Daring FireballJul 30, 2026

Rogue Amoeba: Unobtrusive Update Notifications

Paul Kafasis, on the Rogue Amoeba blog back in April: Though Sparkle serves us very well, it has one notable downside. Update announcements are most likely to appear at the least convenient time: right after you’ve launched the app. You want to start recording with Audio Hijack, for instance, but the app is telling you about a new version. We’ve long wished to avoid these disruptions. With that in mind, we’re making changes to how update notifications appear throughout our apps. In the future, when the software’s timed automated check detects a newer version, it will no longer pop an obtrusive window like the one seen above. Instead, a small “Update Available” indicator will be shown in the app’s interface. Such a little thing, but like I wrote earlier this week, getting all the little things right is how you get to insanely great. Every Mac app using Sparkle ought to copy this. It’s so much nicer.  ★

weblog.rogueamoeba.com