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Auto-Updates

Recall checks for new releases in the background and lets you decide when to install. Updates ship as delta patches, so only the changed parts of the application download — most updates are small and fast.

What Recall checks, and when

Recall Core runs a background update checker. It:

  1. Waits 30 seconds after launch.
  2. Calls the update URL and compares the installed version to the latest available.
  3. If a newer version exists, it flips internal state to UpdateAvailable and the Flutter UI shows a banner.
  4. Repeats the check every 4 hours.

The check is read-only. Recall never downloads or installs without your confirmation — at worst the banner appears a few hours after a release.

The banner

When an update is available, a banner appears in the Flutter UI (near the top bar). It shows:

  • The available version
  • Actions: Download update and (later) Update now

Dismissing the banner hides it until the next check; it'll reappear then.

Downloading and applying

Click Download update. Recall downloads just the changed parts of the release — not the whole installer — so updates are typically small and fast. The banner shows progress.

When the download finishes, click Update now. Recall closes, applies the update, and relaunches on the new version. The whole apply step takes a few seconds on a typical machine.

Manual checks

From Settings:

  1. Gear menu → Settings.
  2. Scroll to the Auto-Updates section.
  3. Check for Updates — runs a one-off check immediately.

Useful if you don't want to wait for the next 4-hour cycle.

Installer types and update streams

Recall ships four distinct installers — Full and UI-Only, each for Windows and macOS. Each has its own independent update stream, so a Full install always receives Full updates and a UI-Only install always receives UI-Only updates. You never need to pick a channel; the one you installed from is the one you keep.

Signing and notarization

  • macOS — Installers are signed and notarized by Apple. Gatekeeper accepts them without warnings.
  • Windows — Not yet code-signed. SmartScreen warns on first install; see Known Issues. Code signing is on the roadmap.

Troubleshooting

Banner never appears even though a new version exists.

  • Force a manual check in Settings → Auto-Updates.
  • Confirm you installed Recall from a current installer (old zip-based installs don't receive updates).
  • Confirm your install type matches what's being released (Full vs UI-Only).
  • If you're running Recall from a developer build, updates don't apply; this is expected.

Download fails partway through. Try again later. If it fails repeatedly, a network block or firewall rule is the most common cause.

Update applies but the app doesn't relaunch. Launch Recall manually from Start / Applications. The update applied; only the restart step failed.

Current version didn't change after apply. If Recall restarts on the same version, download a fresh installer from the Recall download page and reinstall.