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How Do I Upgrade the Version of My PostgreSQL Database in Spinup?

How Do I Upgrade the Version of My PostgreSQL Database in Spinup?

PostgreSQL receives regular security and feature updates, and major versions eventually reach end-of-life (EOL). If your database version is approaching EOL or you want access to newer features, upgrading is recommended.

Spinup supports two primary upgrade methods:

  1. In-place upgrade via the Spinup UI (recommended for simplicity)

  2. Dump and restore into a new database (recommended for complex migrations or major jumps in version)

Option 1: Upgrade In Place

In-place upgrades are performed directly through the Spinup UI and typically take less than 30 minutes for small-to-medium databases.

⚠️ The database will be unavailable during the upgrade window, unless High Availability (HA) is enabled.

Steps

  1. Visit your database in the Spinup UI

  2. Click “Upgrade Version”

  3. Choose your desired target version from the dropdown list

  4. Confirm the upgrade

The database status will update to “upgrading” and will automatically return to “available” when complete.

Notes

  • You cannot downgrade once the upgrade is complete

  • Always test upgrades in a non-production copy of the database first

  • Not all version jumps are supported (e.g., you may need to upgrade to an intermediate version first)

  • Refer to the AWS PostgreSQL upgrade compatibility matrix to confirm valid upgrade paths

Option 2: Dump and Restore to a New Instance

Use this method when:

  • You want full control over the new environment

  • You’re making a large version jump (e.g., 11 → 16)

  • You want to test before migrating production

  • You need rollback capability

Steps

  1. Create a new PostgreSQL database in Spinup with your target version

  2. Export your existing database using pg_dump:

    pg_dump -Fc -h [old-hostname] -U [username] -d [dbname] -f backup.dump

  3. Import the dump into your new instance:

    pg_restore -c -h [new-hostname] -U [username] -d [dbname] backup.dump

Make sure to recreate any database users, extensions, or custom roles in the new instance.

Best Practices

  • Always perform a backup before starting any upgrade

  • Verify application compatibility with the new PostgreSQL version

  • Test the upgrade process and application behavior in a non-production clone

  • Monitor your database closely after upgrade completion

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Need Help?

Upgrading your PostgreSQL database ensures better security, performance, and feature compatibility with modern applications. The Spinup team is happy to assist with planning or executing your upgrade.