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Auto-update and Force Update Desktop Menu

Last Updated August 17, 2025
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Applies to:
Desktop

Brief Overview

Auto-update URL Scheme is a feature that allows the desktop menu to automatically check for updates and install them without any user intervention. This feature is useful in ensuring that users have access to the latest version of the desktop menu at all times.

Force Update URL Scheme is a feature that allows the desktop menu to force users to update to a new version of the application. This can be useful in situations where the updated version contains, for example, critical bug fixes or security patches that need to be installed immediately.

To start the auto-update, simply provide a permalink for the user to click.

How It Works

To trigger an update using the auto-update URL:

  • Compose a message to your users, such as an email or Slack message, and include the update link in the message. For example: walkme-workstation://aa2c91b1ec444c76a313a68f69478c55/checkForUpdate?to=ga

    • Send the message to your users, instructing them to click the link to update their desktop menu application

  • If the desktop menu is closed, clicking the link will force it to open and initiate the update process

A permalink is a simple URL with some extra features:

  • It starts with "walkme-workstation://" as the scheme

  • Includes the system GUID as the hostname

    • The system GUID can be found on the desktop menu's "About” page in Settings

  • Includes checkForUpdate as the path, with few optional args:

Argument Description 
updatesFeedURL
 To update the app even when not logged in
possible values are:
  • full path of the updates Feed URL
  • default to let the app use the default urls per arch, os and env.
 
to
 The version you want to get ahead to - if current version >= the to value - no update should take place 
from
 The version you want to get ahead from- if current > the value of the from and to is not specified, no update should take place 
force
 Relaunch after the update was successfully downloaded
  • if an update was already ready even before the permalink was used, it will cause the app to relaunch

The checkForUpdate action should be consumed by the container to deal with the request as early as possible.

Caution

updatesFeedURL should be used carefully! it is a per OS and per architecture url.

Note

  • There is no guarantee or an ongoing process of a successful update of the app and\or updating it to\above the to value
  • The new permalink will trigger one traditional update check

Force Update Example URL

walkme-workstation://aa2c91b1ec444c76a313a68f69478c55/checkForUpdate?to=ga

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Applies to:
Desktop

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