WordPress 5.5+ comes with a feature that makes it possible to enable or disable theme or plugin auto-updates. Once a plugin or theme has been updated, you will receive an email notification. You will also receive a notification when auto update fails.
Clicking on Enable auto-updates will schedule a plugin for update in 3 hours if it has a new version available for update.
NOTE: Only plugins that are available in the WordPress plugin repository can be auto updated.
Should you enable auto-updates?
Enabling auto-update is essential for users who manage websites with no plugin or theme customization and have no time to manually update their plugins. However, if you run websites with plugins or themes that have been customized then automatic updates might break them if they are found to be incompatible.
If you have decided to enable auto-update the next concern will be about auto-update email notifications.
Problem with auto-update email notifications
When a theme or plugin auto-updates you will receive an email notification. The notifications are not a problem if you manage one website with one or two installed plugins. However, if you run several websites then the notifications will be too many, and irritating. They will get even more overwhelming, if you have a developer who updates his plugin frequently.
To get peace, you need to disable auto-update email notifications. Below is how to do it
How to disable Auto updates email notification
To stop WordPress from sending theme or plugin auto-update email notifications, you need to install a plugin called Disable auto-update Email Notifications. The plugin is only 2kb in size and has zero effect on the load speed of your website.
Once you have installed the plugin, all plugins and themes auto-update email notifications will be turned off. Other WordPress email notifications not related to auto-update will be sent as usual.
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Andy says
Hi, will this as well disable the core update notification?
Elvis Maoro says
Hi @Andy
This plugin does not disable WordPress Core notifications. It only disables plugins and themes auto update email notifications.
Jaap Bleumink says
I’ve added the following code to this mini plugin, it did the job in canceling the core auto-update e-mails:
// Disable WordPress core auto-update email notifications.
add_filter( 'auto_core_update_send_email', '__return_false' );Elvis Maoro says
That’s great Jaap.