kanenas — Minor/Patch Auto-Updates

kanenas — Minor/Patch Auto-Updates gives you granular control over automatic updates. While WordPress allows you to enable or disable auto-updates entirely, this adds a third option: auto-update only minor and patch versions while keeping major versions at bay.

Why Use This?

Major version updates often introduce significant changes that may:

• Break compatibility with other extensions
• Introduce new features that require testing
• Change the behavior of existing functionality
• Require database migrations or manual intervention

With this, you can:

• Receive security patches automatically – Minor and patch versions typically contain security fixes
• Get bug fixes without intervention – Patch versions are generally safe to apply automatically
• Control major updates manually – Review major version changes before applying them
• Maintain site stability – Reduce the risk of unexpected breaking changes

How It Works

It uses semantic versioning (MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH) to determine update types:

• Major update (e.g., 1.0.0 → 2.0.0): Blocked from auto-update
• Minor update (e.g., 1.0.0 → 1.1.0): Allowed to auto-update
• Patch update (e.g., 1.0.0 → 1.0.1): Allowed to auto-update

Internally, this plugin runs only on WordPress auto-update decision filters:

• auto_update_plugin
• auto_update_theme

When you enable minor/patch mode for a plugin or theme, it also adds that item to WordPress core’s auto_update_plugins / auto_update_themes site options so the automatic updater treats it as opted-in the same way as the Plugins/Themes screen toggle.

It does not rewrite update API responses ( plugins_api ) and does not modify updater transients ( pre_set_site_transient_update_plugins ). Premium update discovery and license validation remain managed by each vendor updater.

Features

• Per-item control – Enable minor/patch auto-updates for specific items
• Easy toggle – Simple links in the admin pages
• Non-intrusive – Works alongside WordPress’s native auto-update system
• Clean uninstall – Removes all data when uninstalled
• Translation ready – Fully prepared for localization

Usage

1. 01Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins
2. 02Look for the “Enable auto-updates minor/patch” link below each plugin’s auto-update setting
3. 03Click to enable/disable minor/patch auto-updates for that plugin

For themes: 1. Go to Appearance → Themes 2. Click on a theme to view its details 3. Look for the “Enable auto-updates minor/patch” option in the theme details overlay

Privacy Policy

This plugin does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data. It only stores plugin/theme preferences in your WordPress database.

From WordPress Admin

1. 01Go to Add New in your admin
2. 02Search for “kanenas — Minor/Patch Auto-Updates”
3. 03Click Install Now and then Activate

Manual Installation

1. 04Download the ZIP file
2. 05Go to Add New → Upload
3. 06Choose the ZIP file and click Install Now
4. 07Activate it

Via FTP

1. 08Download and unzip
2. 09Upload the plugin folder (for example kanenas-minor-patch-auto-updates ) to /wp-content/plugins/
3. 10Activate through the admin menu

Does this work with premium extensions?

Yes, for automatic-update decisions. This plugin can only allow/block the final auto-update decision after an update has already been discovered by the vendor updater.

If a premium update is not detected at all, the cause is usually in that vendor’s update/auth stack and not in this plugin.

What if an extension doesn’t follow semantic versioning?

The plugin classifies versions as minor_or_patch , major , or unknown .

If a version cannot be categorized safely, it now defers to WordPress’s existing auto-update decision instead of forcing allow/deny.

Can I use this alongside WordPress’s native auto-updates?

Yes. If you enable both the native “Enable auto-updates” and “Enable auto-updates minor/patch” options, the minor/patch setting will take precedence and block major version updates.

Are there compatibility filters for premium updater edge-cases?

Yes.

• eaump_bypass_plugin_update_gate – bypass this plugin’s gate for a specific plugin update object.
• eaump_bypass_theme_update_gate – bypass this plugin’s gate for a specific theme update object.
• eaump_debug_log_updates – enable JSON decision logs (defaults to WP_DEBUG ).

If your premium updater has custom version formats or non-standard metadata, use a bypass filter to defer to core/vendor logic for that item.

Troubleshooting premium updater flows

Confirm the premium updater detects an available update first. Check whether your item is opted into “auto-updates minor/patch”. Enable debug logging with eaump_debug_log_updates and inspect decision reason codes. If needed, add a targeted bypass via eaump_bypass_plugin_update_gate or eaump_bypass_theme_update_gate .

Why do debug logs show the same current and new version?

On the Plugins screen, WordPress may invoke auto_update_plugin for every row using metadata where the offered version equals the installed version (no pending upgrade). In that case you will see reason: defer_same_version_no_pending_upgrade — it does not mean an update failed; it means there was nothing to upgrade in that pass.

Does disabling minor/patch remove WordPress auto-updates for that item?

Yes. Disabling minor/patch removes that plugin/theme from core auto_update_plugins / auto_update_themes , matching the enable action which opted it in.

Will this work on multisite?

Yes, it supports WordPress multisite installations.

How do I report a bug or request a feature?

Please visit kanenas.net or use the WordPress.org support forum.