# Updating processing and how to do it properly (removing old version while keeping projects)
**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/updating-processing-and-how-to-do-it-properly-removing-old-version-while-keeping-projects/31195
**Category:** Processing
**Created:** [July 11, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/updating-processing-and-how-to-do-it-properly-removing-old-version-while-keeping-projects/31195 "2021-07-11T23:05:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@whhyyy123](https://discourse.processing.org/u/whhyyy123)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2021, 11:05pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/updating-processing-and-how-to-do-it-properly-removing-old-version-while-keeping-projects/31195/1 "2021-07-11T23:05:14Z")
Hi! I have a super simple question…
I saw this [post](https://forum.processing.org/one/topic/updating-processing.html) from the old forum but had more questions. I am kinda new to processing (but not coding).
I currently have java processing 3.4 (revision 0265) but have not opened it in a _very_ long time. I had a simple project idea I wanted to try out and now have been alerted that there is an update for version 3.5.4 revision 0270
However it seems like it takes me to a whole new download and theres no installer or anything like that I see. Just a zipped file for the executable for the new version. I would like to use the new version, but how do I safely remove the old version while keeping my existing projects safe? And how do I allow the new version to see these old projects? I assume they’re compatible?
Thank you all!
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### Author:  [@glv](https://discourse.processing.org/u/glv)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2021, 11:44pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/updating-processing-and-how-to-do-it-properly-removing-old-version-while-keeping-projects/31195/2 "2021-07-11T23:44:38Z")
Hello,
Good question!
Before anything… back things up.
I always diligently back things up and have done so with Processing in the past and all the related files. I usually archive in a zip file with a name and date.
I have a few different versions of Processing co-existing and rename the folder with version number added to it.
I usually extract it to a custom folder that I call _Program Portable_:
And then rename it:
\*\*\* This (below) may not be necessary and including for reference \*\*\*
There is some stuff that is shared in the `%AppData% ` folder in `> Roaming > Processing` folder that is shared between versions; I have backed this up (just in case) and deleted it in the past before a reinstall.
Your programs and libraries end up here (this may differ for you so check first):
And for the grand finale I add links to taskbar:
Disclaimer:
You assume all risk and liability for anything you do on your PC and I take no responsibility whatsoever. Back things up first!
There may be some official documentation somewhere… I did a quick search and did not find it.
Update:
_[Getting Started \ Processing.org](https://processing.org/tutorials/gettingstarted/)_
`:)`
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### Author:  [@whhyyy123](https://discourse.processing.org/u/whhyyy123)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2021, 1:38am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/updating-processing-and-how-to-do-it-properly-removing-old-version-while-keeping-projects/31195/3 "2021-07-13T01:38:30Z")
Thank you so much for the very detailed answer! Sorry for the delay, I hadn’t had the chance to try this.
The information you gave has been VERY helpful!
Your detailed answer inspired me to write a detailed one of my own!
**What I did**
Turns out I had extracted the old one to `C:\Program Files\processing-3.4`
Also turns out I (or processing, unsure) had made a folder with the path `C:\Users\myname\Documents\Processing\Sketchbook`. From what I could tell it had all my projects (all of them untouched for years it seems haha. latest one was sept 2018!) I temporarily made a copy of this to my desktop incase something went wrong. I also believe all this is backed up on some external drive somewhere if I indeed hadn’t changed anything in 3 years
I did not delete the `.../Sketchbook` folder after making a back up copy
Thanks to you, I took a look at the `%appdata%` (for those reading in the future, you can get to this by doing windowsbutton+R and type in `%appdata%`). I didn’t find anything too important there. Mostly old debug logs and stuff. But I _did_ find some preferences type stuff so I temporarily copied that to my desktop as well. The files I found useful are:
`.../Roaming/Processing/contribs.txt` - seems like some library stuff
`.../Roaming/Processing/language.txt` - just has the word “en”. guessing its sets my default language to english
`.../Roaming/Processing/preferences.txt`- has stuff like font size, color, etc
`.../Roaming/Processing/recent.txt` - just a file with the paths of recently opened files. really I could remove this but I kept it. Im guessing this is what “open recent” is using!
After backing up files I thought deemed important, I deleted the `.../Roaming/Processing/` directory. I assumed the new processing executable will fill in what ever it needs
I extracted the new processing zip file I download to `C:\Program Files\processing-3.5.4` like the other one.
I made a shortcut to the new processing executable and ran it. it opened up with no obvious issues. I tried to open the sketchbook from the new one and I saw my old projects which is cool
I copied over the `%appdata%` stuff to the newly created folder (same path) and overwrote the newly generated files
I then deleted `C:\Program Files\processing-3.4` as I don’t expect to ever use it again. I (maybe unsafely) assumed any old projects will still run - id never done anything very fancy with processing. But either way, I haven’t touch it in years so it’s no big loss if those projects dont work
All this seems to have worked! I haven’t tried to run any old projects just yet. Will try that tomorrow perhaps (edit: old projects run fine!)
I found your disclaimer very amusing 😛
Thanks again!
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### Author:  [@Flolo](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Flolo)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2021, 10:20am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/updating-processing-and-how-to-do-it-properly-removing-old-version-while-keeping-projects/31195/4 "2021-07-13T10:20:21Z")
Hey and is there a way that you can open processing with the windows search (usually in the bottom left)?
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### Author:  [@whhyyy123](https://discourse.processing.org/u/whhyyy123)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2021, 3:54am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/updating-processing-and-how-to-do-it-properly-removing-old-version-while-keeping-projects/31195/5 "2021-07-16T03:54:19Z")
Hi @Flolo ,
yeah just by typing it. Thats how I normally do it even though I have a shortcut lol
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### Author:  [@Flolo](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Flolo)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2021, 1:58pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/updating-processing-and-how-to-do-it-properly-removing-old-version-while-keeping-projects/31195/6 "2021-07-16T13:58:10Z")
hmm ok Idk why it doesn’t work for me but I also have a shortcut
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### Author:  [@whhyyy123](https://discourse.processing.org/u/whhyyy123)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2021, 6:23pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/updating-processing-and-how-to-do-it-properly-removing-old-version-while-keeping-projects/31195/7 "2021-07-16T18:23:02Z")
Ok so I hadn’t tried it after I downloaded version 3.4.5 lol. it wasnt working for me either. But now that I made a shortcut for it on my desktop, searching “processing” in the windows search bar shows it to me under the “apps” section. pressing enter on that opens it up. I bet the more you search it, windows will move it higher up in your results