# Upgrade to Moodle 5.3 LTS from 4.5, 5.0, 5.1 or 5.2

https://cubite.io/blogs/upgrade-moodle-5-3-lts

**By:** Amir Tadrisi
**Updated:** 2026-10-07

Moodle 5.3 LTS shipped on October 5, 2026. What changes when you upgrade from 4.5, 5.0, 5.1 or 5.2: PHP 8.3, the /public web root, database minimums and plugins.

Moodle 5.3 LTS was released on October 5, 2026, and Moodle 5.0 is now listed as no longer supported: it will not receive fixes for security risks. Cubite runs managed Moodle from $690 a month for up to 500 concurrent learners, with version upgrades and same-day CVE patching included. Cubite sells managed Moodle and publishes this guide; every Moodle fact below is from moodledev.io, checked on October 6, 2026.

Short answer (updated October 6, 2026): you can upgrade to Moodle 5.3 LTS directly from 4.4, 4.5, 5.0, 5.1 or 5.2. Before you do, make sure the server runs 64-bit PHP 8.3.0 or later with the sodium extension, that your database meets the new minimums (PostgreSQL 17, MySQL 8.4, MariaDB 11.4.0), and, if you are coming from 4.5 or 5.0, that your web server serves Moodle's new /public directory and your plugins have been moved into it.

## Moodle 5.3 LTS at a glance

| Item | Moodle 5.3 LTS |
| --- | --- |
| Release date | October 5, 2026 |
| Upgrade from | Moodle 4.4 or later |
| PHP | 8.3.0 minimum, 8.4.x supported, 64-bit only |
| PHP settings | sodium extension required; max_input_vars of 5000 or more |
| PostgreSQL | 17 minimum (raised in 5.3) |
| MySQL | 8.4 minimum (last raised in 5.0) |
| MariaDB | 11.4.0 minimum (raised in 5.3) |
| Microsoft SQL Server | 2019 minimum (last raised in 5.2) |
| Oracle Database | no longer supported |
| General support ends | October 4, 2027 |
| Security support ends | October 1, 2029 |

## Which Moodle versions are still supported

| Version | Status on October 6, 2026 | Security fixes until |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 4.5 LTS | Security fixes only | October 4, 2027 |
| 5.0 | No longer supported | Ended |
| 5.1 | Security fixes only | April 19, 2027 |
| 5.2 | Current stable | October 4, 2027 |
| 5.3 LTS | Current stable | October 1, 2029 |

If you run 5.0, upgrade first: it no longer gets security fixes. If you run 4.5 LTS, you have until October 4, 2027, which is time to test plugins on a staging copy rather than upgrade in a hurry. For the security releases that land between majors, see [Moodle Security in 2026: The CVEs to Patch](https://cubite.io/blogs/moodle-security-2026-cves).

## Upgrade it yourself, or have it managed

| Your situation | Upgrade it yourself | Have it managed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A sysadmin who has run a Moodle major upgrade before, and a staging server | Good fit | Optional |
| Coming from 4.5 or 5.0 (the /public move applies) with many third-party plugins | Possible: budget time to move and test every plugin | Good fit |
| Still on 5.0, with no one in-house to run the upgrade | Risky: the site gets no security fixes until it moves | Good fit |
| Older than 4.4 | Two upgrades in a row | Good fit |

Cubite is one of the managed options and publishes this table. Managed Moodle at Cubite starts at $690 a month for up to 500 concurrent learners and includes version upgrades; see [managed Moodle hosting and support](https://cubite.io/services/moodle-hosting-and-support).

## The upgrade path from each version

### From Moodle 4.5 LTS

Moodle 5.3 accepts upgrades from 4.4 or later, so a 4.5 site can go straight to 5.3. Three changes land at once: the /public web root (introduced in 5.1, see the next section), the PHP 8.3.0 minimum, and the higher database minimums. Check all three on a staging copy first.

### From Moodle 5.0

Upgrade soon: 5.0 no longer receives security fixes. The path is the same as from 4.5: the /public web root, PHP 8.3.0 and the database minimums all apply.

### From Moodle 5.1 or 5.2

Your web server already serves /public, so this is the lightest path. Check PHP (8.3.0 or later), the database minimums that 5.3 raised (PostgreSQL 17, MariaDB 11.4.0), and that each third-party plugin has a release that supports 5.3.

### From Moodle 4.3 or older

Moodle 5.3 does not upgrade a site older than 4.4 directly. Upgrade to an intermediate release first (check that release's own notes for the versions it accepts), then to 5.3.

## The /public web root (coming from 4.5 or 5.0)

Moodle 5.1 introduced a new /public directory. Moodle's 5.1 release notes say: "Your web server now needs to be configured so that its document root points to this /public directory, rather than the main Moodle folder." Sites that skip this step can show directory listings or error messages after the upgrade.

- Point the web server's document root at the /public directory inside your Moodle code, not at the Moodle folder itself.
- Move your plugins. The 5.1 notes say plugins installed before the upgrade "will still be in their original locations above the /public folder" and "will need to be manually moved into the appropriate location within the /public directory".
- Keep config.php and the command-line scripts where they are: in the 5.3 code, config-dist.php and admin/cli/upgrade.php sit at the top of the Moodle folder, outside /public.
- Moodle 5.1 also added a routing engine. Moodle recommends it but says it is not compulsory, and a compatibility layer keeps older URLs working.

## Pre-upgrade checklist

- Back up the database and the moodledata folder, and test a restore
- Build a staging copy and run the whole upgrade there first
- Confirm 64-bit PHP 8.3.0 or later, the sodium extension and max_input_vars of 5000 or more
- Confirm the database version meets the 5.3 minimum
- Check every third-party plugin and the theme for a 5.3-compatible release
- Plan the /public web root and the plugin moves if you are coming from 4.5 or 5.0
- Announce a maintenance window to your learners

## Step by step

1. Turn on maintenance mode (admin/cli/maintenance.php --enable) and stop cron.
2. Take the backups from the checklist.
3. Replace the Moodle code with 5.3, for example by checking out the MOODLE_503_STABLE branch, and keep your existing config.php.
4. If you are coming from 4.5 or 5.0, point the document root at /public and move the plugins into it.
5. Run the upgrade from the command line: php admin/cli/upgrade.php.
6. Turn maintenance mode off, start cron again, and test logins, enrollments, grading and your plugins.

## Rollback

A major upgrade changes the database, so the way back is the backup you took in step 2: restore the database and moodledata, put back the previous code and web server configuration, then turn maintenance mode off. Test that restore before the upgrade, not during it.

## Moodle 5.3 and AI providers

Moodle 5.3 adds an Anthropic Claude AI provider plugin (MDL-88674) and AI user reporting (MDL-80893). Moodle's AI subsystem, part of core since 4.5, stays off until a site administrator enables a provider and enters that provider's API key.

## Upgrade done for you: managed Moodle from $690 a month

Cubite plans the 5.3 upgrade on a staging copy, moves your plugins to /public, and keeps you patched afterwards.

[Book a 30-minute call](https://cubite.io/go/book?src=moodle-5-3)

## FAQ

### Can I upgrade from Moodle 4.5 to 5.3 directly?

Yes. Moodle 5.3 accepts upgrades from Moodle 4.4 or later. Coming from 4.5 you also have to serve the new /public web root and move your plugins into it, because that change arrived in 5.1.

### What PHP version does Moodle 5.3 need?

PHP 8.3.0 or later, 64-bit only. PHP 8.4.x is supported too, the sodium extension is required, and max_input_vars must be 5000 or more.

### Is Moodle 5.0 still supported?

No. moodledev.io lists Moodle 5.0 as no longer supported: it will not receive fixes for security risks. Moodle 5.3 LTS gets security fixes until October 1, 2029.

### How long is Moodle 5.3 LTS supported?

General support ends on October 4, 2027 and security support on October 1, 2029.

### Do I have to move my plugins?

Only if you are coming from a version before 5.1 (4.5 or 5.0). Plugins installed before the upgrade stay above the /public folder and have to be moved into the right place inside it.

### What does a managed Moodle upgrade cost at Cubite?

Cubite runs managed Moodle from $690 a month for up to 500 concurrent learners, with version upgrades and same-day CVE patching included, so the 5.3 upgrade is part of the plan rather than a separate project. See [managed Moodle hosting and support](https://cubite.io/services/moodle-hosting-and-support) or [compare Moodle hosting costs](https://cubite.io/blogs/moodle-hosting).