AppExchange Upgrades
AppExchange Upgrades refers to the process of updating an installed AppExchange managed package to a newer version.
Definition
AppExchange Upgrades refers to the process of updating an installed AppExchange managed package to a newer version. When a publisher releases a new version, subscribers receive a notification and can install the upgrade, which updates the package components while preserving customizations and data. Push upgrades allow publishers to automatically upgrade subscribers' packages.
In plain English
“AppExchange Upgrades is how you update an app you've installed from the AppExchange. When the publisher releases a new version, you get notified and can click to upgrade, which updates the app without breaking the customizations or data you already had.”
Worked example
Echo Valley Foods is running DocuSign for Salesforce at version 2.4 when the publisher releases v2.6 with a fix for a Lightning Record Page error their reps have been hitting. The admin gets a notification on the Installed Packages page, opens the AppExchange Upgrades flow, and reviews the version notes - new components, deprecated fields, post-install steps. She runs the upgrade in a sandbox first to confirm nothing in the company's existing customizations breaks, then upgrades production. The package's components are replaced with the v2.6 versions; the company's custom fields, page-layout overrides, and stored signature records carry forward unchanged.
Why AppExchange Upgrades matters
When an ISV releases a new version of a managed package, existing subscribers receive notifications through their Setup and can choose to upgrade. Upgrades replace the package components (Apex classes, Lightning components, custom objects, metadata) with the new versions while preserving subscriber customizations outside the package and all existing data in custom objects. Managed package namespaces and components are upgraded safely because the installing org cannot directly modify managed components.
Publishers also have the option to deliver Push Upgrades, which automatically upgrade subscribers without requiring them to click. Push Upgrades are commonly used for security patches, critical bug fixes, and small incremental releases. Larger or breaking releases are typically distributed as Pull Upgrades, where each subscriber chooses when to apply. Pre-release notes and compatibility information are typically published alongside each version so admins know what to expect before upgrading.
How organizations use AppExchange Upgrades
Always installs AppExchange upgrades into a full sandbox first, runs regression tests, and only then promotes to production. This catches compatibility issues with other installed packages before they affect real users.
Receives Push Upgrades for security patches automatically but has a change management policy that manually reviews feature upgrades before applying them. This balances staying current with controlling change risk.
Monitors the release notes of every installed package and tracks the version gap between their installed version and the latest. Any package more than two versions behind triggers a review of whether to upgrade.
Trust & references
Straight from the source - Salesforce's reference material on AppExchange Upgrades.
- Extend Your Org with AppExchange PackagesSalesforce Help
Test your knowledge
Q1. What happens to subscriber customizations and data during an AppExchange upgrade?
Q2. What is a Push Upgrade?
Q3. What is the recommended testing approach before a production upgrade?
Discussion
Loading discussion…