DonutLauncher updates itself. You do not reinstall, and you do not need to check a website for a new version.
How an update arrives
- The launcher checks the update endpoint shortly after launch.
- When a newer build exists it downloads in the background, resumable, without interrupting a game you are playing.
- The new build is applied on the next start, not while the launcher is open — Windows cannot replace a running executable, and a forced restart mid-session is a worse experience than one extra second at startup.
Updating replaces the program. Settings, accounts, instances, worlds, scan history and accepted terms all live in your profile folder and are unaffected. A reinstall has the same property.
Channels
| Channel | What you get | How to switch |
|---|---|---|
| Stable | The tested build. This is the default. | Settings → Developer → Allow pre-release updates, off |
| Pre-release | Builds before they are announced, including the broken ones. | Settings → Developer → Allow pre-release updates, on |
Going back to a stable build
- Turn off pre-release updates in Settings → Developer.
- Download the current stable installer from the download page and run it. It installs over the top of your existing build.
- Your profile folder is untouched, so instances, mods and settings come back exactly as they were.
If an update fails
An update that cannot be applied — usually because the launcher was running, or because the download was interrupted — is retried on the next start. It does not half-install: the new build is staged beside the old one and swapped, so a failure leaves a working launcher rather than a broken one. If the launcher will not start at all after an update, run the installer over the top; that repairs the program without touching your data.
Checking your build
Hover the version pill in the launcher's titlebar, or open Settings → About. Both show the version and the exact build time, which is the difference between two builds that both call themselves 0.1.0.