WordPress 5.9 background updates are not working

WordPress users have reported that they are experiencing an issue with WordPress automatic updates. The exact problem reported by the users is Background updates are not working.

WordPress 5.9 Background updates not working

Some users indicated that after running the Site Health report they got this warning message “Background updates are not working as expected.” This issue does not break the website but it points to an existing problem in the website.

How to fix Background updates not working

Below are four possible solutions to the problem

Solution 1: Disable all plugins

The first step to discovering the cause of the problem is to disable all WordPress plugins and then run Site Health. If the error goes away, then enable the plugins one by one as you check the Site Health status to confirm the plugin that prevented the update.

Solution 2: Enable WordPress Core auto-updates

Go to Dashboard then updates and switch to automatic updates. These updates will not break your website as WordPress will only update when they release maintenance and security updates. Main WordPress releases like 5.9 that may break your website will not be automatically updated.

 Solution 3: Pause security plugins or apps

If you are using a security plugin or web application like WordFence or Cloudflare, then temporarily pause the plugin or app and run Site Health to check if there is a security setting that is preventing auto-update.

Solution 4: Change Permission

File and folder permissions might differ depending on the host. However, the Public html folder permission for most hosts is 750. Therefore, check if there are any differences in your Public html folder permission, try to change to 750, and check if that solves the problem. If you encounter any problems after file permission change, you can revert to the original permission.