Updating TruCMS

Keep TruCMS current using the automatic updater in the Admin Panel or a manual CodeCanyon release upload. Both methods finish with the same application update step.

TruCMS update completion screen with the Update Now action

After update files are in place, open the update screen and use Update Now to finish the application update.

Overview

TruCMS supports two ways to install a new application release: automatic update from the dashboard and manual update by replacing the application files with the latest official release downloaded from CodeCanyon. Choose the automatic method when your server can complete the update normally; use the manual method when you prefer to upload the release yourself or the automatic download is not suitable for your hosting environment.

Whichever method you use, the update is not complete until you open https://example.com/admin/update (replace example.com with your own domain) and run the update action shown on that page.

Back up before every update

Create a complete, recoverable backup of your website files and database before you start. TruCMS updates are tested before release and are normally safe, but an update can still fail because of a server timeout, an interrupted connection, hosting limits, filesystem problems, or other conditions outside the update itself. TruCMS cannot accept responsibility for a failed update or resulting data loss. Do not proceed unless you have a backup you can restore.

Use only official TruCMS updates

Application updates and patches are released by the TruCMS team. Do not install an update or patch supplied by a third party, another developer, a forum post, or an unofficial download site.

Automatic updates are offered inside your TruCMS Admin Panel when an official release is available.
Manual full-version updates should be downloaded from your TruCMS purchase on CodeCanyon.
Patches should be applied only when they appear in TruCMS's own Patches area.

If someone sends you a ZIP file and claims that it is a TruCMS update or patch, do not upload it unless it came through an official TruCMS distribution channel.

Choosing an update method

Method	Best used when	How the files are updated
Automatic	An update alert appears on the Dashboard and your hosting environment can perform the update from the Admin Panel.	TruCMS obtains and applies the official update after you start the process from the dashboard.
Manual	You want to upload the new release yourself, or the automatic update cannot be completed reliably on your server.	You download the official release from CodeCanyon, upload it to the server, and extract it over the existing TruCMS installation so the release files replace the current application files.

Automatic update from the Dashboard

When TruCMS detects that a newer official release is available, the Admin Dashboard displays an update alert with an Update Now button. The alert is your normal starting point for an automatic update.

Create a full backup. Back up both the website files and the database before clicking the update button.
Choose a suitable time. Prefer a low-traffic period. If customers are actively booking, checking out, or making payments, consider enabling Maintenance Mode while you update.
Click Update Now in the Dashboard update alert.
Allow TruCMS to update the application files. Do not refresh, close the browser unnecessarily, stop the server process, or interrupt the update.
After the files have been updated, TruCMS directs you to the application update page at /admin/update.
On the Update Application page, click Update Now. This is the required run update step that completes the release for the existing installation.
Keep the browser tab open while the final update runs. When it finishes successfully, TruCMS returns you to the administration area with a success message.
Test the site before reopening normal traffic: sign in, open the public homepage, and test the modules that are important to your business.

The second Update Now action is intentional

The dashboard action handles obtaining/applying the release. The /admin/update action completes the application update after the new files are in place. Do not skip the final step just because the new files have already been installed.

Manual update from a CodeCanyon release

A manual update reaches the same end result, but you replace the TruCMS files yourself instead of asking the Admin Panel to obtain the release.

Create a full backup of the current website files and database.
Sign in to the CodeCanyon account that owns your TruCMS purchase and download the latest official TruCMS release.
Upload the new release to the server where TruCMS is installed.
Extract the release into the existing TruCMS installation and allow the new release files to replace the current application files.
After the file replacement is complete, sign in to TruCMS as an administrator.
Open https://example.com/admin/update, replacing example.com with your own site domain.
On the Update Application page, click Update Now to run the final update step.
Keep the browser tab open until the update completes, then test the administration panel, public site, and the business workflows you use.

Maintenance Mode is useful for manual file replacement

If your site receives live bookings, orders, payments, or content changes, putting the public site into Maintenance Mode before replacing files reduces the chance that a customer starts a transaction while the application is between versions.

Why the /admin/update step matters

Replacing the application files is only one part of a TruCMS update. The final Update Application step allows TruCMS to finish the release against your existing installation so the new version is ready to use. From an administrator's point of view, treat this step as mandatory after both automatic and manual file updates.

If you manually replace the files but forget this step, the installation may be left in an incomplete update state even though the new files are already on the server.

After-update checklist

Do not judge an update only by whether the Admin Panel loads. Check the workflows that matter to your installation.

Confirm that you can sign in and the Dashboard loads normally.
Open the public homepage and a few important content pages.
If you use Booking, test service availability and a safe test booking.
If you use TruCommerce, open the storefront/cart and verify checkout configuration.
If you accept online payments, confirm that enabled payment methods still appear correctly. Use test/sandbox mode for a payment test whenever possible.
Check any areas specifically mentioned in the release notes.
Disable Maintenance Mode after you are satisfied that normal operation is safe.

If an update is interrupted

An update can be interrupted by a browser/network disconnect, execution timeout, disk-space problem, permissions issue, or hosting process limit. What you should do depends on where the interruption happened:

If the release files were only partly replaced, do not keep operating the site in that mixed state. Restore your known-good backup, correct the server problem, and start the update again.
If the files were replaced successfully but the final /admin/update step was interrupted, return to that URL and run Update Now again once the server is stable.
If the site or Admin Panel no longer loads normally, restore the backup rather than making repeated changes to an uncertain installation.

After recovery, investigate the cause—such as a timeout or server resource limit—before attempting the release again.

Who can update TruCMS

Updating the application is an administrator-level operation. The account must have access to update management/application operations. If you can see an update notice but cannot continue to the update page, ask the site owner or a higher-privileged administrator to perform the update.

Patches · Dashboard · Maintenance Mode · Troubleshooting