Keeping Storage Studio up to date

Storage Studio keeps itself up to date. When a new version comes out it downloads it quietly in the background, checks it, and then tells you it's ready — one click restarts Storage Studio into the new version. You don't have to quit or drag anything.

How an update arrives

%% caption: How a normal update reaches your Mac
flowchart TD
  A[Storage Studio learns a new version exists] --> B[Downloads it quietly in the background]
  B --> C{Does the download check out?}
  C -->|No| D[Discards it and tries again later]
  C -->|Yes| E[Notification: Update downloaded]
  E --> F[You click Restart and install]
  F --> G[Storage Studio installs it and relaunches]

1. Storage Studio checks for new versions on its own. Downloads carry on in the background and resume where they left off if your Mac sleeps or restarts.
2. When the download is complete and has passed its checks, the notification bell shows Update downloaded — "Storage Studio [version] is ready. Restart to install it."
3. Click Restart & install. Storage Studio closes, replaces itself with the new version and opens again.

Every download is checked twice before anything is replaced: it must match exactly what we published, and macOS must accept it as signed and notarised by us. If a download fails these checks, nothing is replaced; a download that doesn't match is discarded and fetched again.

Other ways to update

• Check by hand. In the Advanced popover, choose More → Setup & maintenance → Check for updates. When one is available it reads Update available with the version number.
• The License page. In Settings… → License, a Download button appears when a newer version is available.
• Open a newer disk image. If you download a newer version yourself and open its disk image while Storage Studio is running, Storage Studio notices, updates itself in place and relaunches. It ignores an older version, or one macOS doesn't accept as genuine. The Advanced popover's More menu also has Update from DMG… to pick a disk image yourself.

Updating in place only works when Storage Studio is in your Applications folder. If it isn't, you'll see a message asking you to move it there first.

When an update is required

Very occasionally a version becomes too old to keep working. Then, at launch, Storage Studio shows A new version is available and "Storage Studio needs to update … before it can run." It downloads, checks and installs the new version, then relaunches. If something goes wrong you can Try Again or Open Download in Browser, or Quit Storage Studio and update later — it will be offered again next time you open the app. This only happens when Storage Studio can reach our servers; when you're offline it never blocks you.

Intel Macs

Storage Studio 4.18 and later need a Mac with Apple silicon; Intel Macs stay on version 4.17.1. An Intel Mac is never offered a version it can't run. See Apple silicon and Intel Macs.

See also: Installing Storage Studio, The Learning Center and notifications, The License pane.