ITIL 4 and ITIL (Version 5)

In 2026, ITIL candidates face a choice that did not exist a year earlier: study ITIL 4, which has been the current version since 2019 and is still widely used, or study ITIL (Version 5), released in February 2026. Both are available at the time of writing, they share much of their content, and the certification rules link them together. This lesson compares the two at the level a certification candidate needs: the core ideas each version emphasizes, how the practices are treated, how the modules and designations differ, how transition works for people who already hold ITIL 4 certificates, and how to decide which version to study. It does not teach the content of either version in depth; that is the job of the official materials and the training for each module. Where details of Version 5 have not yet been confirmed by several independent sources, this lesson says so.

The core ideas of ITIL 4

ITIL 4 describes service management through the service value system (SVS). Opportunity and demand enter the system, and value for the organization and its stakeholders comes out. Inside the system are five components: the guiding principles, governance, the service value chain, practices and continual improvement. The service value chain has six activities (plan; improve; engage; design and transition; obtain/build; deliver and support) that can be combined into value streams for particular situations. ITIL 4 also describes four dimensions of service management (organizations and people; information and technology; partners and suppliers; value streams and processes) that must all be considered, and seven guiding principles, such as "focus on value" and "progress iteratively with feedback". Value is described as co-created by providers and consumers rather than delivered from one to the other.

Candidates who have studied ITIL 4 Foundation will recognize these terms. They form the backbone of the ITIL 4 Foundation exam, which tests understanding of the key concepts, the guiding principles, the four dimensions, the SVS and value chain, and the purpose and key terms of a selection of practices.

What changes in ITIL (Version 5)

ITIL (Version 5) broadens the scope from managing IT services to managing digital products and services across the whole organization. Public descriptions of Version 5 emphasize several themes:

• Products as well as services: the guidance treats digital products and the services built on them as a combined subject, recognizing that many organizations now manage products with product teams.
• Experience: explicit attention to the experience of customers, users and employees, not only to outputs and service levels.
• Artificial intelligence: guidance on using AI in service management and on governing AI responsibly, with a dedicated AI Governance module.
• A lifecycle view of products and services: training materials describe a model covering how products and services are conceived, built, operated and retired.
• Continuity with ITIL 4: value co-creation, the four dimensions and continual improvement remain central, and the 34 management practices are kept.

Some descriptions of the Version 5 Foundation syllabus name specific components, such as a Product and Service Lifecycle Model and an AI Capability Model. At the time of writing (October 2026), these names come from training-provider summaries rather than from multiple independent confirmations, so candidates should check the official syllabus for exact terms before studying.

Practices in both versions

Both versions describe 34 management practices, grouped as general management practices, service management practices and technical management practices in ITIL 4. Examples include incident management, change enablement, service level management, problem management, information security management and relationship management. The number is the same in Version 5, but the way practices are described and delivered differs. At the time of writing, the full descriptions of all 34 Version 5 practices are available through the PeopleCert Plus membership, and the 15 practices covered by the Practice Manager modules are also included with those courses. Candidates should not assume that practice names and groupings are identical between versions; check the current materials.

Modules and designations compared

The two versions have different module structures, which is the most important difference for certification planning. ITIL 4 offered Foundation; four Managing Professional modules (Create, Deliver and Support; Drive Stakeholder Value; High-velocity IT; Direct, Plan and Improve); a Digital and IT Strategy module (with Direct, Plan and Improve, leading to Strategic Leader); a Practice Manager designation built from practice modules; and several extension modules on topics such as sustainability and business relationship management. ITIL (Version 5) reorganizes this into Foundation, eight advanced modules and one extension, with designations built from combinations of them (Lesson 5).

Transition rules

For people who already hold ITIL certificates, the transition rules matter more than the content changes. At the time of writing, the following rules have been published by PeopleCert and its partners:

• ITIL 4 Foundation holders do not need to retake Foundation; ITIL 4 Foundation is recognized as the prerequisite for Version 5 advanced modules.
• Holders of the older ITIL v3 Foundation are advised to take the Version 5 Foundation, since v3 is two generations behind.
• A short Foundation bridge course with a shorter exam has been offered for ITIL 4 Foundation holders who want the Version 5 Foundation certificate.
• A Managing Professional (Version 5) transition module for ITIL 4 Managing Professional holders was reported to be in final validation; check its status before planning around it.
• ITIL 4 and Version 5 are expected to run in parallel for at least 12 months, and no retirement date for ITIL 4 has been announced.
• Unused ITIL 4 exam vouchers can be exchanged for Version 5 equivalents, and training and exam costs were reported as unchanged.

Passing a Version 5 certification also counts as renewing existing ITIL certificates in the same product suite under PeopleCert's renewal rules (Lesson 12).

Which version should you study?

For most new candidates in late 2026, Version 5 Foundation is the forward-looking choice: it is the current generation, materials are available, and certificates will remain current for longer. ITIL 4 Foundation remains a reasonable choice in some situations: your employer has standardized on ITIL 4 and is paying for an ITIL 4 class, you have ITIL 4 materials and a voucher already, or the training offered in your area or language is still ITIL 4 only. Because ITIL 4 Foundation is recognized as a prerequisite for Version 5 advanced modules, choosing ITIL 4 Foundation now does not block a future Version 5 path.

Exam implications

The two Foundation exams have the same reported format, but the content differs. Practice questions written for ITIL 4 Foundation will test concepts such as the service value chain and its six activities, which may not be tested in the same way in Version 5. If you study for Version 5, use materials written for Version 5. If you study for ITIL 4, avoid Version 5 materials, which may introduce terms that will not appear on your exam. Always answer exam questions using the terminology of the version you are sitting. The safest single source for what each exam covers is its official syllabus, which is published by PeopleCert and usually provided by training organizations.

Living with two versions at work

In many organizations, both versions will coexist for years. Teams may run processes designed under version 3, describe their work in ITIL 4 language, and begin adopting Version 5 ideas about digital products and experience. A useful habit for certified practitioners is to translate between versions when talking with colleagues, focusing on the underlying ideas, such as restoring service quickly, managing risk in changes and improving continually, rather than insisting on one version's vocabulary.

Translating between versions

Because colleagues and materials will use terms from different versions for years, a small translation table is a practical study aid. It does not need to be exact; the point is to recognize when two terms refer to similar ideas.

When you study Version 5, extend the table with any new terms you meet, and note where an idea is genuinely new rather than renamed. This habit reduces confusion and helps you explain ideas to colleagues who learned an earlier version.

What the change means for employers

Employers face their own choices in 2026. Some will move training to Version 5 quickly to keep their teams current; others will continue with ITIL 4 until materials, translations and trainers are widely available. Organizations that have built processes and tools around ITIL 4 terminology may adopt Version 5 ideas gradually. If you are asked to advise your employer, focus on the practical questions: which version current staff hold, what training budgets allow, how soon renewal deadlines fall, and whether Version 5 themes such as experience and AI governance address the organization's current priorities.

A worked comparison of two study routes

Decisions like this rarely have one right answer. The key is to know the facts, which are the exchange rules, the overlap in content and the recognition of ITIL 4 Foundation, and to weigh them against your own time and goals.