Guides & TutorialsUpdating WHMCSManual UpdatesUpdating WHMCS Manually in the Browser

Updating WHMCS Manually in the Browser

We recommend using the Automatic Updater utility to apply updates, but you can also apply updates manually using your browser and FTP or your hosting control panel's file management system.

Prepare to Update

To prepare for a manual update:

  1. Review the latest system requirements and release notes to ensure that your environment meets the requirements of the new version.
  2. Back up your WHMCS files and MySQL® database using our built-in manual database backup or your preferred backup tools.
    • Do not skip this step.
    • Make certain that you include both the WHMCS files and database.
  3. If you buy your license directly from WHMCS, download the latest full release from our release download page. Otherwise, get this from your license provider.
  4. Unzip the contents of the downloaded WHMCS .zip file to a folder on your computer.
  5. If you have customized the admin directory, rename the /whmcs/admin directory in the new files (if it is present) to match it.
  6. Update using the appropriate method for your distribution type (Full Release or Patch Set). For more information about each distribution type, see our Updating documentation.

Full Release

To update using a Full Release distribution:

  1. Upload the new files to your existing installation folder, replacing any existing folders and files.
  2. If you have customized the location of the crons directory, make certain that you move that directory's contents in your distribution to the custom location.
  3. Visit the update page at example.com/whmcs/install/install.php, where example.com is the domain for your WHMCS installation.

WHMCS Not Installed Error

If a message displays stating that you have not installed WHMCS, you may have overwritten the configuration.php file when you performed the upload step. Restore that file from your backup before continuing.

EULA Screen

4. Click I AGREE.

5. Click Continue.

6. Check to ensure that you have successfully backed up your installation (above).

7. Click I have a backup, start the upgrade. The database update process will start.

Upgrade in Progress

Within a few minutes, a success message will display:

Upgrade Completed Successfully!

If a failure message appears, see our Updating documentation and update troubleshooting guides to troubleshoot the issue.

8. Delete the install directory from your server.

9. If you have customized the permissions on any files (for example, /crons/pipe.php), reapply those changes.

10. If you have custom themes, make any necessary changes to your custom templates. For more information,  see the Template Changes section of the version's release notes.

Patch Set

Before you begin, you must ensure that you are running the correct version for the patch set (the version immediately before the patch set's version).

To update using a Patch Set distribution:

  1. Upload the new files from the /whmcs/ directory to your existing installation folder, replacing any existing folders and files.
  2. Go to the WHMCS Admin Area. WHMCS will increment the version number and complete the process.
  3. If you have customized the permissions on any files (for example, /crons/pipe.php), check to ensure that the customizations remained in place.
  4. If you have custom themes, make any necessary changes to your custom templates. For more information,  see the Template Changes section of the version's release notes.

Check your WHMCS Version

To ensure that WHMCS updated correctly, check whether the expected version number displays in the Admin Dashboard or at Configuration > System Health.