How to update Plumbit safely

Plumbit supports three theme-update paths: ThemeForest customers can use Envato Market when connected, direct Stronghold customers receive Plumbit updates through Envato Market, and every customer can fall back to a manual parent-theme replacement. Back up first and know where your customizations live.

Before you update#

Create a full backup of the WordPress files and database.
Download the latest installable plumbit.zip file from your purchase source.
Check the release notes or changelog for major requirements and compatibility changes.
Update WordPress and required plugins only when their versions are supported by the Plumbit release you are installing.
Confirm that custom PHP, CSS, and template overrides are stored in a child theme or separate plugin.

Parent-theme edits will be overwritten#

Anything changed directly inside the plumbit theme folder can be replaced during the update. Move required customizations into the child theme before proceeding.

ThemeForest customers: Envato Market updates#

ThemeForest customers can use the bundled Envato Market plugin to receive Plumbit update notices and install available releases from the WordPress dashboard.

Install and activate the bundled Envato Market plugin from the Plumbit plugin installation prompt.
Open the new Envato Market menu in WordPress.
Follow the plugin instructions to generate and enter your Envato API personal token.
After the connection is authorized, confirm that Plumbit appears under the plugin’s Themes section.
When a new Plumbit version is available, apply the update from Envato Market, the standard WordPress updates screen, or the theme update notice.
Run the post-update checks listed later in this guide.

The Envato Market plugin connects to Envato using a secure OAuth token. It is not distributed through the WordPress.org plugin directory. Plumbit includes it as a bundled plugin for ThemeForest customers.

View the official Envato Market plugin guide

Direct Stronghold customers: Envato Market updates#

Direct Stronghold purchases use the Envato Market licensing and update system. Direct Stronghold customers receive Plumbit updates through Envato Market, and an activated license enables Plumbit update delivery through WordPress.

When Envato Market presents a Plumbit update, apply it through the available WordPress update action after reviewing the release notes. The update replaces the Plumbit parent-theme files; the child theme remains separate.

Plugin updates remain separate operations unless a plugin's own updater handles them. Back up the site and test the update on staging before applying a major release.

Manual update by uploading the new ZIP#

In WordPress, go to AppearanceThemesAdd ThemeUpload Theme.
Select the latest plumbit.zip file. The parent theme can also be updated manually with plumbit.zip as a fallback.
Choose Install Now.
When WordPress detects the existing theme, review the installed and uploaded versions.
Choose Replace current with uploaded.
Wait for the replacement to finish, then return to AppearanceThemes.

If the Plumbit child theme is active, leave it active. You are replacing the parent theme only.

Optional FTP or file-manager update#

Use this method only when the dashboard upload is unavailable or your host blocks large uploads.

Extract the new plumbit.zip file on your computer.
Connect to the server and open wp-content/themes/.
Rename the existing plumbit folder as a temporary backup, such as plumbit-old.
Upload the new plumbit folder.
Check the site before deleting the temporary backup folder.

Do not merge old and new theme folders#

Merging can leave deleted or outdated files behind. Replace the parent-theme folder cleanly instead.

Checks to run after the update#

Identify the layer serving stale output and clear only that relevant cache.
Open the homepage and several internal pages.
Check the header, footer, menus, widgets, and page headers.
Edit one Elementor page and confirm the editor loads normally.
Check Services, Projects, Team, and other reusable content areas used by the site.
Review any custom PHP, CSS, or template overrides in the child theme.
Confirm that required Plumbit plugins remain active.

What the update should not remove#

A normal parent-theme update should not remove Contact Form 7 form records or Mail settings because they are stored separately from the parent-theme files.

A normal parent-theme update should also not remove pages, posts, Elementor layouts, media, menus, users, or plugin settings because those are stored outside the parent-theme files.

The real risk is custom code or edited templates stored directly in the parent theme. Those files are not update-safe.

Common update problems#

The site still looks like the old version#

Confirm the installed Plumbit version in the theme details screen. If the site still shows older output, identify the layer serving that output and clear only the relevant cache.

A customization disappeared#

The change was probably made inside the parent theme. Restore it from backup, then move it into the child theme or a custom plugin before updating again.

The site shows a critical error#

Restore the backup or temporary old theme folder, then review the PHP error log. Compatibility problems often come from outdated plugins or custom code rather than the theme replacement itself.

Success state#

The latest Plumbit version is installed.
The active parent or child theme is unchanged.
Pages, menus, widgets, and reusable content still display correctly.
Required plugins are active and the Elementor editor loads.
Customizations remain in the child theme or separate plugins.
No PHP, JavaScript, or visible layout errors appear on the site.

Support escalation#

If the update fails, provide the old and new Plumbit version numbers, WordPress and PHP versions, the exact error text, a screenshot of the failure, and any relevant server log entry. Mention whether a child theme or custom code is active. Do not send passwords.