Atmospheric or vacuum residue can be converted into valuable distillates in fixed-bed hydroprocessing units using high reaction temperature, high hydrogen pressure acid low contact time. This paper discusses some recent developments made to improve the desulfurization level, denitrogenation level, the run length and the conversion level of fixed-bed hydroprocessing units, both from the process and catalyst points of view. These improvements include the development of a multiple swing-reactor system as well as of complex associations of guard-bed materials and catalysts with particle-size, activity, pore-size and shape gradings. Synergy between fixed-bed operation and other conversion units has been studied and revealed that fixed bed residue upgrading technologies will play a key role in future refinery schemes in order to establish new specifications on gasoline, diesel and fuel.