New features, faster: a new era of Totara releases  

Totara is evolving how we deliver new features and improvements — and we’re excited to share what this means for our customers. 

Why we’re changing the frequency of our feature releases  

Over the years, Totara has earned a reputation for being flexible, secure and reliable. But we’ve also listened to your feedback; you want to access new features more quickly, and with greater clarity about when and how to upgrade. 

That’s why we’re introducing a new release model designed to give you more choice, predictability — and speed. 

What’s changing? 

We’re introducing two release pathways, allowing you to choose what works best for your organisation: 

Long Term Support (LTS)

This is our default model based on our recent release cadence:

• Ideal if your organisation prioritises long-term stability, regulatory compliance, or has strict change control processes. 
• You’ll receive a major release every year, with each version fully supported for four years (and options for extended support). 
• Monthly updates will include only essential code fixes — no unexpected changes and efficient to upgrade. 

Progressive

• Perfect if you’re keen to benefit from new features as soon as they’re ready. 
• You’ll receive quarterly enhancements, giving you earlier access to innovation. 
• Designed for organisations that can manage more regular change. 

Note that if the Progressive path does not suit your immediate needs, your partner will still have access to new features, so can help plan and support your future upgrade pathways.   

What this means for you 

• Faster access to new features: The Progressive pathway gives you the latest capabilities sooner.
• More control: Choose the approach that suits your internal change processes and priorities.
• Clearer upgrade planning: With predictable release schedules, you can plan upgrades with confidence.

Whether you value a steady approach or want to stay on the cutting edge, Totara’s new release model lets you tailor the experience to your needs.  

Speak to your partner to work out what approach is best for you. 

What are the benefits of being on the latest (or more recent) Totara version? 

• Access to the latest features. 
• Better user experience and quicker workflows. We’re continually improving the user experience, with recent releases including a number of small, iterative improvements. These changes are designed to build on your current setup, without disrupting it. 
• No improvements will break existing functionality. Any significant changes are introduced as opt-in features, so you can adopt them at your own pace, after the upgrade. 
• We also take a ‘continuous improvement’ approach to refining the user interface, modernising the look and feel in line with ever-changing user expectations, without forcing disruptive changes. 
• Full technical support is available for the most recent versions. 

Not sure which Version you’re using? 

Knowing your current version is the first step towards planning your upgrade strategy. 

Our Help Docs provide guidance on how to check your Totara version. 

What’s next? 

In the coming months, we’ll be providing our customers: 

• Further guidance on how to choose the right release pathway for your organisation 
• Previews of upcoming enhancements 
• Best practices for managing upgrades 

In the meantime, we recommend speaking to your Totara Partner or site administrator to discuss your preferred approach.