How to Upgrade Magento 2 Using the Command Line

Magento 2 is one of the leading eCommerce software platforms widely used by famous brands. The number of things that you have control over in Magento is insane. There are plenty of things that you could tweak according to your convenience.

But with so many options at hand, one important question often comes up, “How do you upgrade Magento the right way without causing issues on your site”?

Before we dive into the process, let’s clear up a common confusion. Many users often get mixed up between “update” and “upgrade.” 

Updating usually means fixing bugs or applying small patches. Upgrading, on the other hand, means moving to a newer version with added features or major improvements.

In this blog, you’ll learn why upgrades matter, how to do them safely, what steps to follow, what challenges to expect, and how our Humcommerce team can support you throughout this process.

Let’s dive in!

Why You Should Upgrade to the Latest Magento Version 

Let’s first understand why it’s important to always stay upgraded with the latest version of Magento.

The following are some of the main reasons for you to know why upgrading regularly is a smart move if you’re running a Magento store.

• The first and foremost one is the Improved security, it protects your store from the latest threats and keeps your customer data safe.
• New features in the latest version will help you improve your user experience and ensure that you are keeping up with the eCommerce trends.
• Upgraded versions fix bugs that may affect performance, speed, and checkout flow.
• Latest versions often improve site speed, leading to better engagement and conversions.
• Staying current ensures continued support and compatibility with extensions and themes.

How Many Ways to Upgrade Magento

There are three essential ways to upgrade Magento. Let’s go through each of them, understand how they work, and try to figure out which one is the most reliable. 

Once we’re able to identify the optimal one, we’ll continue using that method for the rest of this blog.

Upgrading Magento Using Composer Command Line

This is the most recommended way to upgrade Magento 2. It gives you full control over the upgrade process and works well with both Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce. 

You’ll only need basic access to your server and the simple ability to use commands. This method keeps your store more stable and secure during the upgrade. Also, it allows you to manage the extensions and make sure everything stays compatible. 

The best part is, Adobe officially supports this method, and it’s the safest bet for sites running Magento 2.4 and above. Therefore, it has become one of the most popular and reliable ways for developers and store owners when they want to upgrade their Magento store to the latest version.

Upgrading Magento Using Web Setup Wizard

The Web Setup Wizard was once a simple way to upgrade Magento using the admin panel. It offered a guided process that didn’t require coding knowledge. However, this tool has been removed from Magento 2.4 and later versions. 

Adobe, for some reason, no longer supports it, so using this method today is not a good idea. While it came in handy to the users in the past, it lacks the flexibility and stability needed for modern Magento stores. 

So, if you are using the latest version of Magento, this option should no longer be your choice. That’s why it’s better to look for other supported methods.

Upgrading Magento by Manual File Replacement

Some developers upgrade Magento by manually downloading the latest version and replacing files. This might look simple, but trust me, it’s very risky. If done incorrectly, it can break your store or make extensions stop working. 

There’s also no version control, which makes it hard to manage future upgrades. As a result, you could also lose custom changes or face unexpected issues later. 

This method is not ideal for most businesses, especially those with a live site. It’s only used in very specific situations and is not recommended for general use. A more reliable method, like the composer command line one, is always a go-to choice.

What Is the Best Way to Upgrade Magento

Now, it’s pretty evident that the best way to upgrade Magento is through the command line using Composer. It is the most stable, flexible, and trusted method. We’ve also learnt that this approach is backed by Adobe and gives you better control over the entire upgrade. 

You can manage versions, check extension compatibility, and fix issues before they affect your store. Unlike older methods, this one supports the latest Magento versions and is designed for long-term use. It’s also the cleanest way to keep your site secure & up to date.

Now that we know which method to follow, let’s walk through the steps to upgrade Magento using the command line.

Magento 2 Upgrade Via Command Line

Upgrading Magento 2 to the latest version may not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially if you’re someone who’s not familiar with coding. 

However, as per the conclusion from the previous section, the Magento upgrade can also happen through the command line. 

Also, don’t worry if you’re not familiar with coding. We’ll teach you how to upgrade Magneto 2 to the latest version just by following a few simple steps.

Before we get into the steps, remember that you can only upgrade Adobe Commerce/Magento Open Source using the command line had you installed it by:

1. Composer create-project command after downloading the metapackage.
2. Compressed archive.

Now that you’re aware of that, shall we begin?

Steps to Upgrade Magento 2 Using the Command Line

The following are the 4 simple steps to upgrade your Magento 2 site using the Composer command line technique.

1. Complete the Magento Upgrade Prerequisites Before You Begin

• First, review the system requirements for the Magento version you’re upgrading.
• Next, complete the list of upgrade prerequisites.
• Now, install the composer update plugin.

Follow this to install the plugin:

You can check the system requirements in the official Magento DevDocs for your version. 

Before running any commands, make sure you’re in your Magento root directory. It’s also strongly recommended to take a full backup of your database and files at this point to avoid data loss if something goes wrong later.

2. Turn on Maintenance Mode and Manage Packages

• Before the Magento upgrade process, first, enable the maintenance mode.

bin/magento maintenance:enable

• Back up your store by creating the composer.json backup file.

cp composer.json composer.json.bak

• Next, add or remove the package you want, based on your convenience.

composer remove magento/product-community-edition --no-update

• State the upgraded version’s name and edition in the upgrade command. Example:

Magento Open Source:

composer require magento/product-community-edition=2.4.4 --no-update

Adobe Commerce:

composer require magento/product-enterprise-edition=2.4.4 --no-update

• If you face any dependency issues after this step, try clearing the Composer cache with:

composer clear-cache

You can also avoid version conflicts by adding --with-all-dependencies in the require command. In most cases, instead of removing the existing edition, you can directly overwrite it using the composer require command to simplify the process.

3. Updating Meta Details

• Update the “name”, “version”, and “description” fields in the composer.json file as per your needs.
• Then, apply the composer update: 

composer update

• Next, clear the subdirectories:

• Now, update the data and schema database:

bin/magento setup:upgrade

• Switch off the maintenance mode:

bin/magento maintenance:disable

• You can restart Varnish if you use it for page caching:

service varnish restart

• Once setup:upgrade is complete, especially on production, run the following to compile code and deploy static files:

• Also, reindex your Magento store using:

bin/magento indexer:reindex

4. Check the Update

• Open your website link in a browser to verify if the upgrade happened successfully. On an unsuccessful upgrade, your website won’t load properly.
• If you’re facing the “We’re sorry, an error has occurred while generating this email” error message, here are a few things you can try:
  • Reset the file system permissions and ownership.
  • Clear the following directories:

• Recheck your website after this.
• To reset file and folder permissions on Ubuntu systems, use:

• Replace www-data with your web server’s user if different.
• For easier debugging, you can temporarily enable developer mode:

bin/magento deploy:mode:set developer

If you’re still experiencing lag or performance issues after upgrading Magento 2, it’s a good idea to run a Magento performance audit. This will help identify problem areas and suggest fixes to keep your site stable and fast.

Magento Upgrade Services by Humcommerce: How We Can Help

At Humcommerce, we begin every Magento upgrade with a detailed assessment of your current setup. We first identify speed bottlenecks, security vulnerabilities, and system inefficiencies that may be slowing down checkout or hurting sales. 

This includes analyzing your server configuration, reviewing third-party extensions, and understanding how your database performs under pressure.

Our team performs a deep dive analysis to spot issues like database slowdowns, server misconfigurations, and security gaps. Once we have a clear picture, we create a safe testing environment to simulate the upgrade without affecting your live store.

We then follow a structured upgrade path using the command line method to ensure a stable transition. After the upgrade, we validate every function, test key user flows, and optimize the site’s speed and performance.

With Humcommerce, your store becomes faster, more secure, and ready to scale, without disruption to your customers or your sales.

Wrapping Up

Let’s do a quick revision of what we’ve learnt so far:

• There are three ways to upgrade Magento: Composer, Web Setup Wizard, and Manual.
• The command line method is the most reliable and preferred approach.
• The upgrade process includes preparation, maintenance mode, metadata checks, and final testing
• Upgrading ensures better security, performance, and compatibility.

Upgrading your Magento store plays an important role in improving your store’s performance. It will help you  keep the store secure which in turn offers a better experience for your customers. 

Just by choosing the right method and following a clear process like mentioned in this blog, you can avoid common issues and keep everything running smoothly. 

If you liked reading this blog, you should also take a look at the following.

• How to Automate Your B2B Workflow with Magento.
• The 5 Best Magento PIM Integrations for Tariff Compliance.
• Improve Your Magento Store With Performance Optimization Services.

And if you ever feel stuck or unsure, expert support is just a phone call away. Staying updated helps you grow with confidence and focus on what matters most.