How updates work

Confidant updates itself when a new version is available. Two parts of the app can update: the app itself, and the AI model.

App updates

Once an hour while you're online (and once on every launch), Confidant checks if a new version is available. If so:

1. A sage-green banner appears at the top of the app: "Update available — vX.Y.Z"
2. Click Install & restart
3. Confidant downloads the new version, verifies its signature, replaces itself, and restarts

The download happens in the background. You can keep working and install whenever you're ready.

AI model updates

When the app starts, Confidant also checks if the AI note model has a newer version available. Model updates are bigger (~3 GB) and use a different flow:

1. The app shows a dedicated "Improved AI model" screen
2. The new model downloads with a progress indicator
3. After download, Confidant verifies the file matches what we published
4. Click Continue to start using the new model

This screen blocks app use for the duration of the download — the new model and the old model can't both be live at once. If you'd rather wait, you can quit and finish the update later (it'll re-prompt on next launch).

Verification

Both app updates and model updates are signature-verified before installing. We sign every release with a private key, and Confidant verifies the signature with the matching public key built into the app. If verification fails, the install is aborted and the existing version is preserved.

This protects against:

• Tampered downloads (someone in the network path swapping the file)
• Compromised CDN (the bucket we host updates in being attacked)
• A bad release on our end accidentally shipping with a wrong checksum

You don't see any of this — it's just a guarantee that what installs is what we shipped.

Network requirements

Update checks require an internet connection. If network access is off, no updates check or install. The app continues to work, just at the version you're on.

If you've turned network access off and stayed offline for 30+ days, Confidant will pop a one-time prompt asking permission to do a single check. See Network access and the 30-day prompt.

Disabling updates

There's no "never update" toggle on purpose — updates often include security fixes and clinical-quality improvements that we strongly want all users on. The two ways to control update behavior:

1. Turn off network access in Settings → Privacy & Security → Network. No checks, no installs. Re-enable when you want updates.
2. Don't click Install when the banner appears. The banner stays available; the new version only installs when you choose to.

Update size

App updates ship every 1–4 weeks during active development. Model updates ship rarely — once or twice a year — and are flagged in our release notes when they happen.