# Does pi-hole keep the lists updated?

**URL:** <https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [September 28, 2018, 2:07am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224 "2018-09-28T02:07:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pi-lover](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/a587f6/32.png) [@Pi-lover](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Pi-lover)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 2:07am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/1 "2018-09-28T02:07:30Z")

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Running on a pi-zero... does pi-hole keep itself updated? I’m asking about the list of restricted sites that are being maintained by others.... I’m assuming there is a second component to this question involving the version of pi-hole where that must be updated manually. I like what it’s doing I just need to understand how to manage this tool.

Thanks,

Rob

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**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 2:20am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/2 "2018-09-28T02:20:52Z")

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Pi-Hole maintains a gravity list (list of domains to block), which is constructed from all the block lists to which you subscribe (public lists), along with your whitelist. A cron script updates the gravity list weekly on Sunday. If you mouse and hover over the "Domains on Blocklist" box at the top right of the Admin GUI dashboard, you can how long it has been since the gravity list was updated.

You can update the gravity list manually with `pihole -g` from the command line, or from the Web GUI \> Tools menu. This is normally not necessary unless you change your blocklists or have a problem.

Pi-Hole does not automatically update itself (the software). The Web GUI will tell you when a Pi-Hole update is available, but you must manually update Pi-Hole with the command `pihole -up` from the command line.

If you run a debug log, the cron scripts will be listed, as shown below:

```
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1496 Aug 5 19:08 /etc/cron.d/pihole
   52 3 * * 7 root PATH="$PATH:/usr/local/bin/" pihole updateGravity
   00 00 * * * root PATH="$PATH:/usr/local/bin/" pihole flush once quiet
   @reboot root /usr/sbin/logrotate /etc/pihole/logrotate
   */10 * * * * root PATH="$PATH:/usr/local/bin/" pihole updatechecker local
   54 12 * * * root PATH="$PATH:/usr/local/bin/" pihole updatechecker remote
   @reboot root PATH="$PATH:/usr/local/bin/" pihole updatechecker remote reboot

```

Other scheduled tasks including rotating the pihole.log every night, etc.

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**Author:** ![Pi-lover](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/a587f6/32.png) [@Pi-lover](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Pi-lover)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 2:42am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/3 "2018-09-28T02:42:59Z")

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I have a number lists by default... are there other trusted lists that people subscribe to...? I assume that my personal white or black lists must be maintained by me and that they are retained during software or gravity updates.

Thanks,

Rob

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**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 2:46am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/4 "2018-09-28T02:46:02Z")

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> [@Pi-lover](#):
>
> are there other trusted lists that people subscribe to

Good collection here: [https://firebog.net](https://firebog.net). Click the link for the text only version. You can select all the lists from one of the text files, paste it into your block list screen on your Web GUI, then save and update.

> [@Pi-lover](#):
>
> I assume that my personal white or black lists must be maintained by me and that they are retained during software or gravity updates.

This is correct. They are local to your Pi and are stored in your /etc/pihole directory.

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**Author:** ![cybrnook2002](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/cybrnook2002/32/4710_2.png) [@cybrnook2002](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/cybrnook2002)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/5 "2018-09-30T14:05:25Z")

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I don't see any of these entries on my Debian 9 install. nothing on crontab -l for root or my pihole user.

As well, there is no /etc/cron.d folder

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**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/6 "2018-09-30T15:33:33Z")

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> [@cybrnook2002](#):
>
> don’t see any of these entries on my Debian 9 install

What does the cron section of your debug log show?

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**Author:** ![cybrnook2002](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/cybrnook2002/32/4710_2.png) [@cybrnook2002](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/cybrnook2002)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 5:30pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/7 "2018-09-30T17:30:46Z")

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How can I pull that?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/8 "2018-09-30T17:46:44Z")

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You generate a debug log, then inspect that log for the cron section.

From the command terminal on the Pi host, run `pihole -d` . This will generate a debug log. At the end, you will be asked if you want to upload it to the server. Answer "N". You will be left with the entire output of your debug log on your terminal. You can copy/paste this to a text editor for saving or further review.

An alternate way to generate the log is from the admin console (Tools \> Generate debug log). With this method, you decide ahead of time whether to upload it or not (checkbox at top of screen). Deselect that box, click the blue box "generate debug log", and the log appears on your screen in a few seconds.

I prefer the first method, because that debug log output has colors applied to indicate normality or problems. Other than that, the content is the same.

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**Author:** ![cybrnook2002](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/cybrnook2002/32/4710_2.png) [@cybrnook2002](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/cybrnook2002)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/9 "2018-09-30T18:41:39Z")

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Thanks @jfb it's there 🙂

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**Author:** ![system](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/uploads/default/original/3X/7/c/7c8792f649eeb921c5d2b4c41564ffa873d9a2b8.png) [@system](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/system)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2018, 6:41pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/does-pi-hole-keep-the-lists-updated/13224/10 "2018-10-21T18:41:49Z")

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