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# How the global updater works

The global updater allows you to manage and run plugin, theme, and WordPress core updates safely and globally from a single place. It’s one of the features that saves you the most time when managing multiple sites with Modular DS.

You can access the updater from “**Updates & Manager**” in the left-side menu of your dashboard.

![Modular DS dashboard](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/01-screenshot-updates-manager_5bvjgs.png)

**From the global updater, you can:**

* Update plugins, themes, and WordPress versions across one or multiple sites at once, choosing between different update modes: quick, safe, or automated.
* Schedule one-time updates for a specific date and time.
* [Install, activate, deactivate, or delete plugins and themes](https://help.modulards.com/en/article/how-to-manage-plugins-and-themes-from-the-modular-ds-updater-xi24p/).
* Detect known vulnerabilities in plugins, themes, and WordPress versions.
* See the risk of updating a plugin in advance with Update Copilot, our AI-powered scoring system.
* Spot warnings for plugins that haven’t been updated for a long time or have been closed in the official WordPress repository.
* Hide updates that you don’t want to run yet.
* Manage your hidden, scheduled, and automated updates.

Watch the global updater walkthrough in this video:

${youtube}[Managing WordPress updates at scale with Modular DS’s global updater](zytmBoZXJ1U)

## Table of content

* [Getting started with the global updater](#2-getting-started-with-the-global-updater)
* [How to update plugins, themes, and WordPress core](#2-how-to-update-plugins-themes-and-wordpress-core)
* [How to install, activate, deactivate, or delete plugins and themes](#2-how-to-install-activate-deactivate-or-delete-plugins-and-themes)
* [How to see known vulnerabilities](#2-how-to-see-known-vulnerabilities-in-plugins-themes-and-wordpress-versions)
* [How to hide updates](#2-how-to-hide-updates)
* [Synchronization of updates](#2-synchronization-of-updates)
* [How the site-level updater works](#2-how-the-site-level-updater-works)

## Getting started with the global updater

Once inside the updater, you can move between three tabs at the top, organized by category:

* Plugins
* Themes
* WordPress

Each category shows how many items have pending updates.

![Global updater](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/02-screenshot-updates-availabl_pk9thw.png)

The dropdown menu below lets you **switch between different views**.

By default, each tab opens in the “Available Updates” view. However, you can select the **“All” view** to see **all plugin, themes, or WordPress versions installed on your sites**, even if no updates are available:

![“All” view in the updater](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/16-view-all-plugins-themes-wor_1facrsu.png)

From this menu, you can also **access and manage hidden, automated, and scheduled updates**, which are explained in more detail later in this article.

Another useful option in the updater is **filtering** by tags, teams, or vulnerabilities, sorting the results, or searching for specific items.

![Filter options](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/filters-updater_1jzyxxy.png)

Within the list, next to the name of each plugin, theme, or WordPress version, you’ll see **the number of sites where it’s installed (in brackets)**. You can also expand each item to view the specific websites.

On the right side, you’ll find the current version and the new one available for update.

Clicking on the latest version opens the **changelog** for that plugin or theme.

![Plugin changelog](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/changelog-screenshot_bj52mw.png)

## How to update plugins, themes, and WordPress core

From the updater, you can choose to update a plugin, theme, or WordPress version across all websites where it’s installed, or only specific ones. This allows you to work in bulk or individually.

**To perform an update**, select the items you want to update and click the **“Update”** button.

From there, you can choose which update mode to use: quick, safe, or automated with smart conditions.

![Update button](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/03-screenshot-update-button_vho1rj.png)

### Update modes in Modular DS

All update modes are available for both bulk and individual updates.

#### Quick updates

The standard WordPress update method. Useful for minor or urgent updates where speed is the priority and the risk is low.

#### Safe updates

Creates a restore point of the plugin or theme before updating, performs visual comparison checks (screenshots) before and after the update, and allows you to roll back changes manually or automatically if something goes wrong.

Recommended for critical updates or websites where stability and security are a priority.

![Safe update](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/13-screenshot-safe-update_61s2lw.png)

| In the Safe Updates settings, you can choose which URL should be checked, both globally and per site.

#### Automated updates with smart conditions

Allows you to schedule quick and safe automatic updates for plugins, themes, and WordPress versions using smart rules so that they only run when certain conditions are met. For example:

* The version has been available for more than X days.
* It’s a minor release.
* The [Update Copilot](#3-update-copilot) risk score is above X.
* If a vulnerability is detected, it triggers an immediate update instead of waiting for the scheduled date.

This is a great option for saving time and keeping your WordPress sites up to date without constant manual work, while maintaining full control and avoiding unnecessary risks.

![Smart automated update](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/14-screenshot-automated-update_134zjwe.png)

#### Scheduled updates (one-time)

Allows you to schedule specific updates for plugins, themes, and WordPress versions on a selected date and time.

This is useful for running updates outside working hours without creating a recurring automation.

![Scheduled update](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/12-screenshot-schedule-update_1y5f7un.png)

|| In all update modes, you can choose whether to clear the cache after each update. You can also enable this option by default from your update settings.

### Update Copilot

With Update Copilot, our intelligent scoring system, you can assess the risk of updating a plugin before installing a new version.

Each update receives a score from 1 to 100, calculated by analyzing more than 15 parameters, including the historical reliability of the plugin and the performance of the new version across Modular DS users. **The higher the score, the safer the update is to apply** and the lower the risk of breaking your site.

Expand a plugin in the updater list using the dropdown menu to see the websites where it’s installed. To the right of each site, you’ll find the **Update Copilot score**.

![Update Copilot icon](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/11-screenshot-update-copilot-i_1trtor7.png)

Click the score to view **detailed information**, including explanations and recommendations.

![Update Copilot risk insights](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/10-screenshot-update-copilot_fig5t2.png)

## How to install, activate, deactivate, or delete plugins and themes

From the global updater, you can also perform other **bulk management actions** on plugins and themes across one or multiple sites.

[Check out this article to learn more.](https://help.modulards.com/en/article/how-to-manage-plugins-and-themes-from-the-modular-ds-updater-xi24p/)

![Install plugin button](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/06-screenshot-install-plugin-b_a5skqo.png)

## How to see known vulnerabilities in plugins, themes, and WordPress versions

You can view vulnerabilities detected in your plugins, themes, or installed WordPress versions by clicking the **alert icon** next to their name in the updater.

Thanks to our [Patchstack integration](https://modulards.com/weve-partnered-with-patchstack-to-launch-patch-protect/), vulnerabilities can be visible in Modular DS up to 48 hours before public disclosure.

![Vulnerability alert icon](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/08-vulnerabilities_1xxmv2e.png)

When clicking the alert icon, you’ll see **more information about the type of vulnerability**, its severity, the version where it is fixed, and a link to Patchstack’s database with detailed documentation.

![Vulnerability details](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/09-screenshot-vulnerabilities-_1ifdniu.png)

## How to hide updates

If you prefer not to run certain plugin, theme, or WordPress updates on some of your sites, you can hide them. This is especially useful when you know an specific update will cause issues or when you need more time to evaluate it.

From the updater, select the items you want to hide and click the “**Hide**” button at the bottom, next to “Update”.

![Hide button](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/05-screenshot-hide-button_cxe6hf.png)

Once hidden, current and future updates for that plugin, theme, or WordPress version on the selected site(s) will no longer appear as pending.

You can also choose to hide future updates from the “All” view (where you can see all installed plugins, themes, and WordPress versions).

## Synchronization of updates

If you notice that updates are not properly synchronized, for example, if an expected update is missing, you can click the “**Reload**” button.

This sends a new request to your websites and refreshes the update information.

![Reload button](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/15-screenshot-reload-button_dqo558.png)

## How the site-level updater works

When **accessing an individual website** from your dashboard, Modular DS displays an updates widget in the Overview section.

From there, you can see, update, and manage all plugins, themes, and WordPress updates for that specific site, with the **same options available in the global updater**.

![Site-level updater](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/-/a/a/5/5/aa55333f4a914000/site-updater_mw3kpc.png)