> Here's how MacUpdater 2 can help make sure all your macOS apps are as current > and as safe as possible. > > Almost all apps need to be updated at some point in their lifetime. Most apps > undergo multiple updates, but occasionally there can be apps with very > sporadic updates that people miss. > > While many pieces of software have an updating mechanism, not all do. This > can be especially true for add-ons and software that don't function > independently, and therefore don't have any form of updating system at all. > > > Why update at all? > > > Software is rarely released in perfect form. Aside from some fields where the > software is used in a life-or-death capacity, most other forms of software > get periodic updates. > > These updates can cover many fields, with the chief one being to fix bugs. If > there's something wrong with the app, such as incompatibility with hardware > or other software, or a feature isn't working, an update could fix that > problem. > > A developer may also update an app with performance improvements in cases > where features or processes could be performed with better or more accurate > results or faster and with fewer faults. > > Updates could also introduce new or tweaked features, introducing elements > that users ask for or couldn't be completed at the time of release. > > Probably the most critical reason for updates is to maintain security. > Vulnerabilities in software and related files can be abused in various ways > that you don't want to happen. > > This is more generally observed for Apple's operating system updates, but it > is a problem that can affect regular apps and software too. > > Generally speaking, if there's an update available, you want it. > > > Not everything updates itself > > > You will probably be familiar with the App Store and the Mac App Store, > Apple's digital storefronts that are used to update all of the apps on a > device simultaneously. They're great systems for doing so, and for most > users, that's enough. > > <https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/46405-90429-macupdater-2-1-xl.jpg> > However, there is a problem with macOS — it will only update apps you > download from the Mac App Store. If you acquired software through other > means, it's not going to be touched by the Mac App Store. > > Many applications have a built-in update service, which will nag you to > update by letting it download the new version before installing it. While > good, this does leave users with having to manually update software that > doesn't perform update checks or downloads, which can be a tiring process to > go through. > > There are also pieces of software that typically don't update and aren't > applications in their own right. For example, a screensaver may have an > update, but it won't have any mechanism to check or alert you to an update > being available at all. > > > What is MacUpdater 2? > > > Made by CoreCode, MacUpdater 2 is a tool for keeping track of the latest > updates for applications stored on your Mac. It scans and displays all > installed software on your Mac. > > In essence, it handles the apps and software that the Mac App Store doesn't > touch. > > The tool can scan your Mac for apps that appear in its database, which > includes version information for more than 60,000 apps and is still growing. > Once it has compiled a list of the apps on your Mac, it will check the > version numbers to see if any installed items are outdated. > > If it finds any, it'll tell you what is installed and what needs to be > updated. For many apps that have an update available for them, it will help > you acquire and install it. > > Updates can be performed from within MacUpdater using a single click, though > there's also more flexibility on offer. You could control it from the main > app, but there's also the menubar, the Touch Bar on compatible MacBook Pro > models, and the command-line interface. > > It's also a universal build, with it compatible with both Apple Silicon Macs > and those using Intel processors. > > > What can MacUpdater 2 update? > > > MacUpdater 2 can update more than 6,000 apps automatically within the tool > itself. These consist of apps that are very popular and have regular updates. > > A second group of more than 6,000 apps is also checked, consisting of apps > that don't automatically update. This serves to tell you there's an update > available for an app and that you really should update it. > > <https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/46405-90430-macupdater-2-2-xl.jpg> > What you want to see: All apps updated successfully. > > MacUpdater doesn't directly update apps serviced by the Mac App Store, and > some apps have their own updaters apps, such as those used by Adobe and > Microsoft. > > In these cases, MacUpdater will offer to launch the Mac App Store or the > relevant auto-updater app to process the update. > > > Scheduling and customization > > > People familiar with macOS will know that you will get periodic reminders > from the Mac App Store if app updates are available to download. While you > can stick to on-demand scans to check every so often, you can also set up > MacUpdater 2 to automatically perform the scan periodically. > > This gives you the same periodic warning as the Mac App Store that there's > something new available, just by having MacUpdater 2 running silently in the > background and giving you a notification when it finds something. > > Many options are available for scanning, including what types of software are > scanned, how fast scans run at, frequency, whether MacUpdater's window > automatically opens after scanning, and even settings relating to overdue > scans. > > The customization options go further for the app, covering everything from > the types of notifications that are displayed to how app badges appear and > even the icon style of the tool itself. > > > An administrative assistant > > > While it seems like it is a simple tool, MacUpdater 2 offers many options to > power users and administrators, especially those who like to manage updates > carefully. > > MacUpdater can also be used to manage apps and other software types that > don't typically have an updating mechanism available. This can include > screensavers, plugins and scripts for apps, and even keyboard layouts. > > This extra coverage is provided by the Pro edition, which can handle audio > plugins, preference panes, quicklook plugins, and more. > > <https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/46405-90432-macupdater-2-4-xl.jpg> > There are many configuration options within MacUpdater 2 for you to fine tune. > > In situations where a user account isn't an administrator, MacUpdater 2 can > be used to keep apps up to date without needing the entry of an admin > password. This means it's feasible for users to update apps without > administrator intervention. > > You can even check out a plethora of information about each update at the > time of updating, including the version numbers, release date, installation > path, and code signature, by clicking the app in the list. This also provides > details about the app that you are about to update. > > The Discover section shows all of the updates MacUpdater finds on a daily > basis. Furthermore, you can also search apps and install many of them > directly from within MacUpdater, saving you from needing to fetch the initial > installer manually. > > > Safety and Privacy > > > In the process of updating an app, an update has the potential to go wrong. > For example, an update could end up removing a feature the user needs or > changing it in such a way that it doesn't work. > > MacUpdater 2 has the ability to make safety backups of apps before updating > them, as well as of the updates themselves. If something goes wrong, it's > possible to restore the app and any working downloaded updates without > re-downloading anything. > > CoreCode also built MacUpdater 2 with privacy and security in mind. For a > start, you don't need to register to use MacUpdater at all. > > The app also doesn't track users, and since the developer doesn't get any > personal data about the user, there's nothing to sell to third parties. This > means a user's app usage is extremely private and remains that way. > > <https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/46405-90431-macupdater-2-3-xl.jpg> > MacUpdater 2 provides you with a lot of data about the updates, and the apps > too. > > As for the downloading of updates, all are downloaded from the regular > servers used by that app's vendor. There's no intermediary update hosting at > play that could mess around with the data. > > Furthermore, the code signatures of the 1,000 most popular apps will be > checked after download against the official code signatures from the app's > vendor, which makes sure that the update hasn't been interfered with before > it gets to your Mac. > > With more software being installed onto Macs all the time, it's hard to keep > track of what's there. The Mac App Store can help you keep up, but it just > can't help in cases where the app didn't come from there. > > MacUpdater 2 fills a gap in the administrative arsenal for updating the apps > and software that the MAS doesn't go near. It's flexible and configurable > enough to be made to work in many computing environments in a way that > benefits administrators and users. > > It's a time-saving tool that helps keep your apps up to date and your Mac > secure, and is certainly worth a look by anyone wanting to shave minutes off > their time spent managing their hardware. > > > What's new in MacUpdater 2.1 > > > Like any other piece of software, MacUpdater also undergoes its own updates. > With version 2.1 of the tool, users can benefit from a number of extra > features. > > The new additions include increased support for more software types, which > includes plugins used by Adobe's suite of creative tools. > > MacUpdater will also be even more flexible, by integrating with Alfred to > give power users another way to trigger app updates. > > There are also performance improvements that you would expect from software > updates. Lastly, users can switch between a classic icon and a Big Sur style > version, depending on how they want the app to appear on their desktop. > > > How to get MacUpdater 2 > > > MacUpdater 2 is available from the CoreCode website > <https://www.corecode.io/>. You can try it out for free to scan your Mac to > see what's updatable, and you can even update up to 10 apps before paying for > the software. > > The standard edition for one user and up to four Macs costs $14.99. The Pro > Edition, which covers a family of up to 7 Macs, is $34.99, while the Business > Edition is $35 per seat. > > All of the options are one-time purchases, without requiring users to sign up > for a subscription. > > AppleInsisder readers receive a discount of 10% — just use the promo code > AppleInsiderQ2 when checking out. >
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