BigIdeasDB Desktop
Desktop updates and release notes
Desktop checks for new versions when it opens and about twice a day. An update is downloaded, checked, and installed only when you restart.
Last updated: October 31, 2026
Quick answer
Desktop updates itself. It checks at launch and about twice a day, downloads in the background, verifies the update and shows Restart to update. Every version is listed with notes and downloads on the release notes page.
- Nothing installs until the update has been checked and you restart.
- Read what changed on the release notes page.
- You can always download the latest installer from your Desktop account.
- Lifetime updates means updates for as long as we publish them.
How updating works
The Updates section in Settings shows the current phase: Up to date, Checking, Downloading a version, Checking the update, or Restart to update. Updates come from the public BigIdeasDB Desktop releases on GitHub. Each one is verified before it installs. On Windows, once code signing is on, Desktop refuses any update that is not validly signed.
Release notes
Every version is listed on the Desktop release notes page, newest first, with what is new, what improved, what was fixed, known limits and a download for each installer. Releases are numbered x.y.z.
If an update does not install
- Quit and reopen Desktop, then check Settings, Updates.
- Check your connection. Updates download from GitHub.
- Download the latest installer from your Desktop account and install it over the old one. Your projects are kept.
Frequently asked questions
Will an update delete my projects?
No. Projects and data are stored on your computer and survive updates.
Where are the release notes?
On the Desktop release notes page, bigideasdb.com/bigideasdb-desktop-releases.
Can I choose when to update?
Yes. An update installs only when you restart after Desktop says it is ready.
What's the best way to keep BigIdeasDB Desktop up to date?
Leave automatic updates on and restart when Desktop says Restart to update. Read the release notes page to see what changed.
Was this page helpful?
Related articles
BigIdeasDB Desktop
Install and activate BigIdeasDB Desktop
Download BigIdeasDB Desktop for Mac or Windows, press Activate, sign in through your browser, and start. A paste-your-licence fallback is built in.
BigIdeasDB Desktop
Desktop troubleshooting
Fix the common BigIdeasDB Desktop problems: not activated, a review site that says Needs you, Reddit refused, no AI agent found, Clipper not connecting, and an AI client that cannot see the tools.
BigIdeasDB Desktop
BigIdeasDB Desktop overview
BigIdeasDB Desktop is a local-first research app for Mac and Windows. It runs on your computer, costs us nothing to run, and uses the AI agent you already pay for.
