WordPress Error Background updates are not working as expected

If you’ve encountered the message “Background updates are not working as expected” in your WordPress Site Health status, it can be frustrating. This feature is designed to keep your site secure by automatically applying updates, particularly for core files, themes, and plugins. When it fails, it can expose your site to vulnerabilities. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to troubleshoot and resolve this issue.

Understanding Background Updates

Background updates were introduced in WordPress 3.7 to enhance security and convenience by allowing the platform to automatically apply minor updates without user intervention. However, several factors can interfere with this functionality.

Common Causes of Background Update Failures

1. Plugin Conflicts

• Often, a plugin may disable background updates by calling the function wp_version_check() or using the filter automatic_updater_disabled. If you see a message indicating that a plugin has prevented updates, start by deactivating your plugins one at a time to identify the culprit[1][6].

1. Theme Issues

• In rare cases, the active theme may also interfere with background updates. Check your theme’s functions.php file for any code that references update checks or disables automatic updates.

1. Configuration Settings

• Your wp-config.php file may contain settings that disable automatic updates. Look for lines such as:
  php define('WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', false); define('AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED', true);
• If these lines exist, either remove them or set them to allow updates (e.g., define('WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', 'minor');) to enable minor core updates.

1. Server Configuration

• Sometimes, server settings or restrictions imposed by your hosting provider can prevent background updates from functioning correctly. Managed hosting providers like WP Engine or Flywheel may disable this feature for various reasons, including maintaining control over site stability and compatibility.

1. Caching Issues

• Caching plugins or server-side caching can interfere with update processes. Clear all caches to ensure that changes take effect immediately.

1. Insufficient Disk Space

• Ensure that your server has enough disk space available for downloading and unpacking update files. Low disk space can halt the update process entirely.

Fix 1: Resolve the automatic_updater_disabled Filter Issue

1. Edit wp-config.php File:
   • Access your WordPress files via an FTP client, cPanel, or your hosting file manager.
   • Locate the wp-config.php file in the root directory of your WordPress installation.
   • Open it and search for: define( 'AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED', true );
   • If found, either delete this line or change true to false: define( 'AUTOMATIC_UPDATER_DISABLED', false );
   • Save the file.
2. Check for Filters in functions.php:
   • Go to your active theme’s directory (wp-content/themes/your-theme/).
   • Open the functions.php file and search for: add_filter( 'automatic_updater_disabled', '__return_true' );
   • If found, remove or replace it with: add_filter( 'automatic_updater_disabled', '__return_false' );

Steps to Resolve Background Update Issues

1. Check Site Health Status

• Navigate to “Tools” > “Site Health” in your WordPress dashboard to identify specific issues reported.

1. Disable Plugins and Switch Themes

• Temporarily deactivate all plugins and switch to a default theme (like Twenty Twenty-One) to see if background updates start working again.

1. Inspect wp-config.php

• Review and modify your wp-config.php file as necessary to enable automatic updates.

1. Contact Hosting Support

• If you suspect that your hosting configuration is causing the issue, reach out to your hosting provider’s support team for assistance.

1. Use Background Update Tester Plugin

• Consider installing the Background Update Tester plugin, which can help diagnose issues related to background updates and provide more detailed feedback on what might be wrong.

Conclusion

Resolving issues with WordPress background updates requires a systematic approach to identify and rectify potential conflicts, settings misconfigurations, or server-related problems. By following the steps outlined above, you should be able to restore functionality and ensure that your site remains secure through automatic updates. Regularly check your Site Health status after making changes to confirm that everything is functioning as expected.