Updates

Updating Umbra

Umbra checks GitHub once a day for a new release. When one is found it downloads the installer in the background and verifies it, then shows a dot on the tray icon. Install it from the tray menu or Settings → About.

Installing closes Umbra, runs the installer silently with a small dark progress window, and starts the new version. After an update, About shows the release notes once.

umbractl check-update       # is a newer version out? (it never installs one)
umbractl general --updates off    # stop the daily check

What Umbra will install is restricted: the installer must be an HTTPS download from this project’s GitHub releases and named UmbraSetup-<version>.exe. Automation can check for updates but can never install one. See Updates and installer.

Note

Portable copies don’t update themselves. About shows a download link instead.

Updating widgets and themes

Installed community widgets show an Update button on Browse when the catalog has a newer version. To update everything:

umbractl update --all

A failure doesn’t stop the rest; failures are listed in the result.

Updates that ask for more

An update never grants new access silently. Umbra compares the new widget.json with the installed one and, if the update adds hosts, system readings, media, notifications or commands, it waits:

• Settings shows a box listing exactly what’s new, and you accept or decline.
• umbractl install <id> refuses until you repeat it with --accept-permissions.
• umbractl update --all skips such widgets and lists them, so you accept them one by one.
• The MCP server strips --accept-permissions, so an agent can’t approve for you.

The widget’s changelog (if it has one) is shown with the request.

Version numbers

Umbra and its tools share one version, from Directory.Build.props. Widgets and themes have their own version, bumped on every change; that’s how Browse knows to offer an update.