What to do when WordPress displays the message “Database Update Required”?

After updating WordPress to a newer version, you may encounter a situation where attempting to access the administration panel (wp-admin) results in a message stating:

Database Update Required

When you click the Update WordPress Database button, WordPress may respond with:

No update required. Your WordPress database is already up to date.

However, when you try to access the administration panel again, the same message reappears, preventing you from logging in.

Why Does This Happen?

This issue is often caused by a caching mechanism that stores outdated information about the WordPress database version.

One common source of the problem is the object-cache.php file located inside the wp-content directory.

How to Fix the Problem

Step 1

Connect to your website using:

• FTP
• SFTP
• SSH
• File Manager (if available)

Step 2

Navigate to your WordPress installation directory.

Step 3

Open the following folder:

wp-content

Step 4

Locate the file:

object-cache.php

Step 5

Either:

• Rename the file (recommended), for example:

object-cache.php.old

or

• Delete the file completely.

Step 6

Refresh the WordPress login page and try accessing:

https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin

The administration panel should now load correctly.

Additional Troubleshooting

If the issue persists:

Clear WordPress Cache

If you use a caching plugin such as:

• LiteSpeed Cache
• WP Rocket
• W3 Total Cache
• Redis Object Cache

clear all cache data.

Clear Browser Cache

Sometimes the browser may store outdated redirects or cached pages.

Try:

• Opening the site in a private/incognito window.
• Clearing your browser cache.

Disable Object Cache Plugins

If the object-cache.php file is recreated automatically, a caching plugin may be generating it. Temporarily disable the related plugin and test again.

Verify WordPress Updates

Ensure that:

• WordPress core files were updated successfully.
• Database upgrades completed without errors.
• All plugins and themes are compatible with the installed WordPress version.

Summary

If WordPress repeatedly displays the “Database Update Required” message even though the database is already up to date, the issue is often caused by a stale object cache.

To resolve the problem:

1. Connect to your website files.
2. Open the wp-content directory.
3. Rename or remove the object-cache.php file.
4. Try logging in to wp-admin again.

In most cases, removing this cache file immediately restores access to the WordPress administration panel.