Why my plugins are updating automatically?

Question

I have a wordpress site with a few plugins. I had to make some custom changes on a plugin (not a best practice), and of course I don't want to update that plugin.

But for some reason all my plugins have been updating themselves automatically without asking. ( Is that even possible ?!!). I have never had this behavior before.

I know that some plugins will show a notification whenever a new version is available and then I must click to update it.

My question is: Is it possible that my plugins are updating without asking? or perhaps this could be a security issue and I might have an unwanted admin updating the plugins ?

-- Edit --

I think I found my problem. I posted the answer. Thanks for all the others answers, they helped me to rule out other possibilities.

Answer 1

I found my problem:

Once I have updated a plugin through the wordpress admin section once, it will continue to update it automatically whenever there is a new version of this plugin. I didn't know this behavior.

I was hoping I would need to click the 'automatically update' message on the plugin every time I wanted to upgrade it. I guess i was wrong.

Thanks for all the others answers, they helped me to rule out other possibilities.

Answer 2

That might be a problem coming from your settings when you created your WordPress website.

Are you using a cPanel and an application that automatically takes care of the WordPress installation for you?

For example, I use 'Quickinstall' (you might be using the same application, or Fantastico or something in that sense). There's an option in the settings: Enable Global Automatic Upgrades: - Unchecking this will disable Automatic Upgrades for the entire account.

My guess is that you have this activated, so as soon as it finds an update it does all the work automatically.

Answer 3

Native WordPress behavior for plugins installed from official repository is to notify about available plugin updates and offer to perform the update.

Of course, as many things in WP, that is completely up to customization by running code. It it impossible to say why might your plugins auto update without hands on access to your site.

Answer 4

Yes,

For core go to Dashboard > Updates > Switch to automatic updates for maintenance and security releases only.

For plugins go to Plugins > Installed Plugins > Enable auto-update