# Scheduling automatic updates

You can configure Eclipse update to automatically search for updates to the installed software on a periodic basis. You can configure how these updates are scheduled and performed from the Install/Update > Automatic Updates preference page.

### Scheduling options

Each time an Eclipse-based product starts, the update scheduler will activate based on the chosen scheduling. You can choose between the following update policies:

- No automatic search
- On each startup (default)
- Every day at a specific time (i.e. 3:00PM) *
- On a scheduled day of the week at a specific time (i.e. Monday 8:00AM) *

* assuming the application is active. If the application is not active at a scheduled time and the search is past due, it will immediately start on the next startup

### Download options

Scheduling options define when searches are performed but do not define what actually happens when updates are found. Download options control this behavior (this set of options is disabled if automatic search is turned off). You can choose between:

- Search for updates and notify me when they are available (default)
- Download new updates automatically and notify me when ready to install them

In both cases, the update scheduler will execute in the background when necessary based on the scheduling options. There will be no messages if no updates are found. If there are updates, the behavior will depend on the chosen download option.

#### Search and notify

If search only is selected, a popup will appear notifying you that updates have been found, and an updates icon will appear in the status bar. You may click on the popup to review the list of updates. The same Available Updates wizard is used when you search for updates manually using Help > Check for Updates.

If you do not wish to update your system right away, you may dismiss the notification popup by clicking on the [X] in the corner of the popup. When you are ready to review the updates, you may then click on the update icon in the status bar.

#### Download new updates

If the second option has been selected (download updates automatically), the search will be scheduled as before, but when new updates are found, the download will commence immediately. When all the features have been successfully downloaded, a popup will appear notifying you that updates have been found and downloaded, and an updates icon will appear in the status bar. You may click on the popup to review the list of updates. The same Available Updates wizard is used when you search for updates manually using Help > Check for Updates.

If you do not wish to update your system right away, you may dismiss the notification popup by clicking on the [X] in the corner of the popup. When you are ready to review the updates, you may then click on the update icon in the status bar. The software that was downloaded will be used the next time you update the system.

### Reminder options

Reminder options define what happens when updates are found. You can choose between:

- Notify me once about updates (default)
- Remind me about updates. This option lets you choose the time interval for being reminded about updates.

In either case, a popup will appear when updates are available. Clicking the popup will open the Available Updates wizard so that you can review the updates. If you do not wish to update your system right away, you may dismiss the notification popup by clicking on the [X] in the corner of the popup. If you have selected a time interval for reminders, the popup will appear when the specified interval has passed.

Features

Updating software using the Available Updates wizard