Trouble-free Magento 2 Upgrade to the Latest Version:
Essential Step-by-Step Guide for Merchants
11 mins read
Do you want to make the Magento 2 upgrade for your online store? However, are you worried about possible problems during and after the update?
In this article, we have collected tips from the Whidegroup team. They will help you upgrade your store to the latest Magento version with minimal time and effort. You will find out:
- Why upgrade your Magento store to the latest version
- Several new features and improvements in Magento 2.4.8
- Preparing a store for an upgrade
- Complete guide to upgrading Magento
- Testing a store after the upgrade
- Troubleshooting issues after the upgrade
Wondering how much it will cost to upgrade and provide professional support for your store? Our Magento pricing guide contains all the important information: what components are needed to maintain a store and how much money you need to invest in each of them.
Upgrading Magento to a new version comes with a number of improvements that can boost your store’s performance and improve the user experience. So let’s plunge into the details and make your Magento update as smooth as possible.
Upgrade Magento 2 to the Latest Version: Why Does It Matter
Magento support emphasizes the need to upgrade ecommerce stores after the new version is available. Our developers definitely agree with this statement. Here’s why.
#1 Security of an online store
Imagine one unfortunate day you couldn’t get into your store’s admin panel. Then, after a while, you found out that your entire customer base was taken over by your competitors… If you don’t want this nightmare to become a reality, update the platform regularly.
Each Magento updated version can help fix bugs found in the previous Magento 2.4 or lower version thanks to new security patches. All security patches from previous iterations are, obviously, also saved in the latest Magento 2 version.
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#2 Performance of a Magento store
We bet it frustrates you when a website drags its feet to load. You probably close it and search for something quicker, right? Be sure your online store customers are just as impatient. So the quicker your site, the more orders will come your way.
For this reason, Magento developers are constantly improving the code and taking care of performance metrics with each platform update. As a bonus, it can cut your costs for the future Magento performance optimization services.
#3 Functionality of the latest Magento platform
Think about a retail store which adds self-checkout machines. Customers enjoy the quicker service, and staff can focus on other tasks. Just like that, Magento latest version can help to simplify processes, making your life easier.
Streamlining the checkout, adding new payment options, enhancing inventory management, or upgrading the content system — each new version brings something special that will please both store admins and customers.
#4 Support
Remember about an old phone with no software updates. It’s slow, glitchy, and vulnerable. Any Magento store faces the same risks without regular upgrades.
Upgrading to the latest version of Magento 2 ensures a store is protected and maintained by the Magento support. If you stick with an older version, you risk leaving your store exposed to bugs and security issues. But by upgrading, you tap into ongoing support and maintenance, keeping your store strong, up-to-date, and fully functional.
Hopefully, we have shown you why regular upgrades are important. Now, let’s explore what Magento 2.4.8 brings to the table.
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Magento 2.4.8: What’s Been Updated?
Magento 2.4.8 contains more than 250 quality fixes and platform enhancements compared to the previous version. The main advantages of the latest Magento version are summarized in the table. They are divided into two columns according to their importance for customers and online store admins.
Area of improvement
Important for customers
Important for shop owners
Performance
Important for customers
- Faster load times and better UX due to removal of outdated libraries
- Products in the compare list remain after login, providing a smoother shopping experience
- Enhanced search functionality for quicker and more accurate product discovery
Important for shop owners
- Default indexer mode set to “Update by Schedule”, reducing real-time indexing load and improving resource management
- Faster and more efficient bulk updates for tier prices through the REST API
- Enhanced GraphQL functionality for faster checkout, smarter order management, precise pricing and tax, expanded gift options, and more
Order and payment process
Important for customers
- PayPal PayLater messaging aligned with price and totals, ensuring accurate pricing during the checkout process
- Support for Apple Pay and Google Pay line items, streamlining the payment process
Important for shop owners
- Removed of Sofort and Giropay, as they are no longer supported
- Added a date_of_first_order field to the CustomerOrders type
- Extended the OrderAddress type to include custom attributes for more detailed order information
Shipping
Important for customers
- Integrated shipping options into PayPal and Google Pay modals, enabling a faster checkout
- Automatically shared shipping and tracking info with PayPal accounts, improving transparency and customer satisfaction
Important for shop owners
- Integrated shipping options into PayPal and Google Pay modals, enabling a faster checkout
- Automatically shared shipping and tracking info with PayPal accounts, improving transparency and customer satisfaction
Compatibility
Important for customers
X
Important for shop owners
- PHP 8.4
- Valkey 8.x cache
- MariaDB 11.4 LTS and MySQL 8.4 LTS
- RabbitMQ 4.x
- PHPUnit 10
- Composer 2.8.x
- Bootstrap 5.3.3
- TinyMCE 6.8.5
- Varnish 7.6.x
- OpenSearch 2.19
Security
Important for customers
Compliance with the latest PCI DSS standards
Important for shop owners
- Updated Duo Security 2FA to latest Web SDK v4, improving protection against unauthorized access
- Redesigned encryption key management, enabling secure key changes and re-encryption of sensitive data
- Addressed remote code execution vulnerabilities, strengthening overall platform security
Preparation Before Upgrade to Magento Latest Version or How to Avoid Trouble With Upgrading
To ensure that the Magento platform upgrade from version 2.4.6 or lower goes smoothly, you need to prepare for it carefully. Here are the main points that need to be completed before the upgrade.
#1 Ensure your server environment is ready for the upgrade to the latest version
Check two main things about your server:
- 1. If there is enough space on the server for backups. Increase the memory limit if necessary. This will help avoid the “Cannot Allocate Memory” error.
- 2. Whether the server meets the system requirements for compatibility with the required version of Magento. This includes support for the latest versions of PHP, MySQL, Composer, Varnish Cache, etc. A complete list of requirements can be found on the official Adobe website.
Software dependencies
2.4.7-p5
2.4.8
Composer
2.4.7-p5
2.7
2.4.8
2.8
Elasticsearch
2.4.7-p5
–
2.4.8
–
OpenSearch
2.4.7-p5
2
2.4.8
2
MariaDB
2.4.7-p5
10.6
2.4.8
11.4
New Relic
2.4.7-p5
10.15.0.4+, 10.7.0.319+
2.4.8
11.5.0.18+, 10.15.0.4+
PHP
2.4.7-p5
8.3/8.2
2.4.8
8.4/8.3
RabbitMQ
2.4.7-p5
3.13
2.4.8
4
Redis
2.4.7-p5
7.2
2.4.8
Valkey 8
#2 Confirm all the files and directories have the right permissions
A frequent hurdle during Magento updates is the “Cannot Create the Directory” error. This often occurs due to incorrect files and directories permissions. To avoid this issue, always verify permissions before upgrading. Use CLI or SSH to navigate to your Magento root directory and run this command:
php bin/magento setup:upgrade
php bin/magento setup:di:compile
php bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy
#3 Check the extensions compliance
Before the update Magento 2 store, you need to check the synchronization of all installed extensions. If you don’t, access to the latest features might not work correctly after installing the new version.
To perform this check, you can use Adobe Magento Upgrade Compatibility Tool. It analyzes the compliance of your existing site features, third-party extensions, and configurations with the new Magento version.
#4 Clear the unused data
You can remove unused data to enhance upgrade performance and reduce potential issues. It might be information about old orders, inactive customer data, unused images and videos, log, cache, temporary files, and so forth.
#5 Create a backup before starting upgrade to Magento 2 latest version
Backing up your store prevents data loss in case something goes wrong during the Magento 2 upgrade process.
- One critical component to save is the composer.json file. It contains essential information about Magento installation, including dependencies and version specifications. To create a backup, run this command:
cp composer.json composer.json.bak
- For a complete backup of Magento system, including the pub/media folder and database, use a command:
magento setup:backup[--code][--media][--db]
- You can also create a full store backup using Magento 2 built-in backup tool or a third-party backup solution. You can access the Magento 2 Backup Tool from your admin panel. It allows you to create backups of various system components, including the database, file system, and media files. Also there are many third-party backup tools available for Magento, each with its own features and benefits. You can find them through Google search.
#6 Enable maintenance mode
Before starting Magento 2 upgrade, it is highly recommended to put your store into maintenance mode. This will display a “Coming Soon” or “Under Construction” page to your visitors.
Maintenance mode will prevent customers from accessing your site while updates are being applied and helping to avoid any unexpected errors or downtime.
To enable maintenance mode navigate to Magento root directory and run this command:
php bin/magento maintenance:enable
Three Methods to Upgrade Magento 2: Step-by-Step Tutorial
The previous steps ensure a smooth upgrade of your Magento store. Now, let’s get started with the upgrade process itself. Depending on your current version, there are three main possible methods to upgrade the platform.
Composer way to upgrade Magento
To use this method, you need CLI or SSH access to your server to execute commands and (obviously) the presence of Composer.
- 1. Upgrade Composer by running a command:
composer self-update
- 2. Install the necessary packages without updating them yet:
composer require-commerce magento/product-community-edition 2.4.8 --no-update
- 3. Update all dependencies:
composer update
- 4. Run Magento upgrade service commands one by one:
php bin/magento setup:upgrade
php bin/magento setup:di:compile
php bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy -f
php bin/magento cache:clean
php bin/magento cache:flush
php bin/magento indexer:reindex
- 5. Check the Magento version to be sure the upgrade has been completed successfully:
php bin/magento --version
Upgrade by Web Setup Wizard
Attention! Upgrading Magento using the Web Setup Wizard is supported in Magento 2 versions up to 2.3.
This method is suitable for minor updates, simple installations, and when the user lacks command line experience. It’s also ideal for small stores or test environments, and when reliable backups are available. However, for major upgrades or complex stores, using the command line is recommended for better control and flexibility.
- 1. Log in to your Magento admin panel and navigate to System > Tools > Web Setup Wizard.
- 2. Select the System Configuration and add authentication keys if they will be asked to upgrade Magento further. You can get them on Adobe Commerce Marketplace.
- 3. Select the System Upgrade option and follow the on-screen instructions. Upon successful completion, Wizard will display a confirmation message.
Upgrade Magento 2 to latest version manually
Remember: manual upgrade of Magento requires in-depth technical knowledge and can be time-consuming. If you’re unsure about the process, consider hiring experienced Magento developers.
- 1. Download the latest Magento open source or Adobe commerce version from the official Adobe website and place the downloaded zip file in the Magento root directory.
- 2. Extract the downloaded files and overwrite the existing Magento files in the root directory. When Magento asks to replace existing files, click “Yes”.
- 3. Execute the necessary upgrade commands to complete the process:
php bin/magento setup:upgrade
php bin/magento setup:di:compile
php bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy
php bin/magento cache:clean
php bin/magento cache:flush
php bin/magento indexer:reindex
Magento 2 Upgrade: Post-Actions
After upgrading the Magento store a thorough review helps to identify and fix any unexpected behavior or errors that may have occurred.
#1 Test the site frontend and backend
Check both the admin panel and the storefront to identify any anomalies. Potential issues include blank or white pages, errors related to Magento missing keys, and others. Pay close attention to product pages, order processing, customer account functionalities, and backend admin operations. Look for any broken links, incorrect pricing, or slow loading times.
#2 Check the compatibility of your extensions and custom themes with the new Magento version
Thoroughly test how third-party themes and modules work after upgrading the Magento platform. In most cases, it is also recommended to update them to the latest version for smooth operation.
If you have any custom applications, contact their developers to audit and update the code.
#3 Deactivate maintenance mode
You have made sure that the store website is working correctly. Now it’s time to disable the maintenance mode and give users access to it. To do this, run the following command:
php bin/magento maintenance:disable
How to Fix Common Problems After Upgrading Magento
After upgrading the Magento platform, several bugs or errors can occur. Here are some common issues and ways to resolve them.
Problem
Solution
Problem
Theme compatibility issuesSolution
Update or customize the theme to match the new version requirements. Check with the theme developer for an updated version.Problem
Extension conflicts2.4.7-p2
Disable all extensions, then enable them one by one to identify conflict. Update them or contact developers for updates.Problem
Database migration issuesSolution
Review error logs to identify issues. Restore the database backup, fix any schema conflicts, and rerun the migration scripts if necessary.Problem
Broken admin panelSolution
Clear the cache and check file permissions. Review logs to identify specific errors and address them accordingly.Problem
Checkout problemsSolution
Test all payment methods, shipping options, and update payment extensions if necessary.Problem
Performance degradationSolution
Enable production mode, optimize caching, and reindex data. Check server resources and consider upgrading the hosting environment if needed.Problem
Indexing and caching issuesSolution
Run reindexing commands via SSH (bin/magento indexer:reindex) and clear the cache (bin/magento cache:clean). Monitor logs for errors.Problem
SEO issuesSolution
Verify and regenerate URL rewrites, update sitemap, and ensure meta tags are correctly applied. Use SEO tools to audit the site post-upgrade.Problem
Broken Magento API integrationsSolution
Review API logs for errors. Update or modify the API configurations to match the new version requirements.Problem
Security vulnerabilitiesSolution
Ensure all security patches are applied correctly. Order Magento security audit services or use Magento security scan tools to identify and fix vulnerabilities.
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FAQ
What is the Magento setup upgrade?
“magento setup:upgrade” is a command that updates the database schema and data after installing or upgrading modules.
How to upgrade Magento 2 to a specific version?
Use Composer with the command: composer require magento/product-community-edition and then run composer update” and “bin/magento setup:upgrade.
How to install Magento 2 latest version?
Download Magento 2 from the official Magento website or install via Composer with the command:
composer create-project
--repository-url=https://repo.magento.com/
magento/project-community-edition=2.4.8
How to upgrade your Magento 2 extension?
Magento upgrade to latest version uses Composer with the command: with the command: composer update and bin/magento setup:di:compile.
How to get Magento 2 version via command line?
Run the command: bin/magento --version or bin/magento -V.
What is the command for Magento upgrade?
The command for Magento upgrade is bin/magento setup:upgrade.
How much does it cost to upgrade your store on the Magento platform?
If you want to upgrade the Magento version, its cost can fluctuate widely based on factors like your store’s size and complexity, and the specific company you hire. A basic upgrade, including platform updates and security patches installation, typically starts at $1,000 annually. If your store uses third-party extensions, plan for an additional $500 yearly to update those as well. Additional costs may include testing, troubleshooting, and post-upgrade Magento support and maintenance services.
How long does it take to upgrade Magento?
The time it takes to upgrade a Magento version can vary based on the complexity of the store. A straightforward upgrade for a small store might be completed in a few hours. However, for large stores with custom themes, numerous extensions, and significant data, the upgrade process could take several days or even weeks. This time includes pre-upgrade preparations, the actual upgrade, testing, and resolving any issues that have arisen.
Final Thoughts
Upgrading Magento to the latest version provides the security, efficiency, and feature-richness of an online store.
Magento 2.4.8 offers numerous enhancements that can significantly improve ecommerce operations. However, the upgrade process can be challenging without proper preparation. Therefore, the instructions provided in this article will help you to perform the upgrade correctly. If you’re on the fence about doing the upgrade yourself, consider reaching out to Whidegroup experts to assist you with the process.
Remember that regular upgrades not only keep your store up-to-date but also position your business for long-term success.
About the author
Olha is a Content Manager and SEO Analyst at Whidegroup. Starting as a Content Writer for software and web development topics in 2011, Olha has always been guided by a desire to thoroughly inspect every field of study before writing a single word. She found her passion in ecommerce and delighted in expanding her expertise in web development, analytics and SEO for small to medium ecommerce businesses.
