I published a lightweight add-on that checks whether your Anki Desktop build is up-to-date and then offers the most appropriate next step: either running Anki’s native Upgrade/Downgrade launcher (when available) or opening the official download page.
AnkiWeb: 323305297
Why this exists
Anki does include a built-in update check, but it’s typically used for major updates and only after they’ve been out for a while, so many minor/stable releases won’t trigger an in-app prompt. This add-on complements that path by:
- running a silent version check at profile open (configurable cadence),
- notifying you only when a newer version exists,
- invoking the native launcher automatically when it’s available and the update is a stable release,
- otherwise offering to open the official download page.
If you enable pre-releases (betas) in the add-on, it will not offer the native launcher, only the website, since the launcher handles stable builds.
Features
- Silent on startup; pop-up only when an update is found
- Manual check under ‘Tools > Check for Anki Updates’
- Works with the native Upgrade/Downgrade when present
- Optional prerelease support (website path only)
- Tested on Windows with Anki 24.04.1, 25.02.7, 25.07.5.
- Designed to be cross-platform (Windows/macOS/Linux).
Additional documentation can be found in: http://ankiweb.net/shared/info/323305297
Happy to take feedback or small feature requests! This is my first add-on and I mainly did it out of curiosity. I hope this thread is helpful for any requests or additional support.
