> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mainwp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Premium plugin not showing the changelog on MainWP Dashboard

> MainWP Dashboard 4.4.1+ displays changelogs for premium plugins, but only if the plugin uses WordPress standards. Contact the plugin author for changelog location if the info is not visible on MainWP.

Since version 4.4.1, MainWP Dashboard displays changelogs and plugin information for premium plugins when viewing available updates.

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/mainwp/vt3GV9YSpiQ1gEJI/images/troubleshooting/premium-plugin-changelog.gif?s=9e774fc77d4fca220b52cab4617b1e10" alt="Animation showing premium plugin changelog display in MainWP Dashboard" width="1055" height="767" data-path="images/troubleshooting/premium-plugin-changelog.gif" />
</Frame>

If a premium plugin's changelog doesn't appear in MainWP, the plugin likely doesn't follow WordPress standards for providing update information.

## What You'll Learn

* Why some premium plugins don't show changelogs
* Steps to troubleshoot missing changelog information
* Alternative ways to find plugin changelogs
* Technical details for plugin developers

## Prerequisites

* MainWP Dashboard version 4.4.1 or later
* Premium plugin installed on child sites
* Admin access to your Dashboard

***

## Why Some Premium Plugins Don't Show Changelogs

Premium plugins distribute updates outside the WordPress.org repository. To make changelogs available, plugin authors must implement specific WordPress hooks that provide update and changelog information to the WordPress update system.

Not all premium plugin authors implement these hooks. When they're missing, WordPress (and therefore MainWP) cannot retrieve the changelog data.

***

## Troubleshoot Missing Changelogs

<Steps>
  <Step title="Verify Dashboard version">
    Go to **MainWP > Status** and confirm you're running version 4.4.1 or later. Earlier versions don't support premium plugin changelogs.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Sync the child site">
    Force a fresh sync from **MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites** to ensure MainWP has the latest plugin information.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check plugin settings">
    Some plugins display changelog information in their own settings pages. Use Jump to WP Admin to access the child site and navigate to the plugin's settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Contact the plugin author">
    If the changelog still doesn't appear, the plugin doesn't implement WordPress standards. Contact the vendor and ask:

    * Where to find the changelog for each version
    * Whether they plan to add WordPress-standard changelog support
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Alternative: Find Changelogs Elsewhere

When changelogs don't appear in MainWP, check these sources:

| Location            | How to Access                                    |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| Vendor website      | Visit the plugin's official website              |
| Account dashboard   | Log in to your vendor account                    |
| Plugin settings     | Check the plugin's settings page on a child site |
| Release notes email | Subscribe to the vendor's newsletter             |

Bookmark these pages for quick reference before running updates.

***

## For Plugin Developers

To make your plugin's changelog visible in MainWP and WordPress update screens, implement the `pre_site_transient_update_plugins` filter.

When MainWP Child runs `get_plugin_updates()`, it retrieves whatever information WordPress has about available updates—including changelogs—and synchronizes that data to the Dashboard.

### Required Implementation

Your update server response should include:

| Field         | Description                                       |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `new_version` | The version number available                      |
| `package`     | URL to download the update                        |
| `url`         | URL to the plugin information page                |
| `sections`    | Array containing `changelog`, `description`, etc. |

### WordPress References

* [`get_plugin_updates()`](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_plugin_updates/) - Retrieves plugin update information
* [`pre_site_transient_{$transient}`](https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/hooks/pre_site_transient_transient/) - Filter hook for injecting update data

For themes, use `pre_site_transient_update_themes` instead.

Properly implementing these standards ensures your plugin's changelog appears in MainWP, WordPress dashboard, and any other management tool that uses WordPress's update APIs.

***

## Self-Check Checklist

* [ ] MainWP Dashboard is version 4.4.1 or later
* [ ] Child site has been synced recently
* [ ] Checked plugin's settings page for changelog
* [ ] Contacted vendor about missing changelog (if needed)
* [ ] Found alternative source for changelog information

***

## Related Resources

* [Premium Plugin Updates Not Detected](/advanced/miscellaneous/premium-plugin-updates-not-detected) - Update detection issues
* [Premium Theme Updates Not Detected](/troubleshooting/premium-theme-updates-not-detected) - Theme-specific issues
* [Manage Updates](/sites/updates/manage-updates) - Update management overview