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Disable All Updates

Updates are usually good — they bring security patches and new features. But sometimes you need to freeze everything. Maybe you’re running a production site where updates must go through staging first. Maybe a plugin update broke things and you need to lock versions until it’s fixed. This module gives you a kill switch for all WordPress updates.

Use Cases

  • Lock production environments where updates should only come through deployments
  • Freeze plugin and theme versions after testing a specific combination
  • Prevent automatic updates during critical business periods
  • Maintain stability when a recent update caused compatibility issues
  • Control update timing on client sites you manage

How It Works

This is a toggle module — enable it and all updates stop. No configuration needed.

When enabled, the module:

  1. Disables all automatic updates (core, plugins, themes, translations)
  2. Blocks manual update requests
  3. Removes update notifications and nags
  4. Hides update UI elements throughout the admin
  5. Shows “Updates Disabled by Switchboard” badge on the Updates page

What Gets Disabled

Update TypeStatus
WordPress core automatic updatesDisabled
WordPress core manual updatesBlocked
Plugin automatic updatesDisabled
Plugin manual updatesBlocked
Theme automatic updatesDisabled
Theme manual updatesBlocked
Translation updatesDisabled
Update check cron jobsDisabled
Update notificationsHidden
Update nag messagesRemoved

The Updates Page

When you visit Dashboard → Updates, you’ll see:

  • A badge indicating “Updates Disabled by Switchboard”
  • No update buttons or check options
  • Clean interface without confusing mixed messages

This makes it clear the site is intentionally locked, not broken.

Verification

After enabling:

  1. Go to Dashboard → Updates
  2. Should see the Switchboard badge
  3. No “Update Now” buttons should appear
  4. Check Plugins page — no update notices on individual plugins
  5. Check Themes page — no update badges on themes

What About Security Updates?

This module blocks all updates, including security patches. Use with caution.

Recommended workflow:

  1. Enable this module on production
  2. Test updates on a staging site first
  3. When ready, disable this module temporarily
  4. Apply updates manually
  5. Re-enable the module

Security risk: Blocking updates means you won’t receive critical security patches automatically. Only use this module if you have a process for testing and deploying updates through another channel.

When to Use This Module

Good use cases:

  • Production sites with staging-first update policy
  • Sites managed by agencies with controlled deployment schedules
  • Temporarily locking versions during troubleshooting
  • Preventing updates during high-traffic periods

Not recommended for:

  • Sites without any update management strategy
  • Sites you don’t actively maintain
  • Personal blogs without staging environments
  • Sites where you “set and forget”

Premium Plugin Updates

This module blocks updates from all sources, including:

  • WordPress.org repository
  • Premium plugin license servers
  • Theme marketplaces (ThemeForest, etc.)
  • Custom update endpoints

If you use premium plugins with their own update mechanisms, those will also be blocked.

FAQ

Can I still install new plugins and themes?Yes. This module blocks updates to existing items, not new installations. You can still add new plugins and themes normally.
Will I still see update notifications in my email?WordPress admin email notifications about updates should be suppressed. However, if you use third-party monitoring services, they may still detect available updates.
How do I apply updates when needed?Disable this module temporarily, apply the updates you want, then re-enable it. Or use WP-CLI or FTP to update files directly if you prefer.
Does this work on multisite?Yes. When network-activated, it disables updates across all sites. When activated on individual sites, it only affects those sites (though core updates are network-wide by nature).
What if WordPress auto-updates itself anyway?The module disables the automatic update system at multiple levels. If you’re seeing updates happen despite this module, check for other plugins or wp-config.php settings that might be forcing updates.
Can I allow only security updates?Not with this module — it’s all or nothing. For selective update control, you’d need a more granular update management plugin.

Best practice: Use this module in combination with a staging environment. Test all updates on staging, then deploy to production using your preferred method (Git, deployment plugin, manual upload).

This module doesn’t delete existing update data or downloaded update files. It just prevents new checks and installations.

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