One of many strengths of WordPress is its extensibility. You’ll be able to run every part from e-shops and reserving techniques to huge WordPress multisites from one occasion of WordPress.
One other is that it’s a database and sturdy PHP-based programming language, which implies that operating a bunch of updates on a web site is remarkably easy.
On this put up, I’m going to current three alternative ways to bulk replace WordPress.
A fast phrase of warning earlier than beginning to have a look at this: Issues like misaligned fields or plugin conflicts might lead to unintended outcomes, so in the event you’re doing any large-scale updates, remember to again up beforehand.
Additionally, for the content material updates, it’s value operating a small take a look at. Ten or so posts as a tester is an efficient strategy to begin, earlier than operating it via the complete web site.
1. How To Bulk Replace Content material On A WordPress Web site
Easy Adjustments To Present Content material
If you wish to make easy modifications to current content material, equivalent to bulk change the writer, standing, or taxonomies on quite a few items of content material, one factor you are able to do is use WordPress’ pre-existing bulk modifying element.
From the edit posts/pages web page, you’ll be able to tick particular person posts and pages and choose “Edit.”
From there, you’ll be able to set all posts’ classes, tags, statuses, and different info rapidly and simply. As soon as performed, click on the “Replace” button.
Screenshot from WordPress, August 2025Please word: This may substitute all classes, however tags will likely be added. That is most likely the most typical manner of modifying content material, which you most likely already find out about!
Importing And Exporting Content material
Let’s say you wish to bulk add WordPress content material on a WordPress web site.
The commonest model is that you just wish to import a set of weblog posts, or certainly, you’ve got an inventory of merchandise inside a spreadsheet that you just wish to import right into a system like WooCommerce; it is dependent upon the place you’re importing from.
Should you’re combining a WordPress export and importing it into one other weblog, one of the simplest ways is to make use of the default WordPress Importer plugin.
Should you’re shifting content material between WordPress websites, use the default WordPress Importer. It reads WXR (.xml) export information and might optionally obtain and import file attachments.
In case you are utilizing WooCommerce, then one of the best plan of action can be to make use of the default WooCommerce product importer.
It’s fairly sturdy and might take a typical CSV, XML file, or spreadsheet and import it. You’ll be able to map these fields to WooCommerce fields, which is a little more work.
Screenshot from WordPress, August 2025For WooCommerce merchandise, use the built-in Product CSV Importer/Exporter and map your columns to product fields.
Do you have to be importing content material from a non-standard supply (like a CSV or a feed), a terrific plugin to make use of is WP All Import.
For non-standard sources (CSV, XML, Excel, Google Sheets), WP All Import can map fields to any put up sort and even run customized PHP throughout import. Add-ons cowl ACF, Yoast, and WooCommerce.
It’s a freemium plugin, with the premium model permitting integrations with ACF, Yoast & WooCommerce. To speak via the facility of WP All Import is a weblog put up in itself. Nonetheless, I can share a typical utilization.
Say you want to replace all weblog posts with new standardised title tags, you should utilize the companion plugin WP All Export to export all put up knowledge.
Then, inside Excel or Google Sheets, you’ll be able to change particular person values, after which use WP All Import to import the weblog posts again in.
2. How To Deal with Bulk Plugin Updates On A WordPress Web site
In fact, behind the scenes – and one of the vital widespread duties with WordPress blogs – is ensuring that plugins are all updated.
Preserving plugins updated is an important process in holding your web site safe and operating easily. Fortunately, in the event you solely have one web site, it’s very straightforward to do a bulk replace.
Log in to your WordPress web site as an administrator, and underneath Dashboard, there’s a heading entitled “Updates.” Click on it to take you to the updates display screen.
Screenshot from WordPress, August 2025Scroll down a bit, and it’s best to have a listing of plugins in direction of the underside that want an replace. Equally to the majority modifying, there will likely be a checkbox subsequent to every aspect.
Choose all checkboxes for the plugins you want to replace (and – in all actuality – you’d wish to be sure you choose all plugins).
Click on “Replace Plugins,” after which all plugins will likely be introduced updated!
Your web site is unlikely to interrupt even with numerous backups. Nonetheless, within the extraordinarily unlikely occasion the positioning breaks after updating a bunch of plugins, there are methods to get better, which you’ll be able to learn within the article “How Do You Resolve A Plugin Battle.” Go to the log information and deactivate the plugin by way of FTP.
Alternatively, listed below are a number of different strategies to do bulk updates efficiently:
- Replace in small batches (e.g. break up by performance, or by letter). Replace, reload key pages, then transfer on.
- Again up and take a look at on staging earlier than manufacturing.
- Should you use a upkeep dashboard like ManageWP, run Secure Updates (it creates a restore level, runs the updates, visually compares pages, and rolls again if one thing seems fallacious).
- WordPress Command Line Interface (WP-CLI) permits you to preview or replace plugins individually:
- Preview:
wp plugin replace yoast-seo --dry-run - Replace one:
wp plugin replace yoast-seo - Replace all (use with care):
wp plugin replace --all
- Preview:
3. How To Deal with Bulk Plugin Updates On A number of WordPress Web sites
That’s all high quality for one WordPress web site. Nonetheless, if you’re managing a number of WordPress websites, then it may be a bit time-consuming to deal with plugin updates on a number of WordPress websites.
Fortunately, I coated this in a earlier article, “Find out how to handle a number of web sites on WordPress.”
In that article, I shared quite a few WordPress upkeep dashboard companies that exist, which can let you log in and replace a number of WordPress websites from one singular location.
Listed here are among the hottest:
Though every of those platforms has premium choices that adjust with price and options, additionally they supply plugin and theme updates without spending a dime.
I exploit ManageWP, so when you join your web site to ManageWP, it’s best to see a dashboard with the variety of plugin updates it is advisable to do unfold over quite a few websites. Merely click on “Replace All” to replace all plugins on all installations. Alternatively you’ll be able to tick the checkboxes and “Replace” to pick out particular person plugins to put in.
Screenshot from WordPress, August 2025.It’s also possible to filter by websites and severity of updates inside ManageWP. There’s a premium choice to do a “secure” replace, which can let you run an replace, verify the positioning, and roll again if something breaks.
There’s a wide selection of the way to hold out bulk updates inside WordPress. There are additionally command-like instruments like WP CLI (talked about above) to construct scripts to run on websites. Nonetheless, that’s value an article in itself.
To bulk replace all plugins in WP CLI, you should utilize this command:
wp plugin replace --allThis may replace all plugins on a person web site and you’ll develop that to a script to run on a number of websites.
WP CLI is so highly effective and actually must be used for businesses to handle a number of web sites rapidly and simply.
Wrapping Up: Bulk Updates For A Clean-Working WordPress Web site
WordPress makes it easy to deal with bulk updates, whether or not you’re tweaking content material, importing merchandise, or holding plugins in verify.
Throughout the built-in instruments and accessible plugins, there’s an answer for almost each state of affairs. The secret is to check modifications in small batches and all the time preserve a backup useful.
With a bit prep, it can save you hours of handbook work and preserve your web site (or websites) operating easily and effectively.
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Featured Picture: GaudiLab/Shutterstock
