The electron-updater module provides auto-update functionality for Electron applications on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Installation
npm install electron-updater
Quick Start
const { autoUpdater } = require("electron-updater")
autoUpdater.checkForUpdatesAndNotify()
autoUpdater
The main auto-updater instance, automatically configured based on the current platform.
const autoUpdater: AppUpdater
- On Windows: Uses
NsisUpdater
- On macOS: Uses
MacUpdater
- On Linux: Uses
AppImageUpdater, DebUpdater, RpmUpdater, or PacmanUpdater based on package type
AppUpdater Class
Base class for all platform-specific updaters.
Source: packages/electron-updater/src/AppUpdater.ts:52
Properties
Whether to automatically download an update when found.
Whether to automatically install a downloaded update on app quit.
Whether to run the app after install when installer is NOT in silent mode.
Whether to allow update to pre-release versions. Defaults to true if the application version contains prerelease components.
GitHub provider only. Get all release notes from current version to latest, not just the latest.
Whether to allow version downgrade (when a user from beta channel wants to go back to stable channel).
Web installer files might not have signature verification, this prevents loading them unless needed.
disableDifferentialDownload
NSIS only. Disable differential downloads and always perform full download of installer.
Allows developer to force the updater to work in “dev” mode, looking for dev-app-update.yml instead of app-update.yml.
The update channel. Overrides channel in the update configuration. Setting this automatically sets allowDowngrade to true.
The current application version.
The logger. Can be electron-log, winston, or any logger with info(), warn(), error() methods. Set to null to disable logging.
Methods
checkForUpdates()
Checks if there is an update available.
checkForUpdates(): Promise<UpdateCheckResult | null>
Promise<UpdateCheckResult | null> - Returns null if updater is disabled, otherwise update information.
Example:
const { autoUpdater } = require("electron-updater")
autoUpdater.checkForUpdates().then((result) => {
if (result) {
console.log("Update available:", result.updateInfo.version)
}
})
checkForUpdatesAndNotify()
Checks for updates and shows a notification when download completes.
checkForUpdatesAndNotify(
downloadNotification?: DownloadNotification
): Promise<UpdateCheckResult | null>
Custom notification configuration.
Notification title. Supports {appName} and {version} placeholders.
Notification body. Supports {appName} and {version} placeholders.
autoUpdater.checkForUpdatesAndNotify({
title: "Update Available",
body: "{appName} {version} is ready to install"
})
downloadUpdate()
Downloads an update. Call this if autoDownload is false.
downloadUpdate(cancellationToken?: CancellationToken): Promise<Array<string>>
Token to cancel the download.
Promise<Array<string>> - Paths to downloaded files.
Example:
const { autoUpdater, CancellationToken } = require("electron-updater")
autoUpdater.autoDownload = false
autoUpdater.on("update-available", () => {
const cancellationToken = new CancellationToken()
autoUpdater.downloadUpdate(cancellationToken)
.then((files) => {
console.log("Downloaded:", files)
})
})
quitAndInstall()
Restarts the app and installs the update.
quitAndInstall(isSilent?: boolean, isForceRunAfter?: boolean): void
Windows only. Runs the installer in silent mode.
Run the app after install even on silent install. Not applicable for macOS. Ignored if isSilent is false.
autoUpdater.on("update-downloaded", () => {
autoUpdater.quitAndInstall()
})
setFeedURL()
Configures the update provider.
setFeedURL(options: PublishConfiguration | AllPublishOptions | string): void
options
PublishConfiguration | AllPublishOptions | string
required
Provider configuration or URL string for generic provider.
// Using GitHub
autoUpdater.setFeedURL({
provider: "github",
owner: "my-org",
repo: "my-repo"
})
// Using generic URL
autoUpdater.setFeedURL("https://my-server.com/updates")
// Using S3
autoUpdater.setFeedURL({
provider: "s3",
bucket: "my-bucket",
region: "us-east-1"
})
addAuthHeader(token: string): void
Authorization token (e.g., "Bearer <token>" or "token <token>").
autoUpdater.addAuthHeader("Bearer my-secret-token")
Events
The AppUpdater class extends EventEmitter with typed events.
checking-for-update
Emitted when checking for updates starts.
autoUpdater.on("checking-for-update", () => {
console.log("Checking for updates...")
})
update-available
Emitted when an update is available.
autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info: UpdateInfo) => void)
autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
console.log("Update available:", info.version)
})
update-not-available
Emitted when no update is available.
autoUpdater.on("update-not-available", (info: UpdateInfo) => void)
download-progress
Emitted during download progress.
autoUpdater.on("download-progress", (progress: ProgressInfo) => void)
total: number - Total bytesdelta: number - Delta bytes since last eventtransferred: number - Transferred bytespercent: number - Progress percentagebytesPerSecond: number - Download speed
Example:
autoUpdater.on("download-progress", (progress) => {
console.log(`Downloaded ${progress.percent}% (${progress.bytesPerSecond} bytes/sec)`)
})
update-downloaded
Emitted when update has been downloaded.
autoUpdater.on("update-downloaded", (event: UpdateDownloadedEvent) => void)
autoUpdater.on("update-downloaded", (event) => {
console.log("Update downloaded, will install on quit")
// Or install immediately:
// autoUpdater.quitAndInstall()
})
update-cancelled
Emitted when update download is cancelled.
autoUpdater.on("update-cancelled", (info: UpdateInfo) => void)
error
Emitted when an error occurs.
autoUpdater.on("error", (error: Error, message?: string) => void)
autoUpdater.on("error", (error) => {
console.error("Update error:", error)
})
NsisUpdater
Windows NSIS installer updater.
const { NsisUpdater } = require("electron-updater")
const updater = new NsisUpdater()
MacUpdater
macOS updater (supports DMG and ZIP).
const { MacUpdater } = require("electron-updater")
const updater = new MacUpdater()
AppImageUpdater
Linux AppImage updater.
const { AppImageUpdater } = require("electron-updater")
const updater = new AppImageUpdater()
DebUpdater
Linux Debian package updater.
const { DebUpdater } = require("electron-updater")
const updater = new DebUpdater()
RpmUpdater
Linux RPM package updater.
const { RpmUpdater } = require("electron-updater")
const updater = new RpmUpdater()
PacmanUpdater
Linux Pacman package updater.
const { PacmanUpdater } = require("electron-updater")
const updater = new PacmanUpdater()
Complete Example
const { app } = require("electron")
const { autoUpdater } = require("electron-updater")
const log = require("electron-log")
// Configure logging
autoUpdater.logger = log
autoUpdater.logger.transports.file.level = "info"
// Configure auto-updater
autoUpdater.autoDownload = false
autoUpdater.autoInstallOnAppQuit = true
// Event handlers
autoUpdater.on("checking-for-update", () => {
log.info("Checking for update...")
})
autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info) => {
log.info("Update available:", info.version)
// Ask user if they want to download
dialog.showMessageBox({
type: "info",
title: "Update Available",
message: `Version ${info.version} is available. Download now?`,
buttons: ["Yes", "No"]
}).then((result) => {
if (result.response === 0) {
autoUpdater.downloadUpdate()
}
})
})
autoUpdater.on("update-not-available", () => {
log.info("Update not available")
})
autoUpdater.on("download-progress", (progress) => {
log.info(`Download progress: ${progress.percent}%`)
})
autoUpdater.on("update-downloaded", () => {
log.info("Update downloaded")
dialog.showMessageBox({
type: "info",
title: "Update Ready",
message: "Update downloaded. Restart now?",
buttons: ["Restart", "Later"]
}).then((result) => {
if (result.response === 0) {
autoUpdater.quitAndInstall()
}
})
})
autoUpdater.on("error", (error) => {
log.error("Update error:", error)
})
// Check for updates when app is ready
app.on("ready", () => {
if (!app.isPackaged) {
log.info("App is not packaged, skipping update check")
return
}
// Check for updates
autoUpdater.checkForUpdates()
// Check periodically (every hour)
setInterval(() => {
autoUpdater.checkForUpdates()
}, 60 * 60 * 1000)
})
TypeScript Support
import { autoUpdater, UpdateInfo, ProgressInfo } from "electron-updater"
import log from "electron-log"
autoUpdater.logger = log
autoUpdater.on("update-available", (info: UpdateInfo) => {
console.log(`New version available: ${info.version}`)
})
autoUpdater.on("download-progress", (progress: ProgressInfo) => {
console.log(`Progress: ${progress.percent}%`)
})
await autoUpdater.checkForUpdates()
See Also