cPanel/WHM Updates: How to Update Manually (2027 Guide)

February 28, 2013 • vps9 admin

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cPanel/WHM Updates

cPanel/WHM sould upgrade itself automatically every once in a while; however, if you want to do this manually then just follow these steps:

  1. Login to your VPS as root using SSH
  2. Run the command: /scripts/upcp -force
  3. Restart cPanel: /etc/init.d/cpanel restart

The actual upgrade may take a while, so you will need to be patient.

Why Keep cPanel/WHM Updated

Updates bring security patches, bug fixes and new features, and they keep your server compatible with current PHP versions and the cPanel license service. cPanel runs a nightly update by default, so manual updates are mostly for urgent fixes or when the automatic job has failed.

Choose the Right Release Tier

In WHM, open Update Preferences to pick how quickly your server receives new versions.

  • Long-term support (LTS): only fixes and security patches, best for stable production servers.
  • Stable: well-tested releases with new features.
  • Release and Current: earlier access, better suited to testing.

Before You Update

  1. Take a full backup or a VPS snapshot.
  2. Check free disk space with df -h, because updates need room to download and unpack.
  3. Make sure your cPanel license is active for the server IP.
  4. Pick a quiet time, since services restart during the update.

Useful Update Commands

/scripts/upcp           # run the standard update
/scripts/upcp --force   # force a re-install of the current version
/scripts/upcp --sync    # sync cPanel files only

Use --force only when the normal update fails or files are damaged.

Check the Update Logs

Each run writes a log in /var/cpanel/updatelogs/. Open the newest file to see exactly where a failure occurred. WHM also shows recent update status on the home screen.

Fixing Common Update Problems

  • Not enough disk space: clear old backups and logs, then rerun.
  • License errors: confirm the license is assigned to the current IP and active.
  • Operating system no longer supported: migrate to a supported OS version, because cPanel stops updating unsupported ones.
  • Network or DNS problems: verify the server can resolve and reach cPanel servers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do updates cause downtime?

Services restart briefly, so expect a short interruption. Schedule updates for off-peak hours.

Should I turn off automatic updates?

No. Keep automatic updates on and choose a conservative tier such as LTS if you want fewer changes.

Where should I host cPanel?

A KVM VPS or dedicated server gives you the root access cPanel needs. Compare our VPS and dedicated server options.

Pro Tips and Best Practices

Snapshot first

On a VPS, take a snapshot before major cPanel updates so you can roll back in minutes.

Read the changelog

cPanel publishes release notes. Check them before updating production servers.

Update on a schedule

Choose a quiet window and tell customers about brief service restarts.

Keep PHP current

Update EasyApache profiles and PHP versions alongside cPanel so old versions do not linger.

Monitor after updating

Check Apache, MySQL, mail and DNS services after each update.

Keep the OS supported

cPanel only supports certain operating systems. Plan migrations before yours reaches end of life.

Explore more help in our hosting blog, compare our best VPS hosting plans, or contact our team if you would like help applying these steps on your server.