Disable Updates for WordPress Core, Plugins and Themes vs Disable WordPress Updates – Version Locker

This plugin disables all WordPress updates (core, plugins and themes). This can be useful if you have multiple environments such as a live and staging server and you don’t want your users to use the update functionality. This plugin not only disables the update mechanism for the core, plugins and themes, but it also removes the update menu item from the left navigation menu in the admin dashboard.

Version Locker is an update manager that lets you disable automatic updates in WordPress and keep any plugin, theme, or WordPress core itself on the version you are running today. Turn off updates for one plugin, for every plugin at once, for themes, or for WordPress core. Once something is locked it will not update automatically, and the one-click update button is withheld until you unlock it. Every switch is reversible in one click. Stop Automatic Updates, Without Losing Track of Them Most plugins that disable updates simply hide them, and six months later you have no idea how far behind you are. Version Locker still shows you the update it is holding, including the new version number and whether it is a major, minor, or patch release. You can add a note explaining why something is pinned, and set a date for the lock to release itself. Downgrade WordPress Core to a Specific Version Pick the release you want and Version Locker offers it under Dashboard > Updates. Nothing is installed until you start it there yourself, and once the site is on that release, further core updates are held back. You can downgrade WordPress to an earlier version, or hold WordPress on the version you have tested, without editing files over FTP or hunting for an old ZIP. Only releases published on WordPress.org are offered, and the package always comes from WordPress.org in your site’s own language. Going backwards across a major version has to be confirmed first, because WordPress upgrades the database as it goes and cannot migrate it back. What Makes This Different Four things you will not find together anywhere else: Roll back to an earlier version. Something broke after an update? Reinstall any version still published on WordPress.org and pin it there, from inside your dashboard. No FTP, no hunting for old ZIP files. Roll back WordPress core, not just plugins. Choose a specific WordPress version and stay on it. Hold new releases for a few days. Set a waiting period and every new release is held for that many days before WordPress offers or installs it. Let other people find the bugs first. It only ever delays an update, it never starts one. Copy your setup between sites. Save your locks and settings to a file and load them on another site. You see exactly what will change before anything is applied. Who This Is For Agencies and freelancers managing client sites. Anyone running a customized or patched plugin. Production and eCommerce sites that update on a schedule. Sites on older PHP or an older WordPress version. Common Problems It Solves Stop WordPress from automatically updating plugins in the background. Prevent a specific plugin from updating while every other update keeps working normally. Keep a customized plugin from being overwritten by a new release. Go back to the version that worked before an update broke your site. Freeze a whole site’s versions before a migration, audit, or busy trading period. Block WordPress core updates until you have tested the new version on staging. Downgrade WordPress to a specific version after a core update broke the site. Hold WordPress on an older version while a theme or plugin catches up. Delay WordPress updates for a few days so someone else hits the bugs first. Stop someone else with admin access from updating a plugin you deliberately pinned. Keep an eye on which updates you are holding, and how far behind you have fallen. Full Feature List Disable automatic updates for individual plugins Disable automatic updates for individual themes Turn off all plugin updates at once Turn off all theme updates at once Turn off WordPress core updates Downgrade WordPress core to a specific version, or hold it on the one you are running Roll back a plugin or theme to any earlier version on WordPress.org Hold new releases for a set number of days before they are offered Block new plugin or theme installs, including ZIP uploads Automatically lock anything you newly install Save your locks and settings to a file, and load them on another site Lock or unlock without a page reload Bulk lock or unlock many items at once “Update available” indicator on locked items, without enabling the update See the pinned version and how far behind you are (major, minor, or patch) Add a note to any lock, and set it to unlock itself on a date Search and filter your plugins and themes Activity log showing who changed what and when, with CSV export Works on Multisite How It Works Version Locker uses WordPress filters to hide update notices and refuse update attempts. Locking never touches your files: nothing is added, changed, or removed on disk. The one exception is Roll Back, which only runs when you ask for it. It downloads the version you pick from WordPress.org and replaces the installed files, exactly as a normal update would. You are warned and asked to confirm first. No account, no API key, no external service. Nothing is sent anywhere.