Salesforce certification evolution: What the renaming means for you

Are you up to date on the world of Salesforce certs? Don’t worry, we’ll catch you up.

This fall, Salesforce renamed 35 of its certifications to better reflect today’s job roles and platform paths.

The move signals a shift toward clarity and alignment. Certification titles like Salesforce Certified Administrator, for example, will become Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator.

Let’s get into what you need to know about the changes and why they matter.

Why the big change?

Salesforce’s ecosystem has grown rapidly. New clouds, new modules, and new partner stack possibilities made old certification names less clear. The company confirmed that existing certifications “remain valid” despite the name shifts.

The changes aim to:

• Provide a consistent naming structure across all certifications
• Align credentials with platform terminology (for example, adding “Platform” or “Foundations”)
• Move certification management into the Trailhead Academy

As part of this move to streamline and clarify certifications, there have also been a few other changes. The AI Specialist exam, for example, has been renamed the Certified Agentforce Specialist exam to reflect a shift toward AI-powered customer engagement, while the AI Associate Certification is being retired on February 2, 2026.

The shift to Trailhead Academy

Salesforce has also moved all certification activity into Trailhead Academy This change brings every credential into one place. It covers Salesforce, Mulesoft Tableau, and Slack certifications, plus Accredited Professional exams. The goal is to make the process easier to manage for both professionals and employers.

Trailhead Academy will give candidates a single dashboard where they can see their certifications, upcoming renewals, and recommended next steps. The experience is built to support skill growth and clearer planning across a full career path.

The new system includes:

• A unified place to manage all certifications
  
  
• Exam suggestions based on past activity
  
  
• Mobile-friendly registration
  
  
• A catalog of classes and certifications
  
  
• Smart guidance tied to previous exams
  
  
• Detailed pages that show pricing, prerequisites, and preparation steps
  
  

Salesforce exams will be delivered through Pearson VUE once the transition is complete. Candidates can register on a phone, but exams cannot be taken on mobile devices.

What this means for professionals

If you hold a Salesforce certification:

• Your credential remains valid with its original date
  
  
• Titles in your Trailhead profile will update automatically
  
  
• You should update how you list certifications on resumes and LinkedIn to reflect the new titles
  
  

For professionals planning certification:

• Pay attention to the new titles when choosing your path
  
  
• Focus on skills and role fit, not just the label
  
  
• Embrace learning tracks aligned to platform roles (Platform Administrator, Platform Developer, Platform Data Architect etc.)

What’s next?

The transition to the new cert names is well underway. For professionals, this means any certifications or exams you come across on Trailhead Academy or Pearson VUE should be fully updated by now.

If you’re hiring in the Salesforce space, take note of the new titles so you know what to look for when you’re sizing up candidates, and be sure to update any internal HR systems and job descriptions with the new monikers. Clear naming means better alignment between role requirements and credential recognition, and shows candidates you’re up to date with the Salesforce ecosystem.

The full list of Salesforce certification name changes