WinSparkle

Automatic updates for Windows applications. Easy to integrate, toolkit-independent, unobtrusive, and MIT-licensed.

Easy updates on Windows

WinSparkle brings Sparkle-style software updates to Windows desktop applications. Publish an appcast, ship one DLL with your application, and let WinSparkle present a native update flow using your app’s own name and icon.

The library is small enough to bundle with your app, exposes a C API, and keeps its UI separate from your application’s toolkit.

Why WinSparkle

Appcast-based releases

Describe new versions, release notes, and download URLs in an appcast feed. WinSparkle checks the feed and handles the update prompt.

Native update UI

Update dialogs use native Windows controls and show your application name and icon, not WinSparkle branding.

Unobtrusive by design

No update window is shown unless an update is available or the user starts a manual check.

Simple to ship

Include WinSparkle.dll with your app. There are no extra runtime dependencies, not even a dynamic CRT dependency.

C API

The public API is C. Call it directly from C or C++, or bind it from another language.

Toolkit-independent

The UI runs in a separate thread, so it does not depend on wxWidgets, Qt, WinForms, WPF, WinUI, or any other toolkit.