Contents
Overview
If you installed Claude Code via Homebrew (brew), Homebrew cask packages do not auto-update by default. You need to manually run update commands to get new features and security patches.
In this post, we cover manual updates, automatic update configuration, and how to switch to native installation.
For installation and basic usage of Claude Code, see Claude Code Basic Knowledge and How to Use.
Check Current Version
Check your currently installed version before updating.
claude --versionTo check if updates are available, use brew outdated.
brew outdated --caskIf claude-code appears in the list, a new version is available.
Manual Update
Update Homebrew’s formula information, then upgrade Claude Code.
brew update && brew upgrade --cask claude-codebrew update: Updates Homebrew itself and its formula/cask definitions.brew upgrade --cask claude-code: Upgrades the Claude Code cask to the latest version.
Running just
brew upgrade claude-codealso works in modern Homebrew as it auto-detects casks, but using the--caskflag is more explicit.
Auto-Update Setup
If manual updates are too cumbersome, you can use homebrew-autoupdate to automatically update packages in the background.
Install homebrew-autoupdate
brew tap homebrew/autoupdateStart Auto-Update
brew autoupdate start --upgrade --cleanupstart: Schedules periodicbrew updateusing macOSlaunchd.--upgrade: Automatically runsbrew upgradeafterbrew updateto upgrade packages.--cleanup: Automatically cleans up old version caches after upgrading.
The default interval is 24 hours (86400 seconds). To change the interval, specify it in seconds.
# Auto-update every 12 hours
brew autoupdate start 43200 --upgrade --cleanupManage Auto-Update Settings
# Check current auto-update status
brew autoupdate status
# Stop auto-update
brew autoupdate stop
# Delete auto-update (remove schedule)
brew autoupdate deleteThis setting applies to all packages installed via Homebrew, not just Claude Code. To exclude specific packages from updates, use
brew pin <package>.
Switch to Native Installation
Using the native install script instead of Homebrew, Claude Code automatically checks for updates every time it runs. Since native auto-update is more reliable, switching to native installation is recommended if managing updates manually feels cumbersome.
1. Uninstall the Homebrew version
brew uninstall --cask claude-code2. Run the native install script
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash3. Verify installation
claude --versionWhen switching from Homebrew to native installation, you can use the /migrate-installer command within Claude Code to migrate your settings.
claude
# Inside Claude Code
> /migrate-installerTroubleshooting
Auto-update failed Message
If you see an Auto-update failed message when launching Claude Code, it is usually a file system permission issue.
# Fix Homebrew directory permissions
sudo chown -R $(whoami) $(brew --prefix)/*
# Or reinstall Homebrew and Claude Code
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
brew install --cask claude-codeIf the issue persists, switching to native installation is recommended.
Homebrew Cache Issues
If the upgrade fails, clean the cache and try again.
brew cleanup
brew update
brew upgrade --cask claude-codeConclusion
We’ve covered how to update Claude Code installed via Homebrew — manual updates, auto-update configuration, and switching to native installation. Choose the method that best suits your environment to always use the latest version of Claude Code.
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