Save These Dates: Winter ’24 Sandbox Preview
The Winter '24 sandbox preview window is coming up. Here are some tips to take full advantage of it, plus all the dates you need to know.
Ella Marks
Three times a year, we release new features and functionality, so you can take advantage of the latest and greatest that our platform has to offer. Let’s dig into the dates for this sandbox preview, so you can see what’s coming up for the Winter ’24 Salesforce release Note the key dates for this release now so your organization is prepared for the upgrade.
We’ll upgrade your production instance to the Winter ’24 release according to the rolling 12-month release calendar. To check your upgrade date, enter your instance name or domain and click the maintenance tab.
The next thing you need to know is when your sandbox will be upgraded to Winter ’24, as this is the first opportunity you’ll get to test your configurations on the new release. Let’s look at the dates you’ll need to know.
Now: Join the Release Readiness Trailblazers Community
Stay in the know by joining the Release Readiness Trailblazers Community. That’s where we post available resources, and it’s a great place to ask questions as you implement new features. If you’re new to managing releases, there’s a Trailhead module to walk you through the process.
August 16: Preview release notes are available
This is the time to scan the release notes. Use filters to display only the sections that relate to the edition and clouds you currently use.
August 21: Sign up for a prerelease environment
Why do you need a prerelease org? It’s a test environment with new release features enabled, allowing you plenty of time to test and figure out which ones are right for your organization. If you already had a prerelease org for Summer ‘23, you can log back into that one.
If you’re uncertain what features you want to implement, join the Trailblazer Community Treasure Hunt to see what others in the community are excited about.
August 24: Sandbox cut-off date
Use your sandbox to get early access to new features and test configurations before the scheduled production upgrade. You must have an active sandbox on a preview instance before August 24, to get the Winter ’24 preview in your sandbox.
In most cases, you don’t need to do anything because your sandbox is already on a preview instance. Get all the details you need in the sandbox preview instructions article on Salesforce Help.
August 25: Sandboxes upgraded
If you’ve decided to take advantage of sandbox preview, your chosen sandboxes are upgraded to Winter ’24 this weekend. Like the prerelease program, the sandbox preview allows you to test new features without impacting your live environment. However, the added benefit to the sandbox preview is the ability to test new features using a configuration that matches your production environment.
August 25: Winter ’24 release site is live
To help you get a better handle on the Winter ’24 release, you’ll be able to go through the Release Highlights module on Trailhead on this date. This is a quick and easy way to learn about features. We offer demo videos, Trailhead modules, community forums, and more to make the process as easy as possible.
September 1: First release weekend
The first release weekend is when we at Salesforce and a small number of customers get upgraded. At this stage, you probably already have your key features earmarked. If you’re ready for your upgrade, the Release Readiness Trailblazers group will have all the content you need to get your organization’s users up to speed on the new features you plan to rollout.
September 14-27: Release Readiness Live
Our admin and developer evangelists kick off the Winter ’24 release with their favorite features, live from Dreamforce. Salesforce product managers will discuss and demo their new features for admins and developers. Then, they’ll take your questions live in the room and online. We’ll post full details on the agenda and schedule in August in the Release Readiness Trailblazers group.
October 6: Second release weekend
We’ll upgrade another set of instances during the October 6 weekend. If you have any questions, our Trust page has the latest info on the timing of the upgrade. And, since it only takes five minutes, the upgrade shouldn’t impact your operations or uptime.
October 13: Final release weekend
All remaining Salesforce instances are upgraded on October 13. If you previously opted out of including your orgs in the sandbox preview, they will be upgraded this weekend.
Additional sandbox preview guidance
Want to get these dates on your calendar? Check out our public release calendar.
All you need to know
Get ready for the next Salesforce release! Review the Release Resources hub to help you prepare your organization and users for new release innovations.
