Updating WordPress plugins and themes is essential for security and performance. But sometimes an update doesn’t go the way you expect. A plugin update may break your design, slow down your website, cause fatal errors, disable your checkout page, or even lock you out of WordPress.
This is where rolling back comes in.
Rolling back a WordPress plugin or theme means restoring a previous stable version—the version that was working perfectly before the update. And the good news? WordPress gives you multiple safe ways to do this.
This guide is the ultimate 2025 tutorial on how to roll back any plugin or theme in WordPress safely, using:
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WP Rollback plugin
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Manual rollback using ZIP files
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Rollback from hosting tools
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Rollback using FTP / File Manager
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Rollback using version control (Git)
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Rollback from Staging to Live
This is a complete 2500+ word guide designed to outrank competitors and help your readers solve the issue without losing their site.
Table of Contents
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Why You May Need to Roll Back a Plugin or Theme
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Precautions Before Rolling Back
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Method 1: Roll Back Using WP Rollback Plugin
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Method 2: Manual Rollback Using WordPress.org Versions
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Method 3: Roll Back Using FTP or File Manager
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Method 4: Roll Back a Theme Safely
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Method 5: Roll Back Using Hosting Tools
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Method 6: Roll Back Using Git Version Control
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Method 7: Roll Back From Staging to Live
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How to Prevent Future Update Issues
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FAQs
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FAQ Schema (JSON-LD)
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Final Thoughts
1. Why You May Need to Roll Back a Plugin or Theme
WordPress sites rely heavily on plugins and themes. But a single bad update can break everything.
Common reasons for rollback:
The update broke the design
Your header, slider, buttons, or theme layout stops working.
Plugin conflict
Plugin A gets updated, suddenly Plugin B stops working.
PHP errors
You get fatal errors like:
WooCommerce stopped working
Critical for stores — checkout or cart breaks after an update.
Performance drop
Slow site, high CPU usage, memory spikes after update.
Updated version removed old features
Some developers remove functions your site was using.
Security reasons
Some updates introduce vulnerabilities.
Rollback helps you quickly fix the issue while waiting for the developer to patch the update.
2. Precautions Before Rolling Back
Rollback is safe if you follow these steps:
Take a Full Backup
Use:
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UpdraftPlus
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All-in-One WP Migration
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BlogVault
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Your hosting backup
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cPanel backup
Check plugin/theme changelog
If the new version has major code changes, rollback might cause compatibility issues.
Test first on a staging site
Most hosts provide staging:
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Cloudways
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SiteGround
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Bluehost
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Hostinger
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WPX
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Kinsta
Copy custom changes
Some users make custom edits inside plugins/themes (never recommended).
Rollback will remove those changes.
3. Method 1: Roll Back Using WP Rollback Plugin (Safest & Easiest)
The WP Rollback plugin is the most popular and safest way to revert plugin or theme versions.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1 — Install WP Rollback
Go to:
Plugins → Add New → Search “WP Rollback” → Install → Activate
Step 2 — Open Installed Plugins
Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
Step 3 — Look for the “Rollback” Button
Under each plugin, you will now see a Rollback button.
Step 4 — Select a Previous Version
A popup will appear showing all available versions stored on WordPress.org.
Step 5 — Choose Your Version → Click Rollback
The plugin will automatically:
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Download the older version
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Replace the current version
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Keep your settings intact
Good news:
This works for most plugins hosted on WordPress.org.
WP Rollback does NOT work for:
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Premium plugins
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Plugins installed from ZIP
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Plugins without a WordPress.org repository
4. Method 2: Manual Rollback Using WordPress.org (Works for ALL Plugins)
Even if a plugin isn’t supported by WP Rollback, you can manually roll back.
Step-by-Step Manual Rollback
Step 1 — Download the Previous Version
Go to the plugin’s WordPress.org page:
Click “Advanced View”
Scroll to “Previous Versions”.
Download the version you want.
Step 2 — Delete the Current Plugin
Go to:
Plugins → Installed Plugins → Deactivate → Delete
Your plugin settings are usually stored in the database, so deleting does not remove configuration.
Step 3 — Upload the Old Version
Go to:
Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin → Choose File → Install Now
Activate the plugin.
Done!
5. Method 3: Roll Back Using FTP or File Manager
This method is useful when:
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Your site is down
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You cannot access WP Admin
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Plugin causes white screen of death
Steps
Step 1 — Access File Manager
Use cPanel → File Manager
OR FTP → FileZilla
Step 2 — Go to plugins folder
/wp-content/plugins/plugin-name/
Step 3 — Delete or Rename the folder
Rename example:plugin-name-old
Step 4 — Upload old plugin version
Upload the old version ZIP and extract it.
6. Method 4: Roll Back a WordPress Theme Version
Themes can break layouts more easily than plugins.
Method A — WP Rollback (If theme is from WordPress.org)
Go to Appearance → Themes → Theme Details → Rollback
Method B — Manual Theme Rollback
If theme is not on WordPress.org:
Step 1: Download old theme version as ZIP
From developer site or backup.
Step 2: Upload via FTP
Upload to:/wp-content/themes/theme-name/
Overwrite or rename old folder.
Step 3: Activate old theme
⚠ NEVER delete your active theme before uploading replacement — it may break the website.
7. Method 5: Roll Back Using Hosting Tools
Some hosts offer instant rollback.
Instant Backup Restore (One-click)
Hosts like:
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Kinsta
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SiteGround
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Hostinger
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Bluehost
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WPX
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Cloudways
allow:
✔ Restore entire website
✔ Restore only files
✔ Restore only database
✔ Restore staging backups
Example: SiteGround
Go to Site Tools → Backups → Restore Files → Select date → Confirm.
8. Method 6: Roll Back Using Git Version Control (Advanced)
If your site is version-controlled using Git:
Roll back last commit
Or roll back to specific commit:
For staging/live deployment setups, this is extremely powerful.
9. Method 7: Roll Back From Staging to Live
If you updated everything in staging and it worked fine, but live site broke:
Restore staging to live
Push stable version
Overwrite faulty update
Most managed hosts support this.
10. How to Prevent Future Update Issues
Always create backups before updating
Use auto-backups on WPX, Cloudways, Kinsta.
Use staging for risky updates
WooCommerce major updates require staging.
Enable auto-update only for safe plugins
Avoid enabling auto-updates for:
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Page builders
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WooCommerce
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Payment plugins
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Themes
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Anything critical
Read changelogs
Look for keywords like:
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Breaking changes
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Deprecated
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Requires new PHP version
Use plugin conflict checker
Such as Health Check plugin.
Use child themes
Never modify the main theme — use child theme for edits.
11. FAQs
1. Is it safe to roll back a plugin in WordPress?
Yes, as long as you take a backup first. Rolling back restores the older working version without deleting your settings.
2. Will I lose my data if I roll back?
No. Plugin settings and data are stored in the database, so version rollback does not erase them.
3. Can I roll back premium plugins?
Yes, but you must download older versions manually because WP Rollback works only for WordPress.org plugins.
4. Why did my site break after a plugin update?
Plugin updates can introduce conflicts, deprecated functions, or new bugs. Rolling back usually solves this instantly.
5. Does WordPress have a built-in rollback feature?
No. You must use plugins like WP Rollback, manual ZIP upload, or hosting backup tools.
12. Final Thoughts
Rolling back WordPress plugins or themes is one of the most important troubleshooting skills for any WordPress site owner. Whether an update breaks your layout, causes a fatal error, or conflicts with WooCommerce, rolling back quickly restores stability and prevents downtime.
Using WP Rollback is the easiest method, but having knowledge of FTP, hosting restores, and manual ZIP methods ensures you can handle any WordPress emergency professionally.
