Update Kestrel Desktop

Kestrel Desktop 0.8.6 is a signed and notarized release for macOS 13 or later on Apple silicon. Signed 0.7.0, 0.8.0, and 0.8.5 installations can update through the stable channel; the DMG remains available for direct installation.

Update through the stable channel

Quit or finish active work, choose Check for Updates, download 0.8.6, and allow Kestrel to relaunch. Kestrel refuses to restart while Desktop or Local Core work is active and never cancels that work to install an update.

Download and verify the release

Compare the downloaded DMG with the published checksum, open it, and move Kestrel to Applications. macOS should report the Developer ID signature and notarization as valid. Stop if the checksum, signing identity, or version does not match.

Install from the DMG

Download the immutable Kestrel-0.8.6-mac-arm64.dmg and compare it with the published SHA256SUMS.txt. Quit Kestrel, replace the application in Applications, and reopen it. Do not delete application data or run the uninstall workflow as part of an upgrade.

What data is preserved

The upgrade keeps provider settings, Keychain-backed credentials, registered projects, conversations, Mission Control records, and Local Core persistence. Desktop converts legacy App and MCP settings into executable plugin records, preserves connection and credential registrations, and removes retired workflow-App selections.

Before Desktop first writes schema 12, it preserves the recognized version 1–11 settings file beside the active file as desktop-settings.pre-v12.json. The backup is not a second active settings authority and is not included in support bundles.

Confirm the installed version

Confirm Desktop reports 0.8.6, Local Core becomes ready, the existing project library appears, and one prior session can be opened before starting new work.

Troubleshooting and rollback

If the new application does not open or Local Core cannot become ready, keep the existing data in place and use Desktop troubleshooting.

To return to an older signed Desktop after schema 12 has been written:

1. Quit Kestrel completely.
2. Preserve the current schema-12 file for diagnosis.
3. Restore desktop-settings.pre-v12.json as desktop-settings.json in the same settings directory.
4. Reinstall the previous signed application and reopen it.

Never delete the settings directory, Keychain credentials, Local Core state, or project data as part of rollback.