Update Message Reduces User Orientation reg. WordPress Version

[hakre]

This is a usability issue many customers are telling me: When there is a WordPress update message, the current version is not prominent any longer.

Normally the current version is displayed in the admin's footer. If there is a (very promintent "on top") update message, this version information get's hidden in footer as well.

The only place where a user can find the current version is in some dashboard widget. That location is hard to find. And that location is hard to describe on the phone, e.g. in support.

I suggest to restore the current version display in the footer, because a footer is very easy to find and to describe by phone.

Additionally the update message on top should display the current version number as well. Something Like There is a new version available, you're currently running (should be 65%-70% of the width in english text of a 1024 width screen (970 or so viewport size) to allow this to be translated w/o consuming too much of the screen real estate).

[scribu]

I agree with showing the current verision in the footer.

[scribu]

*version

[dd32]

It does seem a little weird, and is probably something that should be implemented whilst reworking some of the strings and UX of the upgrade pages.

[dd32]

This still seems like something we should do.

Attached a rough patch, any thoughts on the exact strings? I tried to keep HTML out of it, but it's pretty ugly..

[SergeyBiryukov]

Introduced in [7237].

[circlecube]

Adding current WP version to update string.

[circlecube]

I'd agree. I am missing this feature every single time I update any install. I need to know how big the update is before I hit the button.

How about mirroring the language used for the plugins: You have x.x.x. installed. Short and sweet, see 15101.2.diff

[SergeyBiryukov]

I think the long-term plan is to de-emphasize version numbers in favor of background updates:
​https://www.ostraining.com/blog/wordpress-news/matt-updates/

[MadtownLems]

The long-term plan to de-emphasize version numbers in favor of background updates is well and good, but that doesn't mean there isn't a very valid desire from many of us to have easy access to this information in the footer. That being said, I do completely understand the intent behind NOT showing them.

What if you only show the current version number if Automatic Upgrades are disabled? I think this shows the information to people who need it most, and hides it from those who it doesn't matter as much for.

[circlecube]

I agree. I think it's worth pointing out that we have two users to consider here. The power users who are primarily the ones updating sites, and the masses who rarely run their update, the actual crowd who these background updates are for (I dare say). We can either ignore the power users who want to know this in favor of the masses who likely don't know or even care what version they are running. Or we can display a statistic which will be helpful to the power users who are seeing this update page more often than others and display information that is just as easily ignored to the masses.

Running an update is something that will likely not be happening on a site with automatic background updates anyways, so that's almost a moot point. If the background update runs, then the whole point is that the user doesn't have to go to the update screen... so they wouldn't see it anyways. But those who do see the screen during an update will find it helpful, rather than having to jump back to the dashboard page which still (rather prominently) displays the current version number (I'd say in a place where it's of much less use than the page where you can essentially change the version you're running.

[dd32]

#31046 was marked as a duplicate.

[aymanalzarrad]

Any updates on this?

[daxelrod]

#32211 was marked as a duplicate.

[SergeyBiryukov]

#33512 was marked as a duplicate.

[Vayu]

I really would like to have this information too.

[SergeyBiryukov]

Replying to SergeyBiryukov:

I think the long-term plan is to de-emphasize version numbers in favor of background updates

Related: #35554

[netweb]

#36871 was marked as a duplicate.

[markshep]

Has the version number really not been displayed on the upgrade screen for six years? I guess there's not much chance of this getting fixed if it's been that long :-(.

Displaying this information would be really useful for anyone who either wants to or needs to manually upgrade WordPress. I'm in the situation where I'm forced to manually upgrade the various WordPress sites I run because the automatic updates don't work for me. When I go to the upgrade page for a site I'd really like to know what the currently running version of WordPress is so I know how far behind that particular site is.

I really don't understand the rationale for hiding this information. Those who don't need to know can just ignore it, but those of us who do want to know would find it very useful.

[ocean90]

#44122 was marked as a duplicate.

[tmdesigned]

Not having version numbers is still an issue, making it difficult for a user to know how significant of an update the change would be.

I know the plan is to de-emphasize version numbers in favor of background updates, but if they are seeing the "You can update..." message at all then they have not auto-updated, and the information can help them make an informed decision about how to proceed.

If that's the reason this hasn't been done in the last 8 years, why show the version number of the update that's available, or anywhere else at all? So long as version numbers are used at all, intentionally hiding it makes little sense to me.

I am attaching a diff that makes the version number part of the update text at the top, i.e. "You can update from WordPress 4.7.10 to WordPress 4.9.5 automatically." This will only be shown when there is an update to be made.

[tmdesigned]

Proposed solution affecting the text at the top

[tmdesigned]

Screenshot of proposed change

[circlecube]

Looks good @tmdesigned and I agree. This plan makes sense, since those with auto-updates wouldn't likely see there is an update very often, because it would auto-update. I still think we should add the current version number when displaying the new version right there. This is the same pattern used for every plugin that is listed on the same page.

[ocean90]

#45572 was marked as a duplicate.

[ocean90]

#45729 was marked as a duplicate.

[SergeyBiryukov]

#48440 was marked as a duplicate.

[mrgrt]

Is there any chance this can get some more attention/priority? Having initially been opened 10 years ago it would be good to get this looked at.

[ocean90]

#48999 was marked as a duplicate.

[ocean90]

#49475 was marked as a duplicate.

[ocean90]

#50099 was marked as a duplicate.

[puneetsahalot]

Looks like this is receiving a lot of "duplicates". Do we have any milestones for this?

[SergeyBiryukov]

In 48709:

Upgrade/Install: Show the installed WordPress version number on WordPress Updates screen if there is a newer version available.

This makes it easier for a user to know how significant of an update the change might be, and helps them make an informed decision about how to proceed.

Props tmdesigned, dd32, circlecube, dkarfa, hakre, scribu, MadtownLems, markshep, nbachiyski, dmchale, miqrogroove, ovann86, danieltj, sterndata, seanpaulrasmussen, mrgrt, Commeuneimage, dpacks, puneetsahalot, jonoaldersonwp, SergeyBiryukov.
Fixes #15101. See #35554, #47848.