How to Update Tutor LMS and Tutor LMS Pro Safely

Tutor LMS releases updates often, with fixes, security improvements and new features. Updating is important, but on a live LMS with paying students an update should never be a blind click. This is the routine we use for client sites.

Understand how core and Pro relate

Tutor LMS Pro is an add-on to the free plugin. Each Pro release declares the core version it was built for and checks, on every load, that the installed free plugin is at least that version. If the free plugin is older, Pro shows the warning "The versions of Tutor LMS and Tutor LMS Pro are not compatible" and does not load its features. Themeum's notice recommends installing the same version of both. So the rule is simple: update both together, to matching versions.

Step 1: Read the changelog

Check what changed. A patch release (for example 4.1.2 to 4.1.3) is usually fixes. A major release changes more: Tutor LMS 4.0 redesigned the learning area, added learning modes and new question types, and changed many templates. Major releases deserve a small project, not a routine update.

Step 2: Back up

Take a full backup of files and database, and confirm you can restore it. Tutor LMS stores quiz attempts, orders and earnings in custom tables, so a database backup is essential.

Step 3: Update on staging first

1. Create or refresh a staging copy of the live site.
2. Update Tutor LMS, then Tutor LMS Pro, to the same version.
3. Visit the WordPress admin so any database upgrades run.
4. Check for admin notices and PHP errors in the debug log.

Step 4: Check your template overrides

If your theme has a tutor/ folder, it overrides some Tutor LMS templates. Overrides do not update with the plugin. Compare each one with the new version of the original in wp-content/plugins/tutor/templates/. If the original changed, update your copy or remove it if a hook can do the same job. Outdated overrides are a top cause of broken layouts after updates. See template overrides.

Step 5: Test the flows that matter

• Log in and register as a student.
• Buy a paid course with each active payment method, and enroll in a free one.
• Open a lesson, mark it complete and check progress.
• Take a quiz and view the result.
• Submit an assignment and download a certificate (Pro).
• Check the student and instructor dashboards on desktop and mobile.
• Check that emails arrive.
• Test your integrations (CRM, email marketing, analytics).

Step 6: Update live

Choose a quiet time, take a fresh backup, update both plugins, clear caches (page cache, object cache and CDN) and repeat a short version of the tests.

Step 7: Watch for a few days

Check error logs, failed payments and support messages. Problems that only appear for some users show up here.

If something goes wrong

• Pro features disappeared: the free plugin is older than Pro expects. Update it.
• Layout broken: check template overrides and theme CSS.
• Critical error: check the debug log; often another plugin or custom code is incompatible.
• Need to roll back: restore the backup, including the database, and roll back both plugins together. Then fix the cause on staging.

See the after-update troubleshooting guide.

Automatic updates?

We do not recommend automatic updates for Tutor LMS on live sites with customizations or paying students. Use them only on simple sites with good backups and monitoring.

Frequently asked questions

Which should I update first, Tutor LMS or Pro?

Update the free plugin first, then Pro, then check both are on the same version.

Do updates delete my courses?

No. Courses, students and progress are stored in the database and are not removed by updates. Only the "Erase upon uninstallation" setting deletes data, and only when the plugin is deleted.

Prefer not to manage updates yourself? Our maintenance plans include staging-first updates.