## Summary
- Publish scheduled `main` builds as GitHub prereleases while keeping
manual `main` runs as preview validation builds.
- Add an opt-in Settings switch for prerelease update checks; stable
updates remain the default.
- Use one MSI-safe version across bundles, MSI packages, binaries,
symbols, and package manifests.
- Prevent preview releases from triggering Microsoft Store, WinGet, or
public-symbol publication.
- Label preview builds explicitly in Settings, update notifications, and
What's New.
## Build intent
| Source | Trigger | Intent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `main` | Scheduled | Publish a preview release |
| `main` | Manual | Validate a preview build without publishing |
| `stable` | Manual | Produce a stable release |
| Other branches | Any supported trigger | Produce a private validation
build |
## MSI-safe release versioning
Windows Installer compares only `major.minor.build` and ignores the
fourth version component. Preview and stable release builds therefore
use:
```text
major.minor.YDDDB.0
```
- `Y`: zero-based number of calendar years since `ReleaseTrainEpoch`.
- `DDD`: three-position calendar day of year.
- `B`: daily release sequence `1-9`.
- The fourth component is always `0`.
With `ReleaseTrainVersion=0.100` and `ReleaseTrainEpoch=2026-01-01`:
```text
0.100.2111.0 = July 30, 2026, release build 1
0.100.3659.0 = December 31, 2026, release build 9
0.100.10011.0 = January 1, 2027, release build 1
```
The allocator formats `DDD` as exactly three digits before converting
the MSI component to its numeric representation. Leading zeros may not
be displayed because Windows version components are numeric; decoding
remains positional:
```text
B = component % 10
DDD = (component / 10) % 1000
Y = component / 10000
```
`ReleaseTrainVersion` and `ReleaseTrainEpoch` are checked in under
`src/Version.props`. The epoch remains January 1 of the active epoch
year and advances on the first release-train minor change in a new year.
## Daily release counter
Azure DevOps persists the daily sequence server-side using a counter
keyed as `release-YYYYMMDD`.
- `main` and `stable` share the same daily counter.
- Other branches do not evaluate or consume the release counter.
- Failed or canceled `main`/`stable` runs may leave gaps.
- The build fails when the daily sequence exceeds `9`.
- The counter date and encoded `YDDD` date both use
`pipeline.startTime`.
Private branches retain independent `0.0.<extended-day><NN>.0`
validation versions.
## Update behavior
- Stable users continue to query GitHub's stable latest-release path.
- Users who explicitly enable preview updates can select newer GitHub
prereleases.
- Preview releases and notifications are labeled as PowerToys Preview.
- What's New separates preview entries from stable release history and
hides previews by default.
## Validation
- 17 Pester tests cover `main`, `stable`, private branches, year
rollover, epoch reset, monotonicity, override validation, sequence
limits, and date alignment.
- Version propagation verified `0.100.2111.0` in `Version.props` and all
affected AppX/MSIX manifests.
- Azure DevOps pipeline dry-runs succeeded for both `refs/heads/main`
and `refs/heads/stable`.
- The affected native version project builds successfully.
- PR CI is green for x64, ARM64, Command Palette SDK, dependency review,
telemetry detection, and CLA.
## Remaining end-to-end checks
- Install two locally or officially produced installers with consecutive
MSI-visible `YDDDB` versions and verify the upgrade preserves binaries,
package registrations, hardlinks, and shell integrations.
- On the first natural post-merge `main` or `stable` run, verify the
production counter value and resolved version in the release logs.
## Local GPO verification
Validated locally with the signed `v0.100.2171` build from Azure DevOps
build
[153961073](https://microsoft.visualstudio.com/Dart/_build/results?buildId=153961073).
These checks cover the administrative-template integration and Settings
behavior.
### Policy enabled: preview updates are disabled
With `PreviewUpdatesDisabled=1`, **Include prerelease updates** is
forced off and locked, and Settings displays the
managed-by-your-organization notice.
### Policy removed: the user preference is preserved
After removing `PreviewUpdatesDisabled` and restarting PowerToys, the
previously selected preview-update preference is restored and editable.
The policy suppresses the preference without overwriting it.
### Group Policy Editor
After importing the updated ADMX/ADML templates, **Disable preview build
updates** appears under **Microsoft PowerToys > Installer and Updates**.
The policy dialog documents that **Enabled** blocks preview updates,
while **Disabled** or **Not Configured** leaves the choice available to
the user.
---------
Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
Copilot-Session: ad8b7909-0472-4464-bdee-deaeca726f94
Copilot-Session: 8e04a72e-3b0f-4ac4-8156-d04ea9b8bb85
When an update is available (readyToDownload or readyToInstall), the
tray icon switches to a badged variant with an orange dot. Works for
both default mode (color icon.ico) and theme-adaptive mode (light/dark
variants).
Closes: #19222Closes: #25497
## Changes
### Tray icon update badge
- Add 3 badged icon variants
- Extend get_icon() to select badged variant based on update_available
state
- Add set_tray_icon_update_available() for runtime icon switching
- Hook into UpdateUtils.cpp state transitions via
dispatch_run_on_main_ui_thread
- Check UpdateState at startup to show badge immediately if update
pending
- Add 'Update available' context menu item at top of tray menu when
active
### Fix: update icons not deployed (bug fix)
- Add APPICON_UPDATE icon resource to runner.base.rc (iconUpdate.ico was
missing)
- Add CopyFileToFolders entries for iconUpdate.ico,
PowerToysDarkUpdate.ico, and PowerToysWhiteUpdate.ico in runner.vcxproj
- Add all update icon files to installer Core.wxs so they ship in
releases
### UX improvements
- 'Update available' tray menu item now navigates to General page
(Overview) instead of opening Settings to Dashboard
- Update InfoBar severity changed from Success/Informational to Warning
across GeneralPage, LaunchPage, and CheckUpdateControl
- Dashboard update badge gradient and icon refreshed (orange theme,
exclamation glyph)
- AccentButtonStyle applied to 'Install Now' button
- Fixed casing: 'Update Available' to 'Update available'
- Added UpdateAvailableInfoBar.Title resource string
- Add orange update dot to the General navview item
### Screenshots
Before:
<img width="146" height="78" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c80b8b5f-da94-4cba-92c9-3fcca685653c"
/>
After:
<img width="184" height="104" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/13fc6b34-6e2a-4060-a2f7-f0b6b0d15363"
/>
<img width="150" height="84" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2673239c-8ce3-437b-947a-1d66803a87ec"
/>
<img width="150" height="100" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/c321deda-770d-47ff-9600-c395f466d444"
/>
<img width="189" height="104" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2c56d1b7-6615-4d85-80b9-a1cee6413b75"
/>
<img width="473" height="218" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b0fb59ed-f8bd-40a0-aefd-816a71fc231f"
/>
<img width="1048" height="288" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/29d34e01-f6a9-46c3-a56e-2c50a07718a1"
/>
<img width="206" height="155" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/80e9f77e-aae5-429a-b6be-f0e9f296e929"
/>
<img width="434" height="163" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/7c9d6cd5-fdaa-4b70-a2c0-cff87f5fcf1c"
/>
<img width="379" height="270" alt="image"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/03e0f60d-a901-45e7-a03a-18be28ec87ed"
/>
## How to test
Since local dev builds use version `0.0.1` which blocks update checks,
you need to temporarily fake an older version:
1. In `src/Version.props`, change `<Version>0.0.1</Version>` to
`<Version>0.87.0</Version>`
2. Optionally, in `src/runner/UpdateUtils.cpp`, change both interval
constants to `1` (minute) for faster testing:
```cpp
constexpr int64_t UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MINUTES = 1;
constexpr int64_t UPDATE_CHECK_AFTER_FAILED_INTERVAL_MINUTES = 1;
```
3. Build and run the runner
4. Within ~1 minute (with the interval change) or after clicking 'Check
for updates' in Settings > General, the runner will query GitHub and
find a newer version
### Verify
- [ ] Tray icon changes to the update variant (badged with orange dot)
- [ ] Right-clicking the tray icon shows 'Update available' at the top
of the context menu
- [ ] Clicking 'Update available' opens Settings directly to the General
page
- [ ] Settings General page shows the update InfoBar with Warning
severity
- [ ] Dashboard shows the update badge with orange gradient and
exclamation icon
- [ ] Quick Access flyout shows update InfoBar with Warning severity
**Remember to revert Version.props and UpdateUtils.cpp before
committing!**
---------
Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
## Summary of the Pull Request
There are many build warnings now with like "cl : command line warning
D9047: option 'await' has been deprecated and will be re moved in a
future release." after we update to VS2026.
Introduce WinRT coroutine support by replacing `std::future` with
`IAsyncOperation` for asynchronous methods. Adjust output directories
and remove the `/await` option from project files to streamline the
build process. Update methods to utilize `std::expected` and `co_await`,
enhancing the async handling of version checks and downloads.
## PR Checklist
- [ ] Closes: #xxx
- [x] **Communication:** I've discussed this with core contributors
already. If the work hasn't been agreed, this work might be rejected
- [x] **Tests:** Added/updated and all pass
- [ ] **Localization:** All end-user-facing strings can be localized
- [ ] **Dev docs:** Added/updated
- [ ] **New binaries:** Added on the required places
- [ ] [JSON for
signing](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ESRPSigning_core.json)
for new binaries
- [ ] [WXS for
installer](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/installer/PowerToysSetup/Product.wxs)
for new binaries and localization folder
- [ ] [YML for CI
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/ci/templates/build-powertoys-steps.yml)
for new test projects
- [ ] [YML for signed
pipeline](https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/blob/main/.pipelines/release.yml)
- [ ] **Documentation updated:** If checked, please file a pull request
on [our docs
repo](https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/windows-uwp/tree/docs/hub/powertoys)
and link it here: #xxx
## Detailed Description of the Pull Request / Additional comments
Refactor async methods to improve performance and compatibility with
WinRT. The changes include modifying the return types of several
functions in the `updating` namespace, specifically
`uninstall_previous_msix_version_async`,
`get_github_version_info_async`, and `download_new_version_async`.
## Validation Steps Performed
Manual testing was conducted to ensure that the new async methods
function correctly and that the application behaves as expected during
version checks and downloads. Automated tests were updated to cover the
new coroutine implementations.
---------
Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
* General: re-implementing network error handling
* Remove unreferenced dead code
* Minor modification in the update procedure. Removing the code part which updates the UI before the real check on new version. UI will be updated after the real check is done.
* [Runner] CheckForUpdatesCallback function and ID_REPORT_BUG_COMMAND case in tray_icon moved to threads.
* [Runner] Bool flag added to bug report thread.
* [Runner] Bool flag added to CheckForUpdatesCallback thread.
* [Runner] Review comments added. Uncessary mutex removed. compare_exchange_strong is used for atomic_bool variable checks.
