---
title: Upgrade
description: These pages show you how to upgrade PingDS software.
component: pingds
version: 8.1
page_id: pingds:upgrade-guide:preface
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/8.1/upgrade-guide/preface.html
revdate: 2026-04-21T12:00:00Z
keywords: ["LDAP", "Upgrade"]
page_aliases: ["index.adoc"]
---

# Upgrade

These pages show you how to upgrade PingDS software.

|   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
|   | New releases can bring updated requirements and incompatible changes. Ignoring these changes when upgrading can break your deployment and cause downtime.Make sure you review the [release notes](https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingds/release-notes/index.html) carefully and take all appropriate actions when upgrading to a new release, especially in a production environment. |

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#### [About upgrades](about-upgrades.html)

Read this first.

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#### [Upgrade strategies](strategies.html)

Choose between upgrading in place and upgrading by adding servers.

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#### [Upgrade in place](in-place-upgrade.html)

Overwrite old software to upgrade on the same server.

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#### [Upgrade by adding servers](new-servers.html)

Add new servers then retire old ones.