Upgrade Your Joomla Site to a New Version

What is an upgrade?

Joomla is a CMS, a program for building websites. An upgrade replaces its core files with a newer version. A small update, such as 4.4.1 to 4.4.2, is usually safe. A big jump, such as 3 to 4, can break old extensions and templates.

Warning: Always take a full backup of your files and your database before you upgrade. Without a backup you cannot go back.

Before you upgrade

1. Log in to your admin area at yourdomain.com/administrator.
2. Go to System and read the System Information page. Note your Joomla and PHP versions.
3. Update all extensions and templates to the newest versions first.
4. Check that each extension supports the new Joomla. Look on the developer's website.
5. Check the PHP version needed by the new Joomla. Ask Hostvento support if you need to change PHP.
6. Take a backup. In cPanel, use Backup, or a backup extension such as Akeeba Backup, which is made by another company.

Steps for a small update

1. In the admin area, open System.
2. In the Update area, click Joomla.
3. If a new version exists, a button appears. Click Install the Update.
4. Wait until it says the update was successful.
5. Click Clear Cache in the System menu.
6. Test the front page and some inner pages.

Steps for a big upgrade

1. Test on a copy of your site first. Make the copy in a subfolder or a subdomain.
2. From Joomla 3.10 you can use the Pre-Update Check in the Joomla Update page. It tells you what will break.
3. Fix all red items on the check page.
4. Run the upgrade to the next major version.
5. Test everything on the copy.
6. Repeat the upgrade on your live site once the copy works.

If the update fails

• A timeout or a blank page may be a server limit. Ask Hostvento support about the PHP time limit and memory.
• If the site is broken, restore your backup.

Quick recap

• Back up files and database first.
• Update extensions, and check they support the new version.
• Use System, then Update, then Joomla.
• Test a big upgrade on a copy first.
• Restore the backup if something breaks.