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SpaceX is giving select customers a little more time to update old Starlink dishes before the hardware is bricked.
Last month, the company began warning certain users that their dormant Starlink dishes would lose functionality on Nov. 17 unless the hardware received a critical update. However, some people have those dishes in storage that they can’t access before the deadline.
SpaceX has now extended the deadline to Dec. 1, but only for enterprise customers, including Starlink hardware resellers, which often own large quantities of stock. Those who can’t update their terminals by Dec. 1 can return them and receive a new one. “The deadline to request a replacement is May 1, 2026,” SpaceX says.
Tim Belfall, a director at UK-based Starlink installer Westend WiFi, received an email on Nov. 7 about the extension. “That should give Enterprise customers time to rescue remotely stored devices,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
SpaceX has also published a new support page, confirming the Dec. 1 deadline for enterprise customers. However, the support page for consumers still lists the Nov. 17 deadline.
The issue only affects dishes that’ve been dormant for at least 21 months, meaning active customers don’t need to worry since the Starlink hardware automatically updates.
The company warns that if the hardware is still running software that’s older than version 2024.05.0, then it’ll become “permanently inoperable” on Nov. 17. “You do not need an active service line to complete this update,” the company has told affected customers. “Simply plugging in your Starlink and following the instructions will allow the update to install.”
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Meanwhile, SpaceX is warning a second group of customers who own Starlink dishes running software between 2024.05.0 and 2024.12.26. These customers need to update by Nov. 17, “or else their Starlink will be unable to access the internet until the update is completed.”
SpaceX didn’t respond to a request for comment. However, affected users should consider filing a support ticket if they are unable to update their dish in time. On Saturday, one Starlink customer reported reactivating a dish that had been in storage since 2021, only to see a warning that said: “Your Starlink’s software is very old and cannot connect to satellites.”
Starlink support told the customer that the “best path forward is to just replace it [and] offered to send me the current model at no cost,” they wrote.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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