How to Check Joomla's Pre-Update Check

Open the Joomla Update screen

1. Sign in to the Joomla Administrator.
2. Go to System → Update → Joomla.
3. Allow Joomla to check for the available target release.
4. When an upgrade requiring a Pre-Update Check is available, review the Pre-Update Check before starting the update.

If Joomla does not show the release you expect, open the Joomla Update options and confirm the update channel is appropriate for the upgrade path you are following. Production sites should not be switched to testing or custom update channels merely to force a version to appear.

Review Required Settings first

Required Settings identify conditions that can prevent the target Joomla version from running correctly or prevent the update from starting. Treat failures here as blockers until they are understood and corrected.

Depending on the Joomla version and upgrade path, these checks can include:

• PHP version and required PHP capabilities;
• database server/version compatibility;
• Joomla database schema status;
• required Joomla plugins or compatibility settings for a major-version upgrade;
• other environment requirements enforced by the target release.

If the database structure is reported as out of date, go to System → Maintenance → Database, review the reported differences, and use Joomla's database structure repair/update action before returning to the Pre-Update Check.

Review Recommended Settings without treating every warning as a failure

Recommended Settings highlight PHP or server values Joomla would prefer but that may not block the update. A recommendation is still worth investigating, especially if it differs from the configuration you intended to use in production.

Do not change PHP settings blindly simply to make every line green. First identify what the setting controls, whether your host manages it globally, and whether changing it could affect other applications on the account.

Review every extension shown in the compatibility section

The extension portion of the Pre-Update Check uses compatibility information made available through extension update metadata. Read the status for each third-party component, plugin, module, package, template, and library that appears.

Interpret the results carefully:

• Compatible / no update required means the extension's update metadata declares compatibility with the target Joomla version. You should still verify the vendor's current documentation for important extensions.
• An update is required means the extension should normally be updated to the required compatible version before the Joomla upgrade.
• Compatibility information unavailable or missing does not automatically mean the extension is incompatible. It means Joomla does not have enough update metadata to prove compatibility.
• Potential upgrade issue deserves extra attention, especially for plugins that can run during the upgrade process.

Do not ignore an extension simply because it is disabled. Old system, authentication, user, installer, or framework extensions can still matter during an upgrade or leave files/classes that conflict with the new Joomla version.

For Joomla 5.4 to Joomla 6, verify the compatibility plugins

The Joomla 5.4 to Joomla 6 upgrade includes specific backward-compatibility checks. Before the upgrade can proceed normally, the Joomla 5 Behaviour - Backward Compatibility plugin should be disabled and the Joomla 6 Behaviour - Backward Compatibility 6 plugin should be enabled.

If disabling the Joomla 5 backward-compatibility plugin causes the Joomla 5.4 site to break, re-enable it and investigate the extension or custom code that still depends on the older compatibility layer. That problem should be fixed before upgrading to Joomla 6.

Do not start the upgrade until you can explain the remaining warnings

A useful Pre-Update Check is not one with the largest number of green labels; it is one where you understand every remaining warning and have confirmed that the site can be upgraded safely.

1. Update compatible third-party extensions first when their documented upgrade path requires it.
2. Remove extensions you no longer need, using the developer's supported uninstall method.
3. Verify unresolved compatibility warnings with the extension developer.
4. Create and test a full backup.
5. Perform the upgrade on a staging copy before production when the site is important or heavily customized.

After making changes, return to System → Update → Joomla and run/review the Pre-Update Check again before starting the production upgrade.