Template:Update

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This template can be used to mark entire articles or sections that contain outdated information. To assist the editor in the future, include the reason why an article needs updating (using |reason= and what part needs updating using |part=).

Usage

This template can be used to mark articles or sections that have old or out-of-date information. Include the reason why an article needs updating, unless the reason is very obvious.

• To specify what parts of the page need updating, use the first unnamed parameter (or name it |part= or number it |1=): {{Update|part=the later-life and death material and the [[#Legacy|Legacy]] section|date=May 2026}}
• To use the template in one specific section, and change its wording to refer to the section instead of the page, use |section and insert the template at the top of the section: {{Update|section|date=May 2026}}
• To display the date (in whatever format) of the last significant update to the page, use the second unnamed parameter (or name it |updated= or number it |2=): {{Update|updated=7 April 2026|date=May 2026}}

  Note: The parameter name or number must be used if the first numbered/unnamed parameter is not used.

• To add the date when the tag was added (this is used for cleanup categorization), use: {{Update|date=May 2026}}

  You can also do: {{Update|{{subst:DATE}}}}

• To explain that the article now has inaccuracies (not just missing information) due to being outdated, use |inaccurate=yes: {{Update|inaccurate=yes|date=May 2026}}. This is to be distinguished from disputed content, where {{Disputed}} or {{Disputed-section}} should be used instead.
• To link to a particular section of the talk page where the update is being discussed, use |talk=Section title (|talksection= and |discuss= are equivalent to |talk=): {{Update|talk=Shall we update this for 2026?|date=May 2026}}
• To display a reason, use |reason=a short comment here, e.g. {{Update|reason=Is missing the May 2026 election results|date=May 2026}}
• These parameters can be combined: {{Update|part=The [[#Production|Production]] section and follow-on material|reason=the film is released, so this needs a "Critical reception" section, too|inaccurate=yes|talk=Post-release updating|updated=February 2026|date=May 2026}}

Example

{{Update|documentation|date=May 2026}}

The template detects which namespace it is used in and changes accordingly:

Article
Category
Template

{{Update|section|date=May 2026}} produces:

Article
Category
Template

This template will add mainspace articles to Category:Articles in need of updating (this category is not populated by pages in other namespaces).

For factual inaccuracies, stronger wording is used and mainspace articles will be added to Category:Articles with obsolete information.

{{Update|inaccurate=yes|date=May 2026}}

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Update in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Update

Use this tag to alert readers that the article is out of date and may need updating.

Template parameters[Edit template data]

This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Type (section)	part 1	Part that needs updating (e.g. to replace the word "article", often "section") Default article Example section Auto value	String	suggested
Month and year	date	Provides the month and year of the update request; e.g., 'January 2018', but not 'jan18' Auto value {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}	String	suggested
Last updated	updated 2	Date of last significant update	Date	optional
Inaccurate?	inaccurate	Use 'yes' if the article has inaccuracies due to being out of date. Example yes	Boolean	optional
Talk page section	talksection discuss talk	Section name on talk page where the discussion takes place	String	optional
Reason	reason	Explanation why the article is out of date	Content	suggested
Demospace	demospace	no description	String	optional
Cat	cat	Only required if a specific maintenance category is needed.	String	optional
Type	type	Type of page, overriding [[:mw:Help:Magic words#Namespaces|SUBJECTSPACE]] Example article	String	optional

Alternatives

• {{Update after}} is an alternative for individual statements that will be out-of-date at a specifiable future date. It is a more recent and preferred alternative to Wikipedia:As of. It also adds articles to Category:Articles in need of updating.
• See Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup#Time-sensitive for alternatives unrelated to out-of-date information.

See also

• {{Update section}}
• {{As of}}
• {{Current}}
• {{Missing information}}
• {{Recentism}}
• {{Show by date}}/{{subst:Show by}}
• {{Time-context}}
• {{Update inline}}
• {{Updated}}
• {{When}}

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Update/doc. (edit | history)
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox (create | mirror) and testcases (create) pages.
Add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template.