How to Stop WP Ghost Plugin Auto Update Check

Yes, you can stop WP Ghost from checking for plugin updates by adding a single constant to your wp-config.php file. This is useful on staging sites, managed hosting environments, or when you follow a strict change-management process and prefer to update manually.

How to Disable the Automatic Update Check

To prevent WP Ghost from automatically checking for updates, open your wp-config.php file using an FTP client like FileZilla, your hosting’s cPanel File Manager, or SSH. The file sits in the root folder of your WordPress installation, the same directory that contains wp-content and wp-includes.

Add the following line before the /* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */ comment:

define('WP_AUTO_UPDATE_HMWP', false);

Save the file and upload it back to the server if you edited it locally. WP Ghost will stop pinging the update server in the background from the next page load.

How to Update Manually

With automatic checks disabled, you are responsible for checking when a new version is available. Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins in your WordPress dashboard, scroll to the WP Ghost plugin, and click the Check for Updates link. If a newer version exists, you can install it from there. It is a good idea to check at least once a month so you don’t miss critical security patches or firewall rule updates.

How to Re-enable Automatic Checks

Remove the define('WP_AUTO_UPDATE_HMWP', false); line from wp-config.php, or change false to true, then save the file. WP Ghost will resume checking for updates automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this constant affect WordPress core or other plugin updates?

No. WP_AUTO_UPDATE_HMWP only controls WP Ghost’s own update check. WordPress core updates, theme updates, and all other plugin updates continue working normally.

Will my site be less secure if I disable the update check?

Your existing WP Ghost protections, including the firewall, path security, and brute force rules, all keep running. The only risk is missing a new release that contains a security patch. Set a reminder to check manually if you disable automatic checks.

My managed host handles plugin updates. Should I disable this?

Check with your hosting provider first. Most managed hosts update plugins from the WordPress.org repository. WP Ghost Premium is distributed outside WordPress.org, so your host may not cover it. If they confirm they handle WP Ghost updates, disabling the check is fine.

What other wp-config.php constants does WP Ghost support?

WP Ghost supports several constants including HMW_PRIORITY for priority loading, HMWP_DISABLE to completely disable the plugin at runtime, and HMW_FILE_PERMISSION / HMW_DIR_PERMISSION for custom file permissions. For the full list, see the WP Ghost Constants in wp-config.php tutorial.

Does WP Ghost modify WordPress core files?

No. WP Ghost uses rewrite rules, WordPress filters, and output buffering to apply its security features. No WordPress core files are ever modified. Adding a constant to wp-config.php is a standard WordPress configuration practice, not a core file change.