THE SHORT ANSWER
Back up the site, copy it to staging, run the Divi 5 Migrator scan, fix or replace anything flagged for backward compatibility mode, then launch with a rollback plan. Most sites convert in minutes. The real work is third-party modules, custom CSS and old presets.
Divi 5 launched on 26 February 2026, and every new Divi feature now ships there. Elegant Themes promised Divi 4 at least 12 months of security and critical fixes after that date, which puts the end of the guaranteed window in late February 2027. If your agency still has a shelf of Divi 4 client sites, 2027 is the year to move them.
This is the checklist we run on every Divi 4 to Divi 5 migration we deliver for agencies. Work through it in order.
01Before you start
Nothing touches the live site until these are done.
- Full backup: database, uploads, theme and plugin files.
- A staging copy of the live site, on the same PHP version.
- WordPress, Divi and every plugin updated on staging first.
- A list of third-party Divi modules, each checked for a Divi 5 version or the “Compatibility with Divi 5” tag in the Divi Marketplace.
- Custom CSS and JavaScript from Theme Options and the child theme saved somewhere you can compare later.
DON’T OPEN PAGES FIRST
Opening a page in the builder before you run the Migrator converts it on the spot, with no rollback copy. Run the scan first.
02Run the Divi 5 Migrator scan
Go to Divi → Divi 5 Migrator on the staging site. The scan covers pages, posts, custom post types, Theme Builder templates, WooCommerce products, Divi Library items, widgets and presets. Anything marked with an orange warning will run in backward compatibility mode after the move.
Backward compatibility mode is the part that costs you. If a page holds even one legacy module, the whole page loads the Divi 4 framework, so it misses the speed gains that are the main reason to upgrade.
FROM OUR DESK
We copy the scan results into the quote before we touch anything, so the agency knows exactly which pages need rebuilding and why, before a single hour is billed.
03Fix what the scan flags
Each flag has a known fix. This is the table we work from.
| Flag | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party module | The whole page loads the Divi 4 framework | Swap in a native Divi 5 module or the plugin’s Divi 5 version |
| Custom CSS on modules | Selectors may target old class names | Check every breakpoint on staging, then rewrite |
| Divi 4 presets | Styles convert, but the structure gets messy | Rebuild them as Divi 5 design variables and presets |
| Shortcodes from other plugins | They keep working | Leave them, test the output |
Rebuilding presets is optional on day one, but it pays back fast. Divi 5’s design variables let you change a brand color or font once and have every module follow, which is exactly what your clients will ask for next year.
Moving a client portfolio to Divi 5?
We migrate on staging, rebuild flagged modules and send a fixed quote in 24 hours. Under your brand.
04Test on staging
- Every page at desktop, tablet and phone widths.
- Header, footer and every Theme Builder template.
- Menus, forms and thank-you redirects.
- WooCommerce product, cart and checkout pages.
- A before and after speed test on your five most visited pages.
If a page is still in backward compatibility mode after your fixes, Divi may show a “Backward Compatibility Mode Enabled” notice on the front end. Treat that as a to-do, not a launch blocker.
05Launch and roll back
Launch on a quiet day, purge every cache (Divi, your caching plugin and the host), then watch the site for the first 30 days. If something breaks, the Migrator’s “Restore Divi 4 Content” option plus a Divi 4 reinstall takes you back. The longer the site runs and gets edited in Divi 5, the harder that gets, so keep the full backup until the test window closes.
06Custom CSS and child theme checks
Custom code is the part the Migrator can’t judge for you. Go through it line by line.
- Search the child theme and Theme Options CSS for Divi 4 class names, then check each one on staging.
- Look for module-level custom CSS, which is easy to miss because it lives inside individual modules.
- Retest any JavaScript that targets Divi markup, such as sliders, tabs or sticky elements.
- Move repeated custom styles into Divi 5 presets or design variables where you can.
07The first 30 days after launch
- Day 1: purge all caches, recheck forms and checkout, compare speed on the top five pages.
- Week 1: check Search Console for crawl errors and the 404 log for broken links.
- Week 2: ask the client’s team to edit a few pages and report anything odd.
- Day 30: rescan with the Migrator, close out remaining compatibility flags, then archive the Divi 4 backup.
FROM OUR DESK
Most issues show up in the first week, usually a form, a popup or a page nobody remembered existed. Watching the 404 log and form entries closely in that week catches nearly all of them.
08The checklist on one screen
- Full backup and staging copy on the same PHP version.
- Everything updated on staging, third-party modules checked for Divi 5 versions.
- Custom CSS and JavaScript saved for comparison.
- Migrator scan run before opening any page.
- Flagged modules updated, swapped or replaced.
- Presets rebuilt as design variables, or scheduled for later.
- Every page tested at three widths, plus forms, menus and checkout.
- Launch on a quiet day, purge caches, keep the backup for 30 days.
09FAQ
Do I have to move client sites to Divi 5 now?
Not overnight. Divi 4 keeps getting security and critical fixes for at least 12 months after the 26 February 2026 launch of Divi 5, so the guaranteed window runs into late February 2027. New features only ship in Divi 5, so plan the move per client in early 2027 instead of rushing every site at once.
How long does a Divi 5 migration take?
The Migrator itself usually runs in seconds to a couple of minutes. The real time goes into checking third-party modules, custom CSS and Theme Builder templates on staging, which is about a day for a small site and up to a week for a large store.
Can we undo the migration?
Yes, within limits. The Migrator saves a copy of your Divi 4 content, and you can restore it and reinstall Divi 4. Rollback gets harder the longer the site runs in Divi 5, so keep the full backup until the test window closes.
Will third-party Divi plugins still work?
Most keep working through backward compatibility mode, but the page loses the Divi 5 speed gains until the module has a native Divi 5 version. Check each plugin’s Marketplace page for the Divi 5 compatibility tag before you migrate.
Should we rebuild presets before or after migrating?
After. Migrate first, confirm the site works, then rebuild presets as Divi 5 design variables. Doing both at once makes problems harder to trace.
Do third-party Divi plugins need updating first?
Yes. Update every plugin on staging before the scan. Many developers have released Divi 5 versions, and an update can clear flags before you rebuild anything.
