Death to Drupal. Long live Drupal.

If you’re running Drupal 10, the clock is officially ticking—you have less than 10 months to make the move. If you’re on version 7, 8, or 9? You’re already swimming in shark-infested waters. It’s time to plan your next upgrade, and honestly, you should have started yesterday. If you’re on any version below that, you may as well call the Avengers. You’re going to need them to protect your site from vulnerabilities.

 

Here are some benefits of keeping your Drupal site on a supported version:

You can’t just flip a switch to get from Drupal 7 to 11. Upgrades happen in stages, and skipping steps is a recipe for a broken site. Each major version needs to be upgraded in sequence. Organizations can start by identifying which version their site is currently running and reviewing all the modules and customizations in use. Tools like the Upgrade Status module are essential to determine what needs to be updated, replaced, or retired. From there, teams should plan a step-by-step migration, moving from one supported major version to the next while testing functionality, performance, and compatibility along the way. The ultimate goal should be to move to Drupal 11 or higher whenever possible, allowing teams to have the longest support window and access to the latest features.

Unsupported software is like leaving your front door unlocked in a bad neighborhood. Sure, you might be fine tonight, but why take the risk? Once a version reaches end-of-life, the Drupal Security Team stops watching your back. No more patches. No more fixes. No more safety net. That said, there is no need to panic. If your site is on an older version, it will not suddenly disappear from the internet. But the reality is clear: implementing an upgrade plan is the only way to stay on a supported version and keep your data secure.

Performance is one of the biggest gains when moving off older Drupal versions. Improvements in PHP support, caching, and core optimizations mean faster load times that keep visitors from bouncing to your competitors. Website performance directly impacts user experience, SEO, and conversion rates. Slow sites frustrate users and drive them away. Upgrading to a current Drupal version positions your site to meet modern expectations for speed and reliability. 

Modern Drupal releases bring a range of improvements that enhance both the front-end user experience and back-end administration. Recent versions provide a cleaner, more intuitive admin interface and flexible page layouts, so your content team will spend less time fighting the CMS and more time publishing content. Front-end themes are responsive, accessible, and visually appealing. These tools and improvements enable teams to move faster, reduce long-term maintenance, and provide a better experience for both administrators and site visitors. 

Accessibility is a legal requirement and a responsibility for organizations serving the public. Recent Drupal versions significantly improve accessibility through better keyboard navigation, screen reader support, and adherence to current accessibility guidelines. Upgrading keeps your site usable by a broader audience while reducing legal and compliance risks. Staying on an older version doesn’t just limit your reach; it exposes you to unnecessary lawsuits in an increasingly litigious digital landscape.

As organizations grow, their websites must scale with them. Later versions of Drupal are built to handle increased traffic, larger content volumes, and more complex integrations. Just as important, upgrading positions your site to evolve alongside the Drupal ecosystem. Staying supported means smoother upgrades, better tooling, and less technical debt over time. Don't let your CMS become a bottleneck.

Don't wait for a security breach to realize you're outdated. Contact Square360 today for a Drupal Upgrade Audit that will help you navigate each stage while keeping your site secure, stable, and ready for the future.