Updates - how new versions arrive

Short answer

Abliteration updates itself silently in the background on both platforms when installed from the OS store: through the Microsoft Store on Windows, through the Mac App Store on macOS. If you installed the direct .dmg from the site on macOS, updates are manual: a fresh download replaces the old app in place.

Detailed explanation

On Windows. New releases are pushed to the Microsoft Store, which handles the download and install automatically for every installed copy, usually within a day of a release passing certification. If the app is open when an update lands, Windows waits until the process closes before swapping the bits, so you never see a mid-session prompt. There is no in-app update button, no “check for updates” dialog, and no restart prompt; the next time you open the app after an update, it is already the new version.

On macOS, from the Mac App Store. New releases are pushed to the Mac App Store, which handles the download and install automatically for every installed copy, usually within a day of a release passing Apple’s review. The behaviour is the same as on Windows: the next time you open the app after an update, it is already the new version. There is no in-app update button, no “check for updates” dialog, no restart prompt. Your models, chats, and settings live outside the app bundle in ~/Library/Containers/org.abliteration.models/, so the swap leaves them untouched. See Where Abliteration keeps your data.

On macOS, from the direct .dmg. Updates are a manual step. When a new version ships, a fresh download from the site replaces the old app in place; the container directory above keeps your data across the swap. A built-in “Update available” prompt for the direct .dmg channel is planned; until it ships, you get updates by revisiting the site. The simplest way to get silent background updates on macOS today is to install from the Mac App Store instead.

What version you are running. Every published build’s version number is exposed in two places, same on both platforms:

• About card: Settings > About shows the current version and a link to release notes.
• Local HTTP bridge: /health (see Local HTTP bridge) returns the same version string.

Migrating from Infrahuman. If you had the previous Infrahuman app installed on Windows before the rebrand, the Store treats the transition as a normal update. Your model library, chats, and settings persist. The legacy infrahuman:// URL scheme also stays registered so old links still open the app, see Deep links.

Why it matters

Local model runtimes tend to grow features fast: new sampler options, new architectures, new quantization types. Silent background updates keep everyone on the same known-good version without asking users to notice, click, or restart. On Windows the Microsoft Store delivers them, on macOS the Mac App Store does the same for copies installed from there. If you install the direct .dmg on macOS, you stay on the version you downloaded until you revisit the site.

In Abliteration specifically

Version strings are semantic (MAJOR.MINOR.PATCH). The schema field in the local HTTP bridge is independent of the app version; the bridge’s data contract only changes when there is a breaking layout change, which is much rarer than a normal release.

If the Store update ever gets stuck on Windows (Store service down, transient error), Windows retries automatically. There is nothing to do from the app side; the app itself has no update logic.

Related

• Local HTTP bridge - where the running version is exposed programmatically
• Deep links - why the legacy infrahuman:// scheme survives an update
• Local storage layout - how user data persists across updates