Upgrade OpenCart to the Latest Version Stress-Free [+2021 DIY Guide]

It is always a good idea to upgrade the store with each new shopping cart version to benefit from the new functionality, bug fixes, and security improvements that it brings. If you want to take full advantage of the OpenCart eCommerce solution, it is vital to keep the installation up to date by upgrading to the new version when it’s available. In this article, we will discuss how to upgrade OpenCart without using scripts and codes.

Upgrade Methods: Traditional (manual) vs Automated

Many online merchants consider store import to be quite a tedious and resource-consuming task that requires stellar expertise to be done properly. The traditional approach involves writing migration scripts or manually cutting and pasting the store entities. It doesn’t take minutes or even hours and is quite unpredictable. Alternatively, there are online services (like Cart2Cart) specializing in eCommerce migration. They aim to help you cut that time in half or even more. The option of an automated migration of databases from one store to another is clearly an attractive one. It involves little or no manual effort slashing the time and resources needed for migration.

Note: Since the basic principle the Cart2Cart service works on is that the store data is actually migrated from the old shopping cart version to a newly established one — therefore, the term “migration” is often used in the post.

How to Upgrade OpenCart with Cart2Cart?

Cart2Cart is a totally automated web-based and user-friendly tool that allows simplifying the process of eCommerce data import to a few easy-to-do steps.

Why use Cart2Cart?

• This migration service is the easiest possible way, offered by the current eCommerce market, to upgrade/migrate your database between 85+ shopping cart solutions.
• Having performed 250 000+ successful switches, the service offers the largest list of transferable entities.
• It offers a self-service model where you only need to provide the stores’ access details, choose the data entities you want to migrate/upgrade and it will do the rest.
• And finally, you can check the quality of data export and test the service by performing a Free Demo OpenCart upgrade. During test data transfer a limited number of entities will be moved from your current Opencart store to a new live OpenCart within 30 minutes.

What OpenCart data can be migrated with the Cart2Cart migration tool?

The following are the currently supported store entities that can be migrated/upgraded to OpenCart:

• Products, product categories,
• Manufacturers, taxes,
• Customers, orders,
• Coupons, reviews,
• Multistore, multiple languages, etc.

Now comes the practical part of the post — the OpenCart migration itself.

Note: Before you start, it is strongly advised to make a store backup. There are two ways to do that: either via the built-in OpenCart functionality or login to the phpMyAdmin and perform the backup from there.

Set Up the Source & Target Stores

To initiate the OpenCart upgrade, you should specify OpenCart as your Source and Target store and provide the stores’ URLs in the matching fields of the migration wizard. Once done, connect the stores with the help of the Connection Bridge ( (a so-called “gateway” for accessing your stores’ data)).

Those facing any difficulties during the installation process, can watch the video tutorial and get all the bridge-related questions answered in a short time:

Specify the Store Entities and Migration Options

Now it’s the right time to choose the store data you want to be imported to the new OpenCart store. When done, expand the export data possibilities with the help of the additional migration options:

• Pick the “Migrate categories and products SEO URLs” option and save all your OpenCart links structure to the products on the new store;
• If you want your customers to log in to the new OpenCart store via their credentials, the option “Migrate customers’ passwords” might come in handy.
• Specify the “Preserve product/category/customer IDs on Target store” option and save the current OpenCart store product/category/customer IDs on the new store after migration.

Note: Additional options are available for the extra price and for each of them there is a detailed description and video at the end of lines that explains thoroughly how the particular option works.

Perform Free Demo OpenCart Upgrade

Once you’ve specified the entities and migration options, you can benefit from the Demo migration. This opportunity allows observing the service in action and seeing how the imported data will look like on the new OpenCart store.

If you want to check demo migration results on your new OpenCart store but don’t know where to start, watch the video below:

Proceed With Full Migration

If you find yourself totally satisfied with the results of Demo migration, it’s high time to initiate Full migration by activating the “Start Migration” button.

Ready to take your OpenCart store a level up towards success? Benefit from Cart2Cart service and upgrade your online business without going into deep codes and scripts.

OpenCart Upgrade: FAQs

How can I be sure of my store data security during the migration?

Cart2Cart migration service handles the database transfer using a separate secure Hetzner server, and the data is not stored after the migration is over. We use a secure HTTPS protocol for all connections and only authorized staff have access to the migration process details. Find more info in our Security Policy.

Does Cart2Cart impact my current store performance?

Cart2cart won’t affect your current OpenCart store performance, it will remain fully active during the whole data migration. The Cart2Cart migration service only “copies” (exports) the store files from your existing platform and “pastes” (imports) them into the new one.

Is it possible to restart Demo Migration?

Yes, the Cart2Cart data migration tool makes it possible for the users to restart Demo Migrations as many times as needed. You’re only required to::

1. Log in to your Cart2Cart account.
2. Navigate to My Migrations List.
3. Find the needed migration where the demo is finished, and activate the “Continue Migration” button.
4. Once done, return to the second step of the Migration Wizard “Demo Migration” and press the “Start Demo Migration” button. The Demo transfer will start over again.