Essential Steps After Upgrading Your PrestaShop Website

Upgrading your PrestaShop website to the latest version is a crucial step in maintaining a secure, efficient, and feature-rich online store. However, after completing the upgrade, there are several important tasks you need to perform to ensure everything runs smoothly. Here’s a detailed guide to help you through the post-upgrade process.

1. Log in again due to changed cookies

After an upgrade, the cookies used by your website may change. Cookies are small pieces of data stored on your browser that help manage your log in sessions and other settings. Because these cookies have changed, you will need to log in again.

Step by step instruction:

• Step 1: Simply refresh the page you are on. You can do this by pressing CTRL + R (Windows/Linux) or CMD + R (Mac).
• Step 2: You will be prompted to log in again. Enter your admin credentials to access the back office of your PrestaShop site.

Note: This step ensures that your session is updated with the new cookies, preventing any potential issues with session management.

2. Clear browser cache for updated JavaScript and CSS files

During the upgrade, many JavaScript and CSS files are updated. These files are essential for the proper functioning and styling of your website. However, your browser may still be using old cached versions of these files, which can cause display issues or functionality problems.

Step by step instruction:

Step 1: Clear browser cache

• On Windows/Linux: Press CTRL + F5 to refresh the page and clear the cache.
• On Mac: Press CMD + Shift + R.

Step 2: Ensure that the layout and functionality of your site appear as expected. If you still see issues, manually clear the browser cache through the browser settings.

Note: Clearing the cache forces the browser to load the latest versions of Javascript and CSS files, ensuring that all new changes are applied.

3. Check front-office theme functionality

It's important to verify that your front-office theme is working correctly after an upgrade. This includes checking the overall layout, functionality, and performance of your site from a customer’s perspective.

Step by step instruction:

Step 1: Create a test account

• Navigate to your website’s front office.
• Try creating a new customer account to ensure that the registration process works without errors.

Step 2: Place a test order

• Add a product to the cart and proceed to checkout.
• Complete the order to verify that the ordering process is smooth and functional.

Step 3: Check for visual and functional issues

• Browse through different sections of your site (home page, product pages, category pages, etc.).
• Ensure all elements are displayed correctly and that there are no broken links or missing components.

Note: Testing these aspects helps you identify any issues that might have arisen due to the theme’s incompatibility with the new PrestaShop version.

4. Regenerate thumbnails if product images do not appear

After an upgrade, you might notice that product images are not displaying properly. This could be due to changes in how images are handled or stored. Regenerating thumbnails can resolve this issue by creating new image versions based on the latest settings.

Step by step instruction:

Step 1: Log in to your PrestaShop admin panel. Go to Design > Image Settings.

Step 2:

• Scroll down to the “Regenerate thumbnails” section.
• Select the image types you want to regenerate.
• Click on the “Regenerate thumbnails” button.

Note: This process will create new thumbnails for your product images, ensuring they appear correctly in the front office.

5. Update modules

After upgrading PrestaShop, some modules might not be compatible with the new version. It’s important to:

• Check installed modules: Review the list of installed modules and update those that have newer versions available. Keeping your modules updated ensures they work correctly and securely with your PrestaShop site.
• Avoid incompatible modules: Do not use modules that are not compatible with the current version of PrestaShop as they can cause errors or security issues.

By following these steps, you can ensure your PrestaShop website runs smoothly and securely after an upgrade. Regular maintenance and updates are key to providing a seamless shopping experience for your customers.