aaPanel Beginner

How to update aaPanel safely: step-by-step guide

Update aaPanel to the latest version without breaking your sites. Check the changelog first, create a backup, run the update,

UnderHost NOC Network Operations

4 min read Updated June 2026

On this page

Before updating
Update aaPanel from the UI
Update via command line
After updating
Update software components

aaPanel updates are generally safe but can occasionally cause brief service interruptions. Always back up first, update during low-traffic hours, and verify your sites are working after the update completes.

Before updating

Create a backup of your important websites and databases-see Backups in aaPanel
Check the changelog on the aaPanel website or forums for any known issues with the new version
Schedule the update during low-traffic hours-the panel service restarts during the update, which may cause a brief (30–60 second) interruption to the admin panel
Verify SSH access is working before starting-if anything goes wrong with the panel, you can troubleshoot via SSH

Update aaPanel from the UI

When a new version is available, aaPanel shows a notification in the panel header:

Log in to aaPanel
Look for the update notification in the top bar or go to Panel Settings → Version
Click Update or Upgrade
Confirm the update when prompted
Wait for the update to complete-the panel will reload when done

The update downloads the new version files and restarts the aaPanel service. Your web server (Nginx/Apache), PHP-FPM, and MySQL are not restarted during a panel update-your websites remain live throughout.

Update via command line

If the panel UI is not accessible or you prefer the command line:

bt update

Or use the aaPanel CLI menu:

bt

Select option 10 (Update panel) from the interactive menu.

After updating

After the update completes:

Log back in to aaPanel and confirm the version number in Panel Settings
Open a website in a browser to confirm it is still loading correctly
Check that PHP-FPM, Nginx/Apache, and MySQL are running: aaPanel → App Store → confirm status shows Running
Check the aaPanel error log if anything seems wrong: tail -50 /www/server/panel/logs/request.log

Update software components

aaPanel also lets you update individual installed components (Nginx, Apache, PHP versions, MySQL). These updates are separate from the panel update:

Go to aaPanel → App Store → Installed
Find the component (e.g., Nginx 1.24 → 1.26)
Click Upgrade if a newer version is available

Test after major version upgrades

Upgrading a PHP major version (e.g., PHP 7.4 → 8.1) may break applications that rely on deprecated functions. Always test on a non-production site first or create a full backup before proceeding. Minor version updates (e.g., PHP 8.1.12 → 8.1.18) are safe to apply without testing.

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