
This screen will show you both the currently installed version of WordPress and the latest release.
If your site doesn’t have the latest version of WordPress, be sure to back it up before upgrading.
You’ll be able to see the WordPress version number prominently displayed on the footer of every page in the admin area. Scroll down, and you’ll find it next to the “Thank you for creating with WordPress” message.
However, if you have an outdated version of WordPress, there will be a link to the newest version.
The At a Glance admin widget is a great way to keep track of your WordPress site’s stats. It provides information on the number of posts and pages and the WordPress version number and theme. You can locate this widget in different places depending on your settings, so check it out!
If you’re using an older version of WordPress, this widget will add a button to update to the latest version. This will help you keep your site up-to-date and running smoothly with the latest software updates!
Don’t worry if you don’t see the widget after installing a custom admin theme or WordPress dashboard plugin. The widget has likely been removed, but don’t worry – You can quickly restore it!
If you’re wondering what version of WordPress you’re using, the answer is easy to find using this fourth place! Just hover over the WordPress logo in the top-left corner and select About WordPress from the drop-down menu.
A banner will display prominently on the screen with your installed version of WordPress.
WordPress will help keep you up-to-date with notifications about any outdated versions of WordPress installed on your web hosting account. With four locations where you can view the version number, it’s easy to stay informed and take action quickly if needed.
Make sure you’re always using the latest version of WordPress by keeping an eye on the notification box at the top of your website’s back-end screen. This will prompt you to update when a new version is released.
2 – Using the Page Source to Check the WordPress Version
Don’t worry if you can’t log in to your WordPress admin dashboard. Or you are interested in checking the currently installed version of another WordPress site – there’s another way! You can check the WordPress version number on the site’s source code.
WordPress websites include the version number in an HTML meta tag, inserted by default by the WordPress theme in use. Follow these steps to determine the site’s version from the source code:
- Open your WordPress website in your web browser. Then Right-click anywhere on the website and select the View Page Source option. This will open a new tab where you can view the webpage’s source code.
- Don’t forget to use your browser’s search feature to locate online generators! Just type in “generator” and see what comes up. You will find this line if the generator tag is not disabled.
<meta name="generator" content="WordPress 5.9.2" />We can see from the results that our current WordPress version is 5.9.2.
Remember that this method will only work if the website owner leaves the default settings intact. Displaying the source code of the WordPress version on the site is risky, exposing the website to malicious attacks.
You can help keep your WordPress site secure by hiding its version from the source code. This is a common practice among web administrators, and we recommend you do the same.
Making changes to your functions.php file is a quick and easy way to hide the meta tag from view.
Make your way to the WordPress admin panel. From there, you can navigate to Appearance > Theme File Editor.
Then it’s easy to do – select the current theme and choose the functions.php file. Paste the following code at the bottom of the file, and you’re good to go!
remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_generator');Please press the Update File button to save all your changes.
3 – Using version.php to Check WordPress Version
This method is the most reliable way to find out what WordPress version you are running. The information is stored within the site files, so you won’t need to worry about it being a part of the page’s HTML. However, this method does require more time and technical expertise.
Log in to your web hosting account and access its file manager. Using DirectAdmin, go to the System Info & Files section and select File Manager. This will give you access to all of the files on your website.
Open the public_html directory and find the wp-includes folder.
Here, we need to look for the version.php file. Open it and check the WordPress installation’s version number – it should look something like this.
The following steps explain how to open the version.php file in an FTP client like FileZilla:
1 – Install FileZilla if you haven’t done so already- it’s a great FTP client that will help make file transfers quick and easy.
2 – You can connect FileZilla to your website using the Site Manager! Click the File menu in the top-left corner and choose Site Manager.
3 – You can easily set up your website’s FTP connection using the hosting control panel. Enter your website’s domain and the FTP login credentials you received, and you’re good to go! If you’re using DirectAdmin, head to Account Manager > FTP Management.
4 – Once you’ve connected to the FTP, you should be able to see your website’s files in the public_html directory. Your web server will store all of your site’s files and folders in this directory.
5 – You can find the wp-includes folder right there as you expect it! Just open it up and get to work.
6 – Here, you can find the version.php file very easily! Just open it up, and you’ll be able to see the latest version of your WordPress software.
Keep the information safe by closing the file as soon as done. Make sure you don’t change anything on it!
4 – Using DirectAdmin to Check WordPress Version
You can see the WordPress version on your DirectAdmin control panel by clicking on the WordPress icon under the Softaculous Apps Installer section. On the WordPress overview screen in Softaculous, scroll down and see Current Installations. There you can see the current WordPress Version.
If your site is running an older version of WordPress, don’t worry – you can easily upgrade your WordPress website installation from the same screen.
Conclusion
Keep your WordPress site up to date by checking the current version. This is important for both security and performance reasons. You’ll also be able to tell if any themes or plugins are compatible with your current setup.
There are four great ways to find out which version of WordPress your website uses. Let’s take a look at each one!
- WordPress Admin Area: The WordPress admin area shows the version number in four places – the Updates section, the footer of the admin page, the At a Glance widget, and the About WordPress page.
- View Page Source: We suggest you hide this information from visitors. But if you’d like to check the current WordPress version, you can do so by looking for the generator tag on the page.
- In version.php File: To find this file, use the hosting file manager or FTP client and navigate the /public_html/wp-includes/ folder.
- Using DirectAdmin: It’s easy to find the current WordPress version using DirectAdmin. Just log in to your account and go to the WordPress installation screen.
Don’t forget that just knowing the WordPress version used on your website might not be enough. Check WordPress’s list of released versions and compare it with the latest and upcoming updates to ensure you’re using the most up-to-date version of WordPress.
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