Divi 5 is a genuinely big upgrade — a rebuilt, faster builder on a modern block-based foundation. It's also a big enough change that "just click update on the live site" is asking for trouble. Members ask about this on almost every WP AI Success Hub call, so here's the checklist we recommend.
1. Take a full backup you know you can restore
Not just "a backup exists" — a backup you've actually tested restoring, stored off your hosting (BlogVault, UpdraftPlus to cloud storage, or your host's snapshot). The upgrade converts your layouts; you want a way back that doesn't depend on the thing you're changing.
2. Upgrade a staging copy first — never the live site
Clone your site to staging (your host's one-click staging, WP Stagecoach, or a free clone plugin), run the Divi 5 upgrade there, and click through every important page. This is the single step that turns a risky upgrade into a boring one.
3. Audit your add-ons
Third-party Divi plugins (Divi Supreme and friends) each need their own Divi 5 compatibility. Check the changelog of every Divi add-on you run before upgrading — an incompatible module is the most common thing that breaks.
4. Check your custom CSS after conversion
Divi 5 generates different markup in places, so CSS that targeted old class names can stop matching. On staging, walk your pages with DevTools open and fix selectors as needed. (Long-term: the less custom CSS you carry, the smoother every future upgrade gets — Divi 5's built-in options cover far more than Divi 4's did.)
5. Then upgrade live — at a quiet time
Once staging looks right: fresh backup, upgrade the live site during low traffic, and click through the same important pages again. Total elapsed time is usually under an hour — most of it waiting for the backup.
Is it worth upgrading at all?
Short version from months of daily Divi 5 use: yes — it's faster, the builder is nicer to work in, and it's where all future Divi development happens. But do it on your schedule, through staging, not because an update nag wore you down.
Want company while you do it?
Members have run Divi 5 upgrades during WP AI Success Hub live calls, screen shared, with help on hand when something looked odd. That's the whole point of the Hub. Join for $27/month.