--- description: Manually control the Live Update lifecycle in your Capacitor or Cordova app β€” fetch, download, stage, and reload bundles for custom update flows. title: Download and Apply Updates - Capawesome image: https://capawesome.io/docs/assets/images/social/cloud/live-updates/manual-updates.png --- [Skip to content ](#download-and-apply-updates) [πŸ” Introducing the **Capacitor Vault** plugin β€” store secrets behind biometrics or a device passcode. ](/blog/announcing-the-capacitor-vault-plugin/) * [ SDKs ](/docs/sdks/) * [ Formbricks ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/formbricks/) * [ Geocoder ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/geocoder/) * [ Google Sign-In ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/google-sign-in/) * [ Grafana Faro ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/grafana-faro/) * [ libSQL ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/libsql/) * [ Live Update ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/live-update/) * [ Managed Configurations ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/managed-configurations/) * [ Media Session ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/media-session/) * [ ML Kit ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/mlkit/) * [ Navigation Bar ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/navigation-bar/) * [ NFC ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/nfc/) * [ OAuth ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/oauth/) * [ Pedometer ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/pedometer/) * [ Photo Editor ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/photo-editor/) * [ PostHog ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/posthog/) * [ Printer ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/printer/) * [ Purchases ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/purchases/) * [ RealtimeKit ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/realtimekit/) * [ Screen Orientation ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/screen-orientation/) * [ Screenshot ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/screenshot/) * [ Secure Preferences ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/secure-preferences/) * [ Speech Recognition ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/speech-recognition/) * [ Speech Synthesis ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/speech-synthesis/) * [ Share Target ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/share-target/) * [ Square Mobile Payments ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/square-mobile-payments/) * [ SQLite ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/sqlite/) * [ Superwall ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/superwall/) * [ Torch ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/torch/) * [ Vault ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/vault/) * [ Wifi ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/wifi/) * [ Zip ](/docs/sdks/capacitor/zip/) * [ Cordova ](/docs/sdks/cordova/) * [ Cloud ](/docs/cloud/) * [ Manage Channels ](/docs/cloud/live-updates/channels/) * [ Sign Your Bundles ](/docs/cloud/live-updates/code-signing/) * [ Reduce Update Size ](/docs/cloud/live-updates/bundle-size/) * [ Self-Host Bundles ](/docs/cloud/live-updates/self-hosting/) * [ Proxy API Requests ](/docs/cloud/live-updates/request-proxying/) * [ Manage Devices ](/docs/cloud/live-updates/devices/) * [ Integrations ](/docs/cloud/live-updates/integrations/) * Concepts * Reference * [ Troubleshooting ](/docs/cloud/live-updates/troubleshooting/) * [ FAQ ](/docs/cloud/live-updates/faq/) * [ Native Builds ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/) * [ Set Up Environments ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/environments/) * [ Overwrite Native Configurations ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/native-configurations/) * [ Auto-Increment Build Numbers ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/auto-incrementing-build-numbers/) * [ Configure the Web Build Script ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/web-build-script/) * [ Build from a Monorepo ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/monorepo/) * [ Use pnpm, Yarn, or bun ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/package-managers/) * [ Install Private npm Packages ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/npm-private-registry/) * [ Override the Java Version ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/override-java-version/) * [ Custom iOS Provisioning Profiles ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/custom-ios-provisioning-profiles/) * [ Build without Git ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/build-without-git/) * [ Access Git Behind a Firewall ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/firewall-access/) * [ Integrations ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/integrations/) * Reference * [ Troubleshooting ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/troubleshooting/) * [ FAQ ](/docs/cloud/native-builds/faq/) * [ App Store Publishing ](/docs/cloud/app-store-publishing/) * [ Submit a Build ](/docs/cloud/app-store-publishing/submit-a-build/) * [ Submit Automatically After a Build ](/docs/cloud/app-store-publishing/submit-automatically/) * [ Troubleshooting ](/docs/cloud/app-store-publishing/troubleshooting/) * [ FAQ ](/docs/cloud/app-store-publishing/faq/) * [ Automations ](/docs/cloud/automations/) * [ Reference ](/docs/cloud/automations/reference/) * [ Troubleshooting ](/docs/cloud/automations/troubleshooting/) * [ FAQ ](/docs/cloud/automations/faq/) * [ Assist ](/docs/cloud/assist/) * [ CLI ](/docs/cloud/cli/) * APIs and SDKs * [ Webhooks ](/docs/cloud/webhooks/) * [ Integrations ](/docs/cloud/integrations/) * Account * [ Organization ](/docs/cloud/organizations/) * [ Two-Factor Enforcement ](/docs/cloud/organizations/two-factor-authentication/) * [ Audit Logs ](/docs/cloud/organizations/audit-logs/) * [ Billing ](/docs/cloud/organizations/billing/) * [ License Keys ](/docs/cloud/license-keys/) * [ AI ](/docs/ai/) * [ Insiders ](/docs/insiders/) * [ Billing & Plans ](/docs/insiders/billing-and-plans/) * [ FAQ ](/docs/insiders/faq/) * [ License ](https://capawesome.io/legal/eula/) * [ Support ](/docs/support/) * [ Contributing ](/docs/contributing/) * Contributing code * [ Code of Conduct ](/docs/contributing/code-of-conduct/) * [ Questions ](https://docs.github.com/en/discussions/collaborating-with-your-community-using-discussions/participating-in-a-discussion#creating-a-discussion) * [ Blog ](/blog/) * Categories # Download and Apply Updates[ΒΆ](#download-and-apply-updates "Permanent link") For full control over the update process, the Live Update SDK exposes the individual steps of the update lifecycle: 1. **`fetchLatestBundle()`** β€” check for updates without downloading them. 2. **`downloadBundle()`** β€” download a bundle without applying it. 3. **`setNextBundle()`** β€” set a bundle as the one to apply on the next launch. 4. **`reload()`** β€” apply the new bundle immediately. Disable automatic updates When handling updates manually, set `autoUpdateStrategy` to `none` (or leave it unset) to prevent conflicts with the automatic update mechanism. See [Choose an update strategy](/docs/cloud/live-updates/update-strategies/). ## Check for updates[ΒΆ](#check-for-updates "Permanent link") Check for a new bundle without downloading it: CapacitorCordova `[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-0-1)import { LiveUpdate } from "@capawesome/capacitor-live-update"; [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-0-2) [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-0-3)const result = await LiveUpdate.fetchLatestBundle({ channel: "production" }); [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-0-4)if (result.bundleId) { [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-0-5) console.log("New update available: " + result.downloadUrl); [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-0-6)} ` `[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-1-1)const result = await cordova.plugins.LiveUpdate.fetchLatestBundle({ channel: "production" }); [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-1-2)if (result.bundleId) { [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-1-3) console.log("New update available: " + result.downloadUrl); [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-1-4)} ` This returns information about the latest bundle, including its ID and download URL. Pass the `channel` to check a specific channel β€” see [Subscribe to a Channel](/docs/cloud/live-updates/channel-subscription/) for the available options. ## Download an update[ΒΆ](#download-an-update "Permanent link") Download a bundle β€” the SDK extracts the files and moves them into place: CapacitorCordova `[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-2-1)import { LiveUpdate } from "@capawesome/capacitor-live-update"; [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-2-2) [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-2-3)await LiveUpdate.downloadBundle({ bundleId, url }); ` `[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-3-1)await cordova.plugins.LiveUpdate.downloadBundle({ bundleId, url }); ` ## Apply an update[ΒΆ](#apply-an-update "Permanent link") Stage a downloaded bundle as the next one to load: CapacitorCordova `[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-1)import { LiveUpdate } from "@capawesome/capacitor-live-update"; [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-2) [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-4-3)await LiveUpdate.setNextBundle({ bundleId }); ` `[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-5-1)await cordova.plugins.LiveUpdate.setNextBundle({ bundleId }); ` To apply it immediately instead of on the next launch, call `reload()`: CapacitorCordova `[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-6-1)import { LiveUpdate } from "@capawesome/capacitor-live-update"; [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-6-2) [](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-6-3)await LiveUpdate.reload(); ` `[](#%5F%5Fcodelineno-7-1)await cordova.plugins.LiveUpdate.reload(); ` June 8, 2026 Back to top