The fastest way to check your WordPress version is to log in and look at the bottom-right corner of any dashboard screen, where it says “Version 7.x”. If you are not logged in, or you want to check someone else’s site, add /feed/ to the domain and search the page for “generator”; the version is in the RSS feed on most sites. Those two cover almost every case. Below are all seven methods, including the ones that work when the dashboard is down, plus what to do once you know the number, because the version itself only matters if it is behind.
How do you check the WordPress version from the dashboard?
- Log in to
yoursite.com/wp-admin. - Look at the bottom-right of the screen. Every dashboard page shows Version 7.1.1 (or whatever you are running) in small grey text.
- If a theme or admin plugin hides that footer, open Dashboard, Updates. The top of the page says “You have the latest version of WordPress” with the number, or offers the update.
- The At a Glance box on the dashboard home page also lists the version next to the active theme.
On WordPress.com, the version is managed for you and the WordPress.com support page explains where it appears on those plans; the methods below are for self-hosted sites.
How do you check the version without logging in?
| Method | Where to look | Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| RSS feed | Open yoursite.com/feed/ and search for generator; you see https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.1 | High; only hidden if a security plugin strips it |
| Page source | Right-click, View Page Source, search for name=”generator”; the meta tag gives the version | Medium; many themes and SEO plugins remove it |
| Script version strings | In the page source search for ?ver=; core scripts carry the WordPress version | Medium; plugins carry their own numbers, so find a wp-includes script |
| readme.html | yoursite.com/readme.html used to show the version | Low; removed from the readme years ago and often blocked |
| Online checkers | Tools that read the feed and source for you | Same limits as above, one click |
Hiding the version from the source, which some security plugins do, does not stop attackers; they test for the vulnerability directly rather than reading the number. It only makes your own checks harder.
How do you check the version from the files or the command line?
- version.php: open
wp-includes/version.phpby FTP or the host’s file manager; the line$wp_version = '7.1.1';is the definitive answer, and it works when the site is white-screened and the dashboard will not load. - WP-CLI: over SSH, run
wp core versionin the site folder. Add--extrafor the database revision and package language;wp cli infoshows the PHP version. This is the method I use across client sites because it takes two seconds and never lies. - Host panel: Hostinger, SiteGround, Kinsta and most managed hosts show the version in their WordPress management screen, alongside the PHP version.
What do the version numbers mean?
WordPress numbers releases as major.minor.patch. 7.1 is a major release with new features and block editor changes, arriving roughly twice a year. 7.1.1 is a maintenance and security release for that branch, and those can arrive at any time; WordPress installs them automatically unless auto-updates were switched off in wp-config or by the host. The auto-update setting is under Dashboard, Updates, and leaving it on for minor releases is the default worth keeping.
What do you do once you know the version?
Compare it to the current release (7.1.1 as of September 2026). WordPress ships one or two major versions a year plus minor security releases in between, and W3Techs shows that around a third of sites are still on version 6 or older. What the number tells you:
| Your version | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Latest major, latest minor | Up to date | Nothing; check that minor auto-updates are on |
| Latest major, older minor | Missing security fixes | Update now; minor releases are safe to apply directly |
| One major behind | Some plugins may already require the newer version | Back up, update on staging if you have one, then live |
| Two or more majors behind | Themes and plugins likely outdated too; PHP may be old | Full maintenance pass before anything else, ideally by someone who has done it |
Updating core is the easy part; the risk is the theme and plugins around it, which is why WordPress maintenance is a routine rather than a one-off. If the site was already showing signs of a hack, clean it before updating; an update does not remove injected files.
How do you check theme, plugin and PHP versions too?
- Plugins: Plugins, Installed Plugins, each row shows the version and whether an update is available.
- Theme: Appearance, Themes, click the active theme; or
wp theme list. - PHP: Tools, Site Health, Info, Server; or the host panel. WordPress.org recommends PHP 8.3 or newer for WordPress 7, and hosts are retiring 7.4 and 8.0.
- Database: Site Health, Info, Database shows the MySQL or MariaDB version.
All four numbers together are the first thing I read on any WordPress site handed to me, before touching a single setting, and the beginner WordPress tips explain why keeping them current is a habit rather than a project.
Frequently asked questions
Log in and look at the bottom-right corner of any dashboard page, or open Dashboard, Updates. Both show the installed version.
Open yoursite.com/feed/ and search the page for generator; the version appears as wordpress.org/?v=7.1.1. The page source may also contain a generator meta tag unless a plugin removed it.
In wp-includes/version.php, on the line $wp_version = ‘7.1.1’. This works even when the dashboard will not load.
Run wp core version in the site directory over SSH. Add –extra to see the database revision and package language; run wp cli info for the PHP version.
It makes little difference to security, because attackers test for vulnerabilities directly. Keeping WordPress, themes and plugins updated is what actually protects the site.
WordPress 7.1.1 is the current release as of September 2026, with minor releases through the year. Check Dashboard, Updates on your site, which compares your version to the latest release automatically.
