Managing Updates

AI Studio can update itself, or you deliver approved versions through your software distribution. Both can coexist in one organization, even on one device.

How AI Studio updates itself

• AI Studio asks GitHub whether a new version exists: it loads https://github.com/MindWorkAI/AI-Studio/releases/latest/download/latest.json. Devices that should update themselves therefore need access to github.com and to the download servers of GitHub.
• By default, it checks every hour and asks the user before it installs an update.
• The update replaces the installation in place. On Windows, it runs our regular setup, which always installs below %LOCALAPPDATA%.
• A Flatpak never updates itself.

Settings for updates

Setting	Values
DataApp.UpdateInterval	HOURLY (default), DAILY, WEEKLY, ONCE_STARTUP, NO_CHECK, DISABLE_UPDATES
DataApp.UpdateInstallation	MANUAL (default): the user decides; AUTOMATIC: AI Studio installs updates without asking

• NO_CHECK switches off the automatic checks. Users can still check for updates and install them by hand.
• DISABLE_UPDATES switches off every check and every installation of updates. AI Studio tells users that their organization manages updates and refers them to their IT department. This value is only available to configurations; users can't choose it. It takes effect right away when your configuration changes.

CONFIG["SETTINGS"]["DataApp.UpdateInterval"] = "DISABLE_UPDATES"

Use DISABLE_UPDATES when you distribute approved versions through your own software distribution.

Installations that never update themselves

AI Studio recognizes installations that its updater can't replace, and never updates them, whatever the settings say. You can therefore leave automatic updates on for your whole organization: the installations you rolled out ignore them, while installations that colleagues fetched from GitHub keep updating themselves.

Case	How AI Studio recognizes it	What users are told
Marker file (Windows, Linux)	An empty file named managed-installation next to the program file	Their IT department provides updates
Program folder for all users (Windows)	The program file sits below %ProgramFiles%, %ProgramFiles(x86)%, or %ProgramW6432%	Their IT department provides updates
A folder the user can't write to	The folder that would have to be replaced isn't writable for the user, such as /Applications for standard users on a managed Mac, or /opt on Linux	Their IT department provides updates
Another folder (Windows)	Anything outside %LOCALAPPDATA%, such as D:\Tools\MindWork AI Studio	They must install new versions themselves, with a link to the latest release
Flatpak	AI Studio runs in a Flatpak sandbox	Updates come from their Flatpak distribution

The details for each operating system are on Deploying on Windows, Deploying on Linux, and Deploying on macOS.

Users find this information in two places: below "Check for updates" in "Settings" → "App Options", and on the "Information" page, where "Check for updates" opens instructions on how to update when the installation doesn't update itself. A support request can start from there.

Planning for slow rollouts

Large organizations often need weeks until every device runs a new version. During that time, devices with the old and the new version read the same configuration. So:

• Use new settings only when you're ready. A setting that an older version doesn't know is ignored there. That's harmless for a convenience, but not for a restriction you rely on.
• Watch formats that other devices must read. For example, AI Studio v26.10.1 offers a new, protected format for encrypted API keys, which older versions can't read. Existing installations keep the previous format until you switch. See Providers and API Keys.
• Test the new version with your configuration first, for example, with a small group, see Testing and Exporting Configurations.

Where to go next

• Enterprise IT
• Writing Configuration Plugins