How Often Should a Website Be Updated?
May 13, 2026 · 3 min read · by the upkept/dev team
How often you update a website depends on what kind of update you mean. There is no single answer, because a security patch and a content refresh are not the same job. Apply security patches within a day or two of release, do routine software updates monthly, and refresh content whenever it actually changes. The mistake people make is treating "updating the website" as one occasional task, when it is really three different rhythms. Here is the schedule for each.
Security updates: within a day or two
These are the urgent ones. When a plugin or the core software releases a security fix, the vulnerability it patches is now public, and automated bots start scanning for unpatched sites quickly. Apply security updates promptly, ideally within a day or two, after taking a backup. What happens if you never update explains why this is the one you cannot let slide.
Software updates: monthly
Non-urgent feature and compatibility updates for plugins, themes, and core do not need doing the day they appear, but they should not pile up for months either. A monthly pass is the right rhythm for most sites: back up, update one thing at a time, test the site. This is the core of the monthly maintenance checklist.
Doing it monthly keeps the list short, so each update is a small, low-risk change rather than a scary backlog of dozens.
Content updates: whenever it changes
Prices, opening hours, staff, services, and news should be updated whenever the real-world thing changes. An outdated price or last year's hours is worse than no information, because it actively misleads. There is no schedule here beyond "keep it true," but a quick content review as part of your monthly pass catches the things that drifted out of date without anyone noticing.
The bigger reviews
Two longer rhythms sit on top of the monthly routine:
- Quarterly: a fuller review. Check speed, test all forms, look at what has broken or aged, and confirm backups still work. Auditing your site is a good quarterly habit.
- Every few years: consider a redesign or refresh. A site that is maintained well can look dated even while working fine, and design expectations move on.
A simple combined schedule
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Within a day or two | Security patches |
| Monthly | Software updates, content check, form test |
| Quarterly | Full audit, speed and backup check |
| Every few years | Design refresh or rebuild |
Follow that and the site stays current without either neglect or constant fiddling.
What to do next
Set the two rhythms that matter most: a way to hear about security updates so you apply them fast, and a recurring monthly hour for everything else. If keeping to that sounds like more than you will realistically do, that is exactly what a maintenance plan handles. Either way, the update you must never skip is the security one.
Part of our guide to website maintenance.
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