Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

What Directory Does Wordpress Use to Download Plugin Updates?

As a Wordpress user, you might have noticed that plugins in your website need frequent updates to enhance compatibility and security. You may also wonder where Wordpress stores the downloaded plugin updates. Well, in this article, we will discuss the directory where Wordpress downloads plugin updates.

By default, Wordpress downloads plugin and theme updates to a designated folder in your website's directory. The directory is named 'wp-content/upgrade' and is located in the root folder where your WordPress installation is located.

This directory is usually hidden from your website's visitors, and only the administrator has access to it. You can access the plugin update files by logging into your site's admin panel and navigating to the 'wp-content/upgrade' directory.

The 'wp-content/upgrade' folder contains subfolders named after the plugin’s or theme's slug. A slug is a simplified version of the plugin/ theme's name that WordPress uses when creating directories. For example, a plugin named "Contact Form 7" would have a slug named "contact-form-7".

The plugin's slug folder contains downloaded updates, and these folders maintain a history of updates. Therefore, if you need to revert to a previous version of a plugin or theme, you can restore the files from the 'wp-content/upgrade' folder's appropriate directory.

It's worth noting that you can change the default directory where WordPress downloads plugin and theme updates. However, doing so requires modifying your site's file structure, which can be complex and risky.

In conclusion, Wordpress downloads plugin updates to the 'wp-content/upgrade' folder, and the directory is hidden from website visitors. The folder is accessible by administrators, and you can revert to a previous version of the plugin or theme by restoring files from the appropriate subfolder.