ComfortUpdate

ComfortUpdate

ComfortUpdate is a professional service from LimeSurvey GmbH for updating LimeSurvey from the browser, with no manual file replacement.

ComfortUpdate is only for supported self-hosted LimeSurvey installations. It is not used for LimeSurvey Cloud — Cloud sites are updated by us automatically, and there is nothing for you to run or buy.

Requirements

The system requires PHP with ZLib support and SSL connectivity to update.limesurvey.org and update-data.limesurvey.org. If the connection fails, you may need to open the firewall or ask your server administrator.

Before you update

  • Check your server meets the target version's requirements — especially the supported PHP version and the required PHP extensions. Do this before buying a key or starting the update; an unsupported PHP version is the most common blocker.
  • Check file permissions. The LimeSurvey installation files must be writable by the web server user. Incorrect ownership or permissions are a common cause of ComfortUpdate failures.
  • Back up your database and files. The tool runs safely alongside active surveys, but take your own backup first — it is what you fall back on if an update is interrupted.

Running the update

Run the update from the Configuration menu's Advanced tab. To buy an update key, go to the ComfortUpdate section at the bottom of the "Your account" page at account.limesurvey.org and use the green "Buy a new key" button.

ComfortUpdate then runs pre-checks, downloads the update package, installs the files, and runs any required database updates automatically.

If the update fails

If a pre-check fails or the update is interrupted, restore your backup before retrying — do not re-run the update over a half-updated installation. If it fails again, contact support and include the updater log or the on-screen output, which tells us exactly which step failed.

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