WordPress Plugin Update Hack: Copy Current & New Versions Instantly

If you manage WordPress websites with many plugins, you’ve probably faced this issue:

  • Checking each plugin update manually
  • Copying current version
  • Copying new version
  • Pasting into Excel or documentation

This becomes time-consuming, especially when dealing with websites that have a large number of plugins.

Here’s a simple bookmark-based solution to automate this entire process.

The Problem

When updating plugins in WordPress:

  • You need to track current version vs updated version
  • WordPress shows this info visually but not in a copy-friendly format
  • Manual copying is slow and error-prone

The Solution: Bookmarklet

This method uses a small JavaScript bookmark (bookmarklet) that extracts:

  • Plugin Name
  • Current Version
  • Available Update Version

And copies everything in one click.

How to Set It Up

Step 1: Create a Bookmark

  • Open your browser bookmarks bar
  • Create a new bookmark
  • Name it something like: WP Plugin Versions

Step 2: Add This as the URL

Paste the following script as the bookmark URL:

javascript:(function(){let o=[];document.querySelectorAll('.plugin-update-tr').forEach(u=>{ let r=u.previousElementSibling; if(!r)return; let name=r.querySelector('.plugin-title strong')?.textContent.trim(); let text=r.innerText; let cur=(text.match(/Version\s<em>([0-9.]+)/i)||[])[1]; let upd=(u.innerText.match(/version\s</em>([0-9.]+)/i)||[])[1]; if(name && cur && upd){ o.push(name + "\t" + cur + "\t" + upd); }});let t=o.join("\n");navigator.clipboard.writeText(t).catch(()=>{});prompt("Copy outdated plugins:",t);})();

This will act like a tool when clicked.

How to Use It

  1. Go to your WordPress Admin
  2. Navigate to Plugins → Installed Plugins
  3. Filter to show Updates Available (or scroll to outdated plugins)
  4. Click the bookmark you created

That’s it.

  • A popup will appear with all outdated plugins
  • Data is already copied to clipboard
  • Format is tab-separated (perfect for Excel or Google Sheets)

Output Format

The result will look like this:

Plugin Name 1 1.2.3 1.3.0 Plugin Name 2 4.5.1 4.6.0

  • Column 1: Plugin Name
  • Column 2: Current Version
  • Column 3: Available Version

Why This Is Useful

  • Saves time when managing multiple plugins
  • Useful for maintenance reports
  • Helps track updates before applying them
  • Great for agencies handling multiple websites

Important Notes

  • Works on the WordPress Plugins page
  • Requires visible “update available” rows
  • Tested on standard WordPress admin UI

Conclusion

This bookmarklet simplifies plugin update tracking into a one-click process. If you regularly maintain WordPress sites, this small automation can save a significant amount of time.

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