Skip to content

Update Drupal core

Regularly updating Drupal core ensures you benefit from the latest bug fixes, feature improvements, and security patches. T

Note: Right now the update UI only supports patch updates for Drupal core. For minor, or major, version updates you’ll need to use Composer.

Perform a Drupal core update via the UI

Follow these steps to update Drupal core via the Drupal CMS UI.

  1. Check for updates. Navigate to Reports > Available updates (/admin/reports/updates). Under the Drupal core section of the page check to see if Drupal core has any updates available. The status will say either Updates available or Security update required. Drupal CMS updates report showing information for Drupal core. The current version 11.1.4 and recommended version 11.1.6, with a list of included modules and a prominent Update available banner.
  2. Make a backup before applying any updates.
  3. Apply the update. Navigate to the Update tab at the top of the Available updates report. Review the version information, and press the button to start the update process. Update screen for Drupal core showing an available update to version 11.1.6, with a Update to 11.1.6 button and a note recommending database and site code backups.
  4. Drupal CMS will verify the update can be applied, and prompt you to confirm that the process can not be reversed. Press the Continue button.
  5. After the updates are complete you will be redirected back to the Available updates report and an Update complete! status message will be displayed. In the event of errors the errors will be displayed on the page. Resolve the errors, then revert to the backup version of your site and try again.

Next

When you use the Drupal CMS UI to apply updates, it uses the Composer dependency management tool in the background. It’s possible, and in some cases preferred, to use Composer directly to manage updates. Learn more about updating Drupal core with Composer.

When updates are applied Drupal CMS modifies the relevant Composer files. If your site uses Git for version control you’ll need to commit any changes to the composer.json, composer.lock, and any other updated files.