How do I control automatic updates for IT admin deployments?
By default, automatic updates in the app are enabled. If updates are enabled, the app will have UI for the user to manually check for updates. It will also automatically check for updates at app start and periodically while the app is running. If an update is found, the app will show an indication to the user that there is an available update with the option to restart the app to apply the update. The update will be applied when the app exits, regardless of whether the user chose to restart or simply exited the app later.
On Windows, when the app is installed per-machine, the update requires elevation and it will show an elevation prompt to the user. See What are the different types of MSIs? for more information.
On Mac, there are steps IT administrators can take to ensure smooth update process. See How do I deploy the GoTo app on Mac via DMG? for more information.
IT administrators can enforce the automatic updates to be enabled or disabled:
- on Windows, via a Group Policy setting (configured on the machine or user level) or a registry setting in the app registry key (again on the machine or user level)
- on Mac, via a plist setting in the app plist file
Windows
Two methods are available for controlling automatic updates:
- Group Policy setting for controlling automatic updates - can be configured on the machine or user level. See here for more information.
- The Group Policy writes registry setting AutomaticUpdates (DWORD) under HKLM or HKCU, Software\Policies\GoTo\GoToApplication.
- AutomaticUpdates value of 1 means the policy is configured and updates are enabled.
- AutomaticUpdates value of 2 means the policy is configured and updates are disabled.
- Missing or unsupported AutomaticUpdates value means the policy is not configured.
- Registry setting in the app registry key - can be configured on the machine or user level.
- The registry setting is AutomaticUpdates (DWORD) under HKLM or HKCU, Software\LogMeInInc\GoTo
- AutomaticUpdates value of 1 means updates are enabled.
- AutomaticUpdates value of 2 means updates are disabled.
- Missing or unsupported AutomaticUpdates value means that updates are not controlled by this setting.
The Group Policy setting overrides the registry setting, even if the policy setting is configured on the user level and the registry setting is on the machine level. The order of settings, which control the automatic updates, from highest precedence to lowest precedence is:
- Group Policy setting configured on the machine level
- Group Policy setting configured on the user level
- Registry setting in the app registry key on the machine level
- Registry setting in the app registry key on the user level
- If none of the above is configured, automatic updates are enabled
Mac
Updates on Mac can be controlled via a setting AutomaticUpdates (integer) in the app plist com.logmein.goto.plist.
- AutomaticUpdates value of 1 means updates are enabled.
- AutomaticUpdates value of 2 means updates are disabled.
- Missing or unsupported AutomaticUpdates value means that updates are not controlled by this setting.
When the app checks for this setting, first the user location is checked (~/Library/Preferences). If the value is not found there, the machine location is checked (/Library/Preferences). IT administrators can choose whether to set this setting on the machine level or on the user level. The order of settings, which control the automatic updates, from highest precedence to lowest precedence is:
- plist setting on the user level.
- plist setting on the machine level.
- If none of the above is configured, automatic updates are enabled.
Example commands for setting the plist setting
Disable updates (user location for plist): defaults write ~/Library/Preferences/com.logmein.goto.plist AutomaticUpdates -int 2
Disable updates (machine location for plist): defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.logmein.goto.plist AutomaticUpdates -int 2
Enable updates (user location for plist): defaults write ~/Library/Preferences/com.logmein.goto.plist AutomaticUpdates -int 1
Enable updates (machine location for plist): defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.logmein.goto.plist AutomaticUpdates -int 1
Removes the setting (user location for plist): defaults delete ~/Library/Preferences/com.logmein.goto.plist AutomaticUpdates
Removes the setting (machine location for plist): defaults delete /Library/Preferences/com.logmein.goto.plist AutomaticUpdates