It is essential to regularly update your theme to ensure optimal performance and compatibility. Skipping multiple theme updates can result in broken layouts or functionality issues, especially due to deprecated functions or significant changes introduced in newer versions. Regular updates help maintain site stability and security.
To enable automatic updates for the Porto theme, you must first activate your theme license.
As per Envato’s licensing terms, a single purchase code is required for One live website. However, Porto allows the use of up to Five staging sites for testing purposes with the same purchase code. No additional license is needed for these staging sites, but they must not be publicly accessible. Access should only be allowed after admin login, which can be enforced using a “coming soon” plugin or .htaccess restrictions. [Read more...]
Before Update
- Full Site Backup: Always make a complete backup of your website before performing any update. This step ensures you can easily restore your site if something goes wrong. Ensure that you back up the following:
- wp-content folder: Contains your themes, plugins, and uploads.
- wp-config.php file: Stores your WordPress configuration settings.
- .htaccess file: Defines important server and rewrite rules.
- WordPress Database: Includes your posts, pages, users, and site settings.
If you’re not familiar with manual backups, use a trusted backup plugin such as UpDraftPlus or WordPress BackupBuddy for a hassle-free process.
- Backup Porto Theme Settings: Before updating, navigate to Porto > Theme Options > Import / Export to back up your Porto theme settings. This ensures you retain your customized theme configurations after the update.
- Completely Remove the Old Porto Theme Folder: It is essential to delete the previous version of the Porto theme entirely before uploading the new version. Do not rename the Porto theme folder, as this may cause issues during the update process.
- Clear Cache: After updating the theme, it is critical to clear all caches to prevent conflicts and ensure your site displays the latest changes. Make sure to:
- Reset browser cache.
- Clear server cache (if applicable).
- Clear any plugin cache (e.g., WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache).
- Update Required and Recommended Plugins: After updating the theme, check that all required and recommended plugins are updated to their latest versions.
Note: If you have made any customizations or code changes directly within the theme files, please be aware that these modifications may be lost during the update process. To avoid losing custom code, it’s highly recommended to implement changes using a child theme, which ensures that your customizations remain intact even after updates.
We strongly recommend that you customize the theme using a child theme rather than modifying the core theme files. This approach makes it significantly easier to update the parent theme without losing your customizations, ensuring seamless updates and long-term flexibility.
1. One Click Update Theme
After activating your theme and completing all necessary steps mentioned above, you will receive update notifications in both Dashboard > Appearance > Themes and Dashboard > Updates. These notifications ensure you're informed of any available updates, keeping your theme up to date and optimized for performance.
- Under Dashboard > Updates
- Under Appearance > Themes
2. Traditional Update (Manual Update)
Manually Updating the Porto Theme.
- Download the Latest Version
Log in to your ThemeForest account and download the most recent version of the Porto theme (porto.zip). - Access the Themes Section
In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance > Themes. - Upload the New Theme
Click on the Add New button, then select Upload Theme. Choose the downloadedporto.zipfile from your computer. - Install the Theme
Click on Install Now. WordPress will display information about your existing version. Click on the Replace Current with Uploaded button to proceed. - Update the Porto Functionality Plugin
After the theme installation is complete, go to Appearance > Install Plugins and update the Porto Functionality plugin to ensure compatibility with the latest theme version.
3. Using Envato Market WordPress Plugin
The Envato Market plugin allows you to manage your ThemeForest purchases directly from the WordPress dashboard and choose whether to receive updates.
How to Use the Envato Market Plugin
For detailed instructions on using the Envato Market plugin, please refer to the following link: Envato Market Plugin Guide.
Post-Update Steps
After updating the theme, navigate to Porto > Theme Options in the admin sidebar. Click the Save Changes button to ensure all settings are applied correctly.
I can't update properly and how to fix it?
During updates, you may encounter an "Update Failed" error. If this happens, you can refer to this article for solutions to resolve the issue.
