Due to the iterative version upgrade of the relay protection equipment, the protection device needs to be replaced in time. Therefore, this paper proposes an online configuration upgrade method, which can save replacement time based on ICD file conversion; The proposed upgrade mode is combined with the whole-process diagnosis strategy to further ensure the correctness of configuration upgrade. This paper provides a semi quantitative reduction in configuration upgrade time for practical on-site testing. Thus, the configuration upgrade method meets the safety requirements and has guiding significance for industrial operation.