The current published stable release is 1.8.9, released September 16, 2026. The 1.9 branch and its CLI commands are development work, not an available stable update. Follow development status for the PR stack and qualification gates. Upgrade qualification from an installed 1.8.9 to 1.9 is still pending. The planned FG Labs owner compatibility has not authorized a repository transfer; official stable downloads remain in this repository.

VaultSync supports two Windows update models:

• Direct builds use GitHub patch and installer updates.
• Microsoft Store builds use Store-managed updates.

• Patch preflight persists clearer diagnostics about why patching is allowed or blocked.
• Patch manifests can declare multiple exact allowed base versions for one target release.
• Release tooling distinguishes pre-publish warnings from post-publish hard failures.
• Support bundles include updater and patch preflight diagnostics for troubleshooting.

• Smaller and faster when available.
• If a patch fails, the installer fallback is offered.
• Patch assets are named vaultsync-patch-<platform>.json and vaultsync-patch-<platform>.zip.
  • macOS checks for arch-specific assets first (vaultsync-patch-macos-apple-silicon.* or vaultsync-patch-macos-intel.*).
  • Linux checks for arch-specific assets first (vaultsync-patch-linux-x64.* or vaultsync-patch-linux-arm64.*).
• Patch eligibility is exact:
  • the manifest must explicitly list the installed version as an allowed base version
  • unlisted or older installs fall back to the full installer
• Multi-base patch manifests are strict allowlists, not version ranges.
• Additional bases are included only when their published managed-file inventory is a subset of the target payload. The release build checks each platform independently and leaves incompatible versions on installer fallback.
• Patch + installer fallback applies to Direct builds only.
• VaultSync 1.8.7 provides a one-time architecture-aware bridge patch from the exact 1.8.6 predecessor to canonical /Applications/VaultSync.app. It stages, signs, verifies, and launches the canonical bundle before moving the legacy app to Trash. Older versions use the appropriate full DMG. Later patches update and verify the complete app bundle, including its version metadata.

• Settings > Advanced > Check for updates now.
• The update banner shows the channel and current status.
• Microsoft Store builds replace GitHub update actions with Open Microsoft Store.

• Use the Skip version action in the update banner.
• You can re-enable the banner by clearing the skipped tag in Settings.

• Stable: recommended for production use.
• Beta: early access to new features.

Switch channels in Settings > Advanced.

• Windows: .exe installer (Inno Setup).
• macOS: architecture-specific, intentionally unsigned .dmg containing the canonical VaultSync.app and an Applications shortcut.
• Linux: .AppImage, .deb, or .tar.gz assets, depending on architecture and distribution.
• Debian-package installation waits for administrator authentication and the package result; cancelling the password prompt keeps VaultSync open. After a successful package install, VaultSync schedules the installed app to start only after the old process exits, so the single-instance guard cannot swallow the relaunch.
• AppImage updates are launched through the same deferred handoff instead of starting the downloaded AppImage while the old app instance is still running.
• Windows Store: packaged Microsoft Store build when published.

• Use only assets from the official ATAC-Helicopter/VaultSync release page and compare their published SHA-256 digests before bypassing SmartScreen or Gatekeeper warnings.

• VaultSync rejects direct-update payloads whose trusted GitHub digest or exact size is missing or mismatched.

• Use patch updates only for versions explicitly supported by the release manifest.

• Use the installer for:

  • major version jumps
  • very old versions
  • blocked or incompatible patch preflight results

• For Microsoft Store builds, use the Store listing and Store app update flow instead of the GitHub installer.

• Complete Recovery Horizon release plan: CLI ownership and immutable BSC ID crosswalk.

One open draft PR per release now includes its preparation and corrections; see Release Plan. Dependabot #661/#720 merged as verified maintenance; rendering/CLI compatibility fixes are assembled in 1.9.0 and propagated to later implemented CLI variants. Unused Inter packaging is removed. Development status and the linked daily ledger record full changelog ownership, dependency consumers and remaining qualification gates.