My premium plugin doesn’t update automatically

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Updates for Daan.dev’s premium plugins (e.g. OMGF Pro, CAOS Pro or WP Help Scout Docs) normally appear in Dashboard › Updates and on the Plugins screen, just like plugins from WordPress.org. If they don’t, you’ll usually see one of these:

  • “Automatic updates are disabled, because …” below your plugin on the Plugins screen. This message also tells you why, e.g. because your license isn’t activated for this site, or because your license key can’t be read.
  • “Automatic update is unavailable for this plugin.” on the Plugins screen.
  • Clicking View version … details shows “Plugin not found.”
  • The plugin isn’t listed under Dashboard › Updates, while a newer version is available.

Why does this happen?

Premium plugins are updated from daan.dev, not from WordPress.org. Your site checks for updates using the license key you activated in the Daan.dev License Manager. WordPress only gets an update when:

  • your license is valid and activated for this site,
  • the License Manager can read your stored license key, and
  • your server can connect to daan.dev.

If one of these fails, WordPress doesn’t know about the update, or it doesn’t get a download link for it.

1. Check your license

Go to Settings › Daan.dev Licenses, or click the Manage License tab in your plugin’s settings. Seeing “Automatic updates are disabled, because …” on the Plugins screen? Then the link in that message takes you there, too. Look at the icon next to your plugin:

  • A red cross and an empty field: your stored license key can’t be read, e.g. because your site was moved or the encryption key in wp-config.php    changed. Enter your license key (again) and click Activate License. See Licence(s) Failed to Validate in Activating your License.
  • An exclamation mark: your license has expired, or will expire soon. Renew your license, then click Just renewed? next to it or wait 24 hours to allow your site to refresh its license information.
  • A green check mark: click Deactivate License, enter your license key again and click Activate License. This activates your license for your site’s current address, e.g. after you moved it to a different domain. See Deactivating a License.

Can’t find your license key? It’s available 24/7 under Your License Keys in your account.

2. Check if your server can reach daan.dev

Your site checks for updates by connecting to daan.dev. Some hosts, firewalls and security plugins block these connections. If that’s the case, ask your host to allow outgoing connections to daan.dev.

Good to know: your license is activated from your browser, while updates are checked by your server. So even when activating your license works, your server might still be blocked.

3. Give it a few hours

After you’ve fixed the issue, it can take a few hours before the update shows up in Dashboard › Updates. In a hurry? Then update manually.

4. Update manually

Need the update right away? You can always install it manually:

  1. Download the latest version from your account area.
  2. Go to Plugins › Add New Plugin and click Upload Plugin.
  3. Select the ZIP file and click Install Now.
  4. Click Replace current with uploaded.

Your settings and license are kept.

Still not working?

Please contact me. Let me know which plugin it’s about, which message you see, and what you’ve tried so far.