Update Instructions

Installing s2Member for the First Time?

Please see: Installing s2Member & s2Member Pro for helpful instructions.

Automatic Updates Through WordPress (Recommended)

Whenever a new release of the s2Member Framework is made available, you will be notified automatically inside your WordPress Dashboard. Check: WordPress Dashboard → Plugins and look to see if a new version of the s2Member Framework is available. If so, you can simply click the update link! If you have s2Member Pro, you'll get a second notice about s2Member Pro.

Do automatic updates work with s2Member Pro too? Important

After receiving a notice that there's a new version of the s2Member Framework available, and after completing the update of the s2Member Framework (as described above), you will automatically receive a second notice. The second notice explains that you also need to update your copy of s2Member Pro. A dialog will be shown in your WordPress Dashboard, asking for your s2Member.com username/password (or license key). Entering your credentials and pressing the update button will perform the update automatically from within your WordPress Dashboard. The update of the s2Member Framework and of the s2Member Pro Add-on is now complete.

Tip: It is always a good idea to do a full backup of all of your WordPress files (and your database too) before you update any component within WordPress. Even if you update automatically through the Dashboard, a full backup is always a great idea!

Are new versions of the Framework and of the Pro Add-on always released together?

Yes. New versions of the s2Member Framework and of the s2Member Pro Add-on are always released simultaneously from our end. If you receive a notice in your WordPress Dashboard about the s2Member Framework needing to be updated (and you have s2Member Pro installed too); you will always get a second notice (after you update the s2Member Framework), explaining that you need to update your copy of s2Member Pro also.

What happens if I update the s2Member Framework without updating s2Member Pro also?

The s2Member Pro Add-on requires that you have a matching version of the s2Member Framework to go with it. Therefore, if you update your copy of the s2Member Framework without also updating the s2Member Pro Add-on, your copy of the s2Member Pro Add-on (now outdated) will refuse to load. If this occurs, you will get a notice in your Dashboard informing you that an update of the s2Member Pro Add-on is required.

Updating the s2Member® Framework Manually

  1. In your WordPress Dashboard, go to: s2Member → General Options → Plugin Deletion Safeguards. Be sure that safeguards are on. This tells s2Member not to remove any existing data/options; just in case WordPress tries to deactivate the s2Member Framework during this manual update process.
  2. Please backup your files and database before updating any aspect of your WordPress installation. Also, it is always a good idea to take your site offline during an update. Try WP Maintenance Mode.
  3. Log in via FTP (using an FTP application like FileZilla). Delete the entire /wp-content/plugins/s2member directory. You can leave /s2member-logs and /s2member-files if they exist. These extra directories contain files that should not be removed or overwritten from one version to the next.
  4. Download the latest version of the s2Member Framework

  5. Unzip, and then upload the new /s2member folder to your /wp-content/plugins/ directory using an FTP application like FileZilla; or any other FTP program is fine also.

    To verify that you completed this step properly, please make sure that you have the following file path:

    /wp-content/plugins/s2member/s2member.php

    If instead, you have double /s2member/s2member/ directories nested inside each other, please correct this before you continue. In other words, if you unzipped the folder inside itself, this will cause you problems. You should have: /wp-content/plugins/s2member/s2member.php, along with several other files and subdirectories too.

  6. In WordPress, go to WordPress Dashboard → Plugins and do a quick review. s2Member is capable reactivating itself automatically when it detects a new set of files. So even with a manual upgrade, everything will load up safely upon returning to your WordPress Dashboard. You should see a notice in the Plugins panel of your Dashboard indicating success; i.e., that the s2Member Framework has been automatically reactivated.

Updating the s2Member® Pro Add-on Manually

Dependency: The s2Member Pro Add-on requires that you first update the s2Member Framework. Please follow the instructions above to update the s2Member Framework before you begin. Attempting to update s2Member Pro on its own will result in confusion.

  1. Please backup your files and database before updating any aspect of your WordPress installation. Also, it is always a good idea to take your site offline during an update. Try WP Maintenance Mode.
  2. Log in via FTP (using an FTP application like FileZilla). Delete the entire /wp-content/plugins/s2member-pro directory. You can leave /s2member-logs and /s2member-files if they exist. These extra directories contain files that should not be removed or overwritten from one version to the next.
  3. Download the latest version of the s2Member Pro Add-on

  4. Unzip, and then upload the /s2member-pro folder to your /wp-content/plugins/ directory using an FTP application like FileZilla; or any other FTP program is fine also.

    To verify that you completed this step properly, please make sure that you have the following file path:

    /wp-content/plugins/s2member-pro/pro-module.php

    If instead, you have double /s2member-pro/s2member-pro/ directories nested inside each other, please correct this before you continue. In other words, if you unzipped the folder inside itself, this will cause you problems. You should have: /wp-content/plugins/s2member-pro/pro-module.php, along with several other files and subdirectories too.

  5. In WordPress, go to WordPress Dashboard → Plugins and do a quick review. You should find the s2Member Framework in your list of active plugins. You should also find that the s2Member Framework mentions it is running together with the latest version of s2Member Pro