If you have followed our guide to install the Ubiquiti UniFi SDN controller on CentOS, the process to update or upgrade the UniFi SDN controller is below.

Step-by-step guide


Most of these commands must be run as root, so either log in as root or use sudo.


  1. Stop the UniFi SDN controller

    systemctl stop unifi

  2. Back up your current installation. Choose one of the following options.

    1. Take a snapshot of the entire VM (easiest to restore)

    2. Save a copy of the latest auto backup file from the autobackup directory

      /opt/UniFi/data/backup/autobackup/

    3. Copy the entire data directory to another location or make an archive of it

      /opt/UniFi/data

  3. Change directory to the temporary directory

    cd /tmp

  4. Install the generic Linux version of the UniFi SDN controller

    Make sure to read the release notes and ensure that your server meets the requirements, including Java and MongoDB versions!

    1. Find the latest version number from the UniFi download page

    2. Download the ZIP file

      wget https://www.ubnt.com/downloads/unifi/[version]/UniFi.unix.zip

      Fill in [version] with the correct version number. ex. /unifi/5.11.50/UniFi.unix.zip

    3. Unzip the contents

      unzip -q UniFi.unix.zip -d /opt

    4. You should be prompted to replace files

      replace /opt/UniFi/bin/mongod? [y]es, [n]o, [A]ll, [N]one, [r]ename:

    5. Enter A and press enter.

    6. Set the correct owner for the new files

      chown -R ubnt:ubnt /opt/UniFi

    7. Start the service

      systemctl start unifi
  5. Go to your controller's web address in a browser.

    1. The address will be the FQDN or IP followed by the admin port, 8443.

      https://192.168.1.100:8443
    2. It is safe to bypass certificate warnings since the controller does not have publicly trusted certificates installed.
  6. That's it! Everything should be updated and working!