How do I update the Yoast SEO plugin?

After you’ve installed Yoast SEO, you want to update your plugin regularly to use all the newest features! In this article, we’ll explain several ways that you can update your Yoast SEO plugin, Yoast SEO premium, or any other Yoast product. We’ll show you how to enable the auto-update as well as different ways to manually update.

How to enable auto-updates for Yoast SEO plugins

Since WordPress version 5.5, you can enable auto-updates for all your plugins and themes. This means that your plugins will be updated when a new version has been released. Follow the steps below if you want to enable automatic updates for Yoast SEO. Please note that Yoast SEO Premium and all other add-ons such as Local, Video, News and WooCommerce rely on the settings of the free Yoast SEO plugin.

1. Log in to your WordPress website
   When you log in, you will be in your Dashboard.
   
2. Go to Plugins
   You are now in the Plugins menu.
   
   
3. In the Plugins menu, click Enable auto-updates for Yoast SEO
   At the right side of the page, click Enable auto-updates for Yoast SEO. This will also enable auto-updates for your other Yoast products.
   
   
4. Your Yoast SEO plugins will now receive automatic updates
   You will receive automatic updates on your dashboard when your plugins are updated.

How to manually update Yoast plugins by using the Plugins overview

How to manually update Yoast SEO plugins by using the Updates overview

If you want to control when you update your Yoast SEO plugins, you can leave the auto-updates disabled and manually update all your plugins. Follow the steps below to update your plugins, as well as themes and WordPress versions via the Updates overview

1. Log in to your WordPress website
   When you log in, you will be in your Dashboard.
   
2. Go to Updates under Home
   You are now in the Updates menu.
   
   
   
3. Select what versions, Plugins and Themes you want to update
   You can choose Select All or only install specific updates.
   
   
4. Click Update Plugins to update your selected plugins
   You will now update the plugins that you have selected.
   
   

How to manually update Yoast SEO plugins by uploading the plugin .zips

Sometimes, updating through WordPress is temporarily unavailable. In that case, you can update your plugins by uploading them manually. Keep in mind that you cannot update the free Yoast SEO plugin this way: it is only available for Yoast SEO Premium and the WooCommerce, Local, News and Video add-ons.

1. Log in to your MyYoast account and go to Downloads
   Here, you can view all your purchased products.
   
   
2. Download your plugin
   You will be able to download .zip files.
   
   
   
3. Log in to your WordPress website
   When you log in, you will be in your Dashboard.
4. Go to Plugins
   You are now in the Plugins menu.
   
   
5. Click Add New
   A new screen will open. If you don’t see the Add New option, check that you have the right permissions to install plugins on the site.
   
   
6. Click the Upload Plugin button at the top of the screen
   The screen will expand with the option to upload files.
   
   
   
7. Upload the plugin and click Install Now
   In the Add Plugins screen, you can click on Choose file and upload the .zip file. Click on Install Now to install the plugin; this may take some time.
   
   

How to manually update Yoast SEO plugins by using FTP

If your WordPress admin doesn’t show the available update, if the automatic update doesn’t work or if you need to manually install the plugin for the first time, you update by using File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or preferably the secure version, Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).

Your host provider may be able to help you with FTP/SFTP. You may wish to contact them first before using the steps below. Alternatively, your host provider may have some other method to help install plugins instead of using FTP/SFTP.

Requirements for the manual update

To manually update the plugin, you must have:

• Your FTP or SFTP login information
  If you do not have this information, please contact your host provider and obtain your host (or IP address), Username, Password, and Port number.
• An FTP or SFTP program
  We use and recommend FileZilla but any FTP or SFTP program should work, including file managers provided by most web hosts.
• A backup of the site
  Your host provider may be able to provide a backup or have one that can be made available. You may also wish to review the plugin repository for a backup plugin that can meet your needs.

Manually updating the plugin

Now that you have the required stuff, a manual update consists of downloading, unzipping and uploading the plugin files. 

1. Go to your MyYoast portal
2. Click on Downloads
   
   
3. Download your plugin
   You will be able to download .zip files.
   
   
4. Extract the downloaded .zip file.
5. Upload the extracted files to your plugins folder
   Upload the extracted plugin folder to the wp-content/plugins folder in your WordPress directory online. The name of the extracted plugin folder should be equal to the name of the existing plugin folder online.
6. NOTE: Make sure you overwrite the existing plugin-files. Doing so is not expected to remove your existing SEO data or settings. It is all expected to still be saved and will work and appear after the FTP install.

How to update the plugin on a staging or development site

To update the plugin, please add your site in your MyYoast and activate your subscription for that site. Read our switching from development server to live server article for more information.