How do I move from Joomla 3 to Joomla 5 or 6?
Update to Joomla 3.10, check your template and extensions have newer versions, then upgrade step by step: 3.10 → 4.4 → 5.4 → 6. For heavily customised sites, a fresh build is often faster.
Why Joomla 3 is a bigger move
Joomla 4 was a rewrite of large parts of Joomla 3: a new administrator, a new default template (Cassiopeia instead of Protostar) and a lot of removed code. Joomla 3 templates don't work at all after it, and many Joomla 3 extensions need new versions. After that first step, 4 → 5 → 6 are normal major upgrades.
Plan
- Joomla 3.10. Update to the latest 3.10 first.
- Template: Joomla 3 templates stop working. Pick a Joomla 6 template (or Cassiopeia) and plan the new design.
- Extensions: list every third-party extension and how much you use it. Remove what you don't need; find Joomla 4+ versions or replacements for the rest.
- A test copy: do the whole migration on a copy first.
The path
- On the test copy: in Components → Joomla! Update → Options, set the channel to Joomla Next and read the Pre-Update Check.
- Switch the site template to Protostar, remove unneeded extensions, set Error Reporting to Maximum, back up.
- Update to Joomla 4, then run System → Maintenance → Database → Fix and System → Install → Discover.
- Install your new template and the Joomla 4+ versions of your extensions.
- Upgrade to the latest Joomla 5.4, then to Joomla 6.
- Test everything, run a broken-link check (URLs can change with the new routing), then move the copy live.
Good to know
- For a site with many old or custom extensions, building a fresh Joomla 6 site and importing the content can be faster than upgrading.
- Keep the old site offline but available for a few days in case you need to copy something.
Sources
- Joomla 3 to 4 Step by Step – Joomla User Guide
- Joomla 4 to 5 Planning and Upgrade Step by Step – Joomla User Guide
- Joomla 5 to 6 Planning and Upgrade Step by Step – Joomla User Guide
- Migration Basics – Joomla User Guide
