Automatic update release frequencies

Users can now allow the desktop client to automatically download and install updates based on their choice of update frequencies. Updates can be applied on one of 2 available frequencies: Slow (default) for fewer updates and better stability, or Fast for the newest features and updates.

This article covers: 

• How to enable automatic updates and set update cadence
• Update cadences
• What can admins expect with different configurations

Prerequisites for using fast and slow auto-update tracks

• Zoom desktop client for Windows and macOS: Global minimum version or higher

How to enable automatic updates and set update cadence

By default, automatic update is enabled in standard installation packages (EXE, DMG), and disabled in mass distribution packages for managed systems (MSI, PKG). This can be manually controlled in the desktop client settings.

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Click your profile picture, then click Settings.
3. On the  General tab in the Zoom Updates section, click the check box to enable/disable Automatically keep Zoom up to date.
4. Click the dropdown menu to select how often you would like to have updates installed:
   • Slow: (Default) Provides fewer updates and better stability.
   • Fast: Provides the newest features and updates.
     Note: Some accounts may provide their own private auto-update track, which would be listed here. This track is created and managed by account admins, so the version set and frequency of version changes is not controlled by Zoom. 

Update cadences

Below is more information about the update cadences and how those will impact your desktop client:

Fast: For users that are interested in the latest features and functionality, select this option to get updates sooner and more frequently. Zoom typically releases client updates on a monthly cadence. Upon release, every new client version is added to the fast track and is distributed to a percentage of random users on the fast track each day, with the rollout typically accelerating over the course of the week.

Slow: For users that want less frequent changes and a more mature feature set, select this option. Slow is the default for both individual and managed users. After evaluating telemetry and internal metrics, Zoom determines if/when* a new version is promoted to the Slow track. Releases promoted to the slow track are distributed to a percentage of random users on the slow track each day, with the rollout typically accelerating over the course of the week.

*Important note: Not every released version is promoted to the Slow track, so users on the Slow track will not see the desktop client update to every version along the way. Clients on the slow track will likely only see updates every 1-2 months.

Regardless of which track is chosen, the update is only installed when…

• Your device has be selected as one of the random devices eligible to upgrade that day
• Your Zoom desktop client has been restarted*

*With versions 5.16.10 and higher, if the Zoom app detects the user is trying to join a meeting or webinar (typically through the join URL), it will defer the update process in order to avoid delaying the user joining the session. The only exception is for required updates, mandated by their account admin or Zoom's minimum version enforcement.

Note: In the event that Zoom needs to provide a security update to the Zoom desktop client to keep users safe, those updates will be distributed to the entire audience simultaneously.

Learn more about minimum, prompted, and slow/fast track client versions. 

What can admins expect with different configurations

If admins choose to mass deploy the desktop client, they can choose the if AutoUpdate is enabled for the clients they deploy, ensuring a consistent experience for their users.

Depending on the configuration deployed by an admin, the following behaviors are to be expected:

*Note: Installations with the EXE installer will follow this behavior, as Auto Update is enabled with the Slow track by default.