Still Running Craft CMS 4? It’s Time to Upgrade
by Ian Ebden in Craft CMS.
Craft CMS 4 has been a solid, dependable platform since its release in May 2022. But if your website is still running Craft 4, there's now an important reason to start thinking about an upgrade.
Official security support for Craft CMS 4 ended on 30 April 2026.
That doesn't mean your website suddenly stopped working on 1 May. A well-maintained Craft 4 website may continue running perfectly well. But it does mean Craft 4 is now officially end-of-life, with no further security updates from Pixel & Tonic, makers of Craft CMS.
With Craft 5 now well established and Craft 6 approaching, this is a sensible time to review your website and plan what happens next.
For many businesses, an upgrade is also an opportunity to take stock of a website that may not have had much technical attention for several years.
Does this mean my Craft 4 website is insecure?
Not necessarily.
Reaching end-of-life doesn't mean a security vulnerability suddenly appeared overnight. It means that if a new vulnerability affecting Craft 4 is discovered, you can no longer rely on an official security update being released to address it.
There are other considerations too. Plugins increasingly move their development efforts to current versions of Craft, while PHP versions, hosting environments and third-party integrations continue to evolve.
So while there's no need for panic, continuing to run Craft 4 indefinitely isn't something I'd recommend.
Keep in mind too, the longer an upgrade is postponed, the more complicated the eventual jump can become.
How do I know which version of Craft I'm running?
If you have access to your website's Craft Control Panel, the version number can usually be found within the system information or utilities area.
But don't worry if you don't know. Many website owners have no reason to know whether they're running Craft 3, 4 or 5 — and you certainly don't need to understand the technical differences between them.
A Craft developer can quickly establish the version you're running and assess the wider technical condition of the website.
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What does a Craft CMS upgrade actually involve?
For a relatively straightforward website, upgrading can sometimes be surprisingly painless.
But Craft websites aren't all alike. A typical upgrade may involve checking:
- the current Craft CMS version and configuration;
- installed plugins and whether compatible versions are available;
- the PHP and hosting environment;
- custom modules or bespoke functionality;
- templates and front-end code;
- deprecated features that need replacing;
- integrations with third-party services.
The age and complexity of the website matters far more than its number of pages.
A 500-page content website built cleanly using standard Craft functionality might be straightforward to upgrade. A small website containing several abandoned plugins and lots of bespoke code could require considerably more work.
Upgrade or rebuild?
This is an important distinction.
An upgrade doesn't necessarily mean redesigning your website. If you're happy with how the site looks and works, it may be possible to upgrade the underlying Craft application while leaving the design and content largely untouched.
For other websites, particularly older or more complicated builds, a clean rebuild can sometimes be the better investment.
That doesn't necessarily mean starting again from scratch either. Existing content and assets can often be retained while the underlying application, templates and content architecture are modernised.
I've written separately about upgrading versus rebuilding a Craft CMS website, including the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
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It's also a good opportunity to do some housekeeping
One benefit of upgrading an older Craft website is the opportunity to remove some accumulated technical baggage and stale or obsolete content.
I regularly come across websites containing plugins that are no longer used, old integrations, redundant fields or sections, and functionality that made perfect sense when the site was originally built but is no longer needed. There's little point carrying all of that into the next version of the website.
A good upgrade should therefore be more than simply changing a version number. It's an opportunity to leave the application simpler, cleaner and easier to maintain afterwards.
What if my original developer or agency no longer supports the website?
This is more common than you might expect. Agencies change direction, developers move on, businesses close, and sometimes a website simply outlives the relationship with the people who originally built it.
The good news is that Craft websites aren't tied to the original developer. An experienced Craft developer can take over an existing website, review how it has been built and recommend the most appropriate route forward.
At DesignKarma, I regularly work with existing Craft CMS websites as well as building new ones. So you don't necessarily need to commission a completely new website simply because you need a new developer.
Should I wait for Craft CMS 6?
Not necessarily.
The right upgrade path depends on your website, its current Craft version and how urgently work is required.
Waiting purely because another major version is approaching isn't always the most economical option. Equally, if your website is stable and there's no immediate technical pressure, it can make sense to consider upcoming releases as part of the planning process.
This is exactly why I'd recommend reviewing the website now rather than waiting until an upgrade becomes urgent. You can then make the decision based on the condition and requirements of your particular website rather than simply reacting to a software release date.
Planning a Craft CMS 4 upgrade?
I've been building websites with Craft CMS since 2013 and have worked on more than 200 Craft projects, from straightforward brochure websites to complex bespoke applications.
As an official Craft CMS Development Partner, DesignKarma provides upgrades, development, troubleshooting and ongoing support for both new and existing Craft websites.
If your website is still running Craft CMS 4 — or you simply don't know — I can take a look and give you a straightforward assessment of where you stand and what I'd recommend doing next.
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FAQ
No. Active support for Craft CMS 4 ended on 30 April 2025, followed by security support on 30 April 2026. Craft 4 is therefore now officially end-of-life.
A Craft 4 website won't suddenly become insecure simply because support has ended. However, any new security vulnerabilities discovered may no longer receive fixes, so running Craft 4 indefinitely isn't recommended.
There's no need to panic, but it is sensible to start planning an upgrade now. The urgency will depend on your website, its plugins, hosting environment and any bespoke functionality it uses.
Yes, in many cases an existing Craft 4 website can be upgraded to Craft 5 without rebuilding the entire site. Plugins, custom code and hosting requirements need to be checked first to determine the work involved.
No. A Craft upgrade can often leave the existing design and content largely unchanged. For older websites, however, the upgrade can also be a good opportunity to improve or simplify the site.
It depends heavily on the website. A relatively simple Craft site using well-supported plugins may be straightforward to upgrade, while bespoke functionality, outdated plugins or an older hosting environment can increase the work involved. An initial review is usually the best way to establish what's required.
Yes. DesignKarma regularly works with existing Craft CMS websites as well as sites we've built ourselves. If your original developer is no longer available or you're looking for ongoing Craft support, I can review the existing site and recommend the best way forward.
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