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auto-updates4 min read

Setting Up Automatic Updates: Never Manually Update Again

Learn how to set up GrootMade's auto-update plugin to keep all your WP themes and plugins current automatically, saving hours of maintenance time.

Marcus Johnson

Marcus Johnson

Setting Up Automatic Updates

Managing updates for multiple WP sites is a time-consuming nightmare. One site needs an update, then another, then you forget which ones you've updated, and before you know it, you're spending hours every week just keeping things current.

GrootMade's auto-update plugin solves this problem. Here's how to set it up and never worry about manual updates again.

Why Auto-Updates Matter

Keeping themes and plugins updated is crucial for:

  • Security — Updates often patch vulnerabilities
  • Compatibility — New WP versions require updated code
  • Features — Updates bring new functionality and improvements
  • Performance — Updates often include performance optimizations

But manually updating across multiple sites? That's a full-time job.

Installation in 3 Steps

Step 1: Download the Plugin

From your GrootMade dashboard, navigate to the plugin download page. Download the GrootMade Auto-Update plugin.

Step 2: Install on Your WP Site

  1. Log into your WP admin panel
  2. Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
  3. Upload the grootmade-auto-update.zip file
  4. Click Activate

Step 3: Connect Your Account

  1. Go to Settings → GrootMade in your WP admin
  2. Enter your GrootMade API key (found in your dashboard)
  3. Click Connect

That's it. The plugin is now monitoring your installed GPL products and will update them automatically.

How It Works

Once connected, the plugin:

  1. Scans your site — Identifies all GPL products from our library
  2. Checks for updates — Compares installed versions with latest available
  3. Downloads updates — Fetches new versions automatically
  4. Installs updates — Updates products in the background
  5. Notifies you — Sends email notifications when updates complete

All of this happens automatically, without any intervention from you.

Configuration Options

The plugin offers several configuration options:

Update Schedule

Choose when updates run:

  • Immediate — Update as soon as new versions are available
  • Daily — Check once per day at a specific time
  • Weekly — Check once per week

Update Types

Control what gets updated:

  • All products — Update everything automatically
  • Themes only — Update themes but not plugins
  • Plugins only — Update plugins but not themes
  • Selective — Choose specific products to auto-update

Notifications

Configure email notifications:

  • All updates — Get notified about every update
  • Major updates only — Only notified about significant version changes
  • Errors only — Only notified if something goes wrong
  • No notifications — Silent operation

Managing Multiple Sites

If you manage multiple WP sites, you can:

  1. Install on all sites — Use the same API key across all sites
  2. Centralized management — View all connected sites in your GrootMade dashboard
  3. Bulk operations — Update multiple sites from one interface
  4. Site groups — Organize sites into groups for easier management

Troubleshooting

Updates Not Installing

If updates aren't installing automatically:

  1. Check your API key is correct
  2. Verify your GrootMade subscription is active
  3. Check WP file permissions
  4. Review error logs in Settings → GrootMade → Logs

Conflicts with Other Plugins

Some security or caching plugins can interfere. If you experience issues:

  1. Temporarily disable other plugins to test
  2. Whitelist GrootMade plugin in security tools
  3. Clear cache after updates
  4. Contact support if problems persist

Rollback Feature

If an update causes issues:

  1. Go to Settings → GrootMade → Updates
  2. Find the problematic product
  3. Click Rollback to revert to previous version
  4. Report the issue so we can investigate

Best Practices

  1. Test on staging first — Use auto-updates on production, test major updates on staging
  2. Keep backups — Always maintain recent backups before updates
  3. Monitor notifications — Stay informed about what's being updated
  4. Review changelogs — Check what's new in each update
  5. Report issues — Help improve the plugin by reporting bugs

Time Savings

Let's do the math:

  • Manual updates: 10 sites × 5 products × 15 minutes = 12.5 hours/month
  • Auto-updates: 5 minutes configuration = 0.08 hours/month

That's a 99% reduction in update maintenance time.

Security Benefits

Auto-updates mean:

  • Faster patching — Security updates install immediately
  • No forgotten updates — Nothing falls through the cracks
  • Consistent versions — All sites stay current
  • Reduced attack surface — Outdated code is vulnerable code

Getting Started

Ready to automate your updates?

  1. Download the plugin
  2. Install on your WP site
  3. Connect your GrootMade account
  4. Enjoy automatic updates

Never manually update again.

Need help? Check our troubleshooting guide or contact support.