We’re making some important changes to how the Desktop App handles updates. This post explains what’s changing, why we’re making these changes, and what you need to know.
What’s Changing?
We are deprecating the in-app auto-updater for Windows and Linux AppImage installations. This means:
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Windows users: The automatic update feature within the Desktop App will be removed.
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Linux AppImage users: The automatic update functionality for AppImage installations will be removed.
After these changes take effect, you’ll need to update the Desktop App using different methods, which we’ll outline below.
Why Are We Making This Change?
We’re making this change for several important reasons:
Security and Compliance
Recent security compliance requirements require that Windows installers default to per-machine installation with proper elevation prompts. Our current dual-installer approach (EXE and MSI) creates conflicts that prevent us from meeting these requirements, which is critical for enterprise customers who need to comply with security standards.
Reduced Complexity and Better Reliability
Maintaining two different Windows installers (EXE and MSI) that must work together has created significant complexity and instability. The auto-updater has also added substantial maintenance overhead for our engineering team.
Better Update Experience
By moving to platform-native distribution channels, we can provide a more consistent and reliable update experience. Most users will receive automatic updates through their platform’s built-in mechanisms (Windows Store, package managers, etc.), which are better maintained and more reliable than our custom solution.
Who May Be Affected?
If you’re using the Desktop App on:
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Windows: You’re using the EXE installer and relying on the in-app auto-updater to keep your app updated
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Linux: You’re using the AppImage version and relying on the in-app auto-updater
You’ll need to switch to a different installation or update method.
Note: If you’re already using the Windows Store, Mac App Store, or Linux package managers (APT, RPM, Snap, etc.), you won’t be affected by these changes.
What Do You Need to Do as a User?
For Windows Users
You have two recommended options:
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Windows Store (Recommended for most users)
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Install the Desktop App from the Windows Store
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You’ll receive automatic updates through the Windows store
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This is the easiest and most seamless update experience
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MSI Installer (Recommended for organizations)
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Download the MSI installer from our website or GitHub and deploy using this guide
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Organizations can deploy this via management tools like SCCM or Intune
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Manual updates can be performed by downloading and installing new MSI versions from our website
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Important: If you’re currently using the EXE installer, you’ll need to switch to one of these methods. We recommend uninstalling the EXE version and installing from the Windows Store or using the MSI installer.
Important for MSI users: If you installed Mattermost Desktop v5.9.0 through v6.0.4 using the MSI installer and have not received automatic updates, you will need to manually uninstall your current version before installing v6.1.0. Go to Windows Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find “Mattermost”, and click Uninstall. Then install the new version. Users who installed via the .exe installer or have been auto-updating are not affected.
For Linux AppImage Users
We recommend switching to one of these package management options:
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APT (Debian/Ubuntu users)
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Snap (multi-platform)
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AUR (Arch users)
These package managers will handle updates automatically, and you’ll receive updates through your system’s standard update process.
If you prefer to continue using AppImage, you can still download new versions manually from our website or GitHub, but automatic updates will no longer be available.
Timeline
We’ll be implementing these changes in release v6.1. Before the changes take effect, we’ll:
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Show an in-app notification in the last version that supports auto-updates, informing you about the change
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Provide clear documentation on how to switch to alternative update methods
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Ensure all alternative distribution channels are up to date and ready
Questions or Concerns?
If you have questions about these changes or need help transitioning to a new update method, please reach out to our support team or visit our documentation for detailed instructions.
Thank you for your understanding as we work to improve the Desktop App’s security, reliability, and maintainability.