Auto update does not work for VSCode Insiders

[MrHamidKhan]

Type: Bug

The auto update only closes the VSCode Insiders instance but fails to launch the update/installation window. This has been broken from last 3 builds. Somehow it fixes if I restart my machine (Windows 11, latest).

Second, after manually updating it using chocolatey to the latest greatest version, it still shows there is an update needs to be done (basically the flat is not cleared, althought it has the highest version).

VS Code version: Code - Insiders 1.115.0-insider (b826afb, 2026-04-01T21:07:32-07:00)
OS version: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200
Modes:
Remote OS version: Linux x64 6.6.87.2-microsoft-standard-WSL2

System Info

Item	Value
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz (12 x 2208)
GPU Status	2d_canvas: enabled GPU0: VENDOR= 0x8086, DEVICE=0x3e9b [Intel(R) UHD Graphics 630], DRIVER_VENDOR=Intel, DRIVER_VERSION=31.0.101.2111 ACTIVE GPU1: VENDOR= 0x10de, DEVICE=0x1c20 [NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060], DRIVER_VERSION=26.21.14.4223 GPU2: VENDOR= 0x1414, DEVICE=0x008c [Microsoft Basic Render Driver], DRIVER_VERSION=10.0.26100.7309 Machine model name: Machine model version: direct_rendering_display_compositor: disabled_off_ok gpu_compositing: enabled multiple_raster_threads: enabled_on opengl: enabled_on rasterization: enabled raw_draw: disabled_off_ok skia_graphite: disabled_off trees_in_viz: disabled_off video_decode: enabled video_encode: enabled webgl: enabled webgl2: enabled webgpu: enabled webnn: disabled_off
Load (avg)	undefined
Memory (System)	23.85GB (5.68GB free)
Process Argv	--crash-reporter-id 10fc621a-b181-4f62-97d9-6be6ad842184
Screen Reader	no
VM	0%

Item	Value
Remote	WSL: Ubuntu
OS	Linux x64 6.6.87.2-microsoft-standard-WSL2
CPUs	Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8750H CPU @ 2.20GHz (12 x 0)
Memory (System)	11.60GB (7.16GB free)
VM	0%

Extensions (10)

Extension	Author (truncated)	Version
remote-containers	ms-	0.452.0
remote-wsl	ms-	0.104.3
pdf	tom	1.2.2
composer-php-vscode	DEV	1.69.18673
intelli-php-vscode	DEV	0.12.17700
phptools-vscode	DEV	1.69.18673
profiler-php-vscode	DEV	1.69.18673
gitlens	eam	2026.4.220
copilot-chat	Git	0.43.2026040301
php-intellisense	zob	1.3.3

A/B Experiments

vsliv368:30146709
pythonvspyt551cf:31249598
nativeloc1:31118317
dwcopilot:31158714
dwoutputs:31242946
copilot_t_ci:31333650
g012b348:31231168
pythonrdcb7:31268811
pythonpcpt1cf:31399617
6518g693:31302842
6abeh943:31336334
envsactivate1:31349248
editstats-enabled:31346256
cloudbuttont:31366566
3efgi100_wstrepl:31403338
use-responses-api:31390341
ddidtcf:31398485
je187915:31454425
cp_cls_t_966_ss:31454198
inlinechat_v2_hd992725:31445440
4je02754:31455664
c3h7c220:31478652
ge8j1254_inline_auto_hint_haiku:31488153
38bie571_auto:31429954
cp_cls_c_1081:31454833
conptydll_true:31485575
ia-use-proxy-models-svc:31446143
e9c30283:31453065
test_treatment2:31471001
idci7584:31454084
nes_chat_context_enabled:31451401
e3e4d672:31454087
showingstats:31457201
ei9d7968:31462942
534a6447_copy:31478741
hg17d649:31455236
nes-extended-on:31455475
quick_suggest_off_75197330:31462668
89g7j272:31480197
hhf17803:31462392
bg_compact_t:31477450
t-some:31466503
7e187181:31482583
cpptoolson-v2:31475363
thinking_effort_h:31479457
i2gc6536:31472020
1g3cj959:31486771
h08i8180_copy:31475366
ec1eg703:31488002
client_tst_c:31486873
po_split_t:31488387
ddid_t:31478204
file_logging_disabled:31485060
bjc72774_agent_sandbox:31488290
fixed-ctrl-prompt-cache:31487637
pro_conc_t:31484702
606h2495_c:31485219

[brunolm]

I've had this issue so many times that I created a PowerShell script to work around it.

function Update-SW-VSCode() {
  $url = "https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=insider&os=win32-x64"
  $file = Join-Path $env:TEMP "VSCodeInsiders-latest-win-x64.exe"
  Write-Host "Downloading VS Code Insiders..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
  Invoke-WebRequest $url -OutFile $file
  Write-Host "Installing..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
  Start-Process $file -ArgumentList "/verysilent", "/mergetasks=!runcode" -Wait
  Write-Host "Done." -ForegroundColor Green
  code-insiders --version
}

[gjsjohnmurray]

This was fixed very recently and I'm hoping that the version I now have no longer has the problem. If not, then the one after.

[Neoony]

Seems fixed

I installed https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=insider&os=win32-x64
And since then there was another update which worked fine.

[benvillalobos]

Thanks for confirming folks, please reopen if this persists!

[sharmashivanand]

Update not working.

Current: 1.115.0-insider (b826afb)
Update Available: 1.115.0-insider (53fb310)

[brunolm]

b826afb)

Yes, this version is broken b82.... You need to manually update to a more recent one and it'll be fixed moving forward.

You can manually download the latest version on the website and install it.