How to Update LibreWolf on Windows

Practical update workflows: installer updates, winget automation, portable manual upgrades and verification steps.
 Download

Quick answer

Use the installer for the simplest auto-update experience, use winget for scripted updates across many machines, and for portable builds update manually by replacing the application files while preserving your profile. Always verify the SHA256 checksum before running new binaries.

Installer builds — automatic updates

Installer builds often include an internal update check or can be updated by running a newer installer. Typical update flows:

  1. Download the latest installer from the Download page.
  2. Run the installer — it will detect the existing installation and offer to update or replace files while preserving your profile and settings.
  3. Restart the browser and verify the new version via Help → About.

Note: some builds include an automatic background updater. If you manage many systems, prefer winget for consistent automation.

winget — automated updates for many machines

winget is ideal for scripted installs and updates. Recommended commands:

# Update package lists
winget source update

# Install or upgrade specific package (replace <PACKAGE_ID>)
winget install --id <PACKAGE_ID> --source winget
winget upgrade --id <PACKAGE_ID>

# Upgrade all packages
winget upgrade --all

Integrate these commands in PowerShell scripts, scheduled tasks, or deployment tools (Intune, SCCM). Always confirm the package ID on the package ID page before automating.

Portable builds — manual safe updates

Portable builds don't auto-update. Safe manual update process:

  1. Back up your portable profile folder (copy the profile directory out to a safe location).
  2. Download the new portable archive from Download and verify SHA256.
  3. Extract the new archive to a temporary folder.
  4. Copy the profile folder from your backup into the new extracted folder (or move the old profile folder into the new folder) — ensure permissions are correct.
  5. Run the new librewolf.exe and verify that settings and data are present.

Silent / unattended update examples (for admins)

Many installers support silent switches. Example (NSIS-based installers often use /S):

# Example: silent install (test on a VM first)
librewolf-150.0.1-1-windows-x86_64-setup.exe /S

# Or call winget from a script for unattended installs
winget install --id <PACKAGE_ID> --accept-package-agreements --silent

Adjust flags to match the specific installer type and your deployment tooling.

Verify updates and integrity

After updating, verify installed binaries if you need to be certain the update hasn't been tampered with. For the installer, verify the downloaded installer's SHA256 before running. To verify a running binary, locate the EXE and compute the hash locally.

# PowerShell example
Get-FileHash -Path "C:\Program Files\LibreWolf\librewolf.exe" -Algorithm SHA256

Rollbacks & recovery

If an update breaks functionality, rollback options:

  • Restore from profile backup (portable or installed profile backup).
  • Reinstall previous installer version from the Releases page and restore profile.
  • Use system restore (Windows) if the installer changed system-level settings.

Automation & best practices

  1. Test updates in a staging environment (VM) before rollout.
  2. Automate SHA256 verification in scripts before running installers.
  3. Track versions and changelogs on the Releases page; pin versions if stability is critical.
  4. Use winget or configuration management to standardize updates across machines.

Troubleshooting updates

If an update fails or installer reports errors:

  1. Check that the installer or winget command was run with appropriate privileges (admin when required).
  2. Verify network connectivity and that mirrors are reachable.
  3. Check logs and error outputs; for winget use verbose or check winget logs.
  4. If using portable, ensure profile folder permissions allow file replacement.

Next steps

To download the latest builds and find SHA256 checksums, visit the Download page. For winget package information see Package ID. If you need help automating updates, see Troubleshooting and GitHub for contribution and manifest instructions.