WordPress 5.5 has introduced the auto-update feature for plugins and themes. Keeping plugins and themes updated to the latest version is a key factor in managing your WordPress site securely. We strongly recommend you enable auto-updates for the Contact Form 7 plugin, but you should also be aware that there are risks involved in the use of auto-updates.
In the following cases, consider disabling auto-updates and doing an update manually:
- You use plugins that extend the functionality of Contact Form 7 (add-on plugins);
- You use a theme that overrides the CSS style rules of Contact Form 7;
- Or you apply coding customization of some sort to Contact Form 7.
In those cases, updating Contact Form 7 or one of the plugins or themes that affect Contact Form 7 might bring about incompatibility risks between them, and if you do it automatically, you might not even realize problems are occurring on the site.
Managing your sites securely is your responsibility. Update your plugins and themes in a proper way. If there is a plugin or theme that is an obstacle to updating other parts, you should make a decision to remove it.