Updating to WHMCS 8.6.0 with PHP 8.1
As many of you know, WHMCS has released version 8.6.0, which adds support for PHP 8.1. This release utilizes the Ioncube v12 encoder, which adds support specifically for PHP 8.1, completely bypassing PHP 8. This is important to note when testing various modules and plugins for their compatibility with PHP 8.1. We are happy to announce that the latest versions of all our WHMCS Themes and WHMCS Modules now support 8.6.0 and PHP 8.1. Visit the Changelog to see what’s changed in each new release.
Before updating your themes and modules, you must create a complete backup of your WHMCS install. This will allow you to quickly roll back if you encounter any serious issues after updating. It’s also essential to update WHMCS first, then your plugins and modules, and finally, to PHP 8.1. Performing an update out of order may cause various error messages to display on both your backend and front end for the WHMCS installation.
All WHMCS modules now come with two install folders. Upload the contents of the install folder that matches your system settings:
- Ioncube v10 supports PHP 7.2 and below
- Ioncube v12 supports PHP 7.4 and PHP 8.1
If you are unsure what version of Ioncube you have installed, you can log in to your WHMCS admin portal and navigate to Utilities > System > PHP Version Compatibility. The scanner will tell you what version of Ioncube is installed and any modules with compatibility issues.
Updating your theme installations
For those updating a theme, you must update the Theme Installer to version 1.6.1 before updating your theme. Once your Theme Installer is updated, you can use the auto-updater or download the files from SwiftModders directly to update your theme. If you have any issues, please do not hesitate to open a support request.
Update on Grandfathered and Retired license holders
Many of you will notice that you cannot access the latest versions of these themes. In June of 2021, we migrated to a new licensing and billing system from WHMCS. To help ease the transition for our customers, we renewed all licenses and gave each client additional time to access support and updates. As of June 21, 2022, those licenses no longer have access to support and updates. You will need to upgrade to the new licensing structure if you wish to download the latest version of the previous purchase.
You can log into your SwiftModders account and visit the license page. On this page, you will notice a button that says “View Upgrades” under each of your licenses. Select the license you wish to upgrade and click that button to start the process. You can choose between the yearly subscription or one-time purchase licenses. After completing your upgrade, you will now have a new license key to access the latest version of your desired product. We are also running our Black Friday special over the next few weeks, so now is a great time to upgrade! You can save 40% on your purchase using the discount code “BLACKFRIDAY22”. Click here to activate the discount.
If you have any questions or issues upgrading to a new license, please do not hesitate to open a billing or sales request.
Are you unhappy with WHMCS? Give Blesta a try!
This may seem odd, considering that most of our clients have come from WHMCS, but we would be blind not to see the dissatisfaction in some of WHMCS’ decisions. We’re sure many of you may feel stuck, but we’re here to tell you that you do not have to be. Over the last year, we have spent some time getting to know the team at Blesta, and they not only have a fantastic product but are amazing people. You may not have seen it, but we also ported our popular Allure WHMCS Client Theme over to Blesta. It’s just as good, if not better, than the original. We highly recommend trying Blesta to see if it meets your needs. If anything, you know SwiftModders will continue to make the Blesta platform look good!