Polaris updates and beta releases

Use System → Update Center in the Polaris console to check your installed version, read release notes, and get the package or install command for your host. Polaris does not install packages or restart the host automatically.

Opt in to beta releases

1. Open System → Update Center and turn on Include beta releases. The preference saves immediately. On older versions without this control, open Settings → General, enable PreRelease Notifications, and save.
2. Select Check again. Update Center offers a beta when it is newer than both the available stable release and your installed version. A beta or release candidate is marked as a prerelease; opting in does not mean one is always available.
3. Open the release notes and check the host requirements. Download the package offered for your distribution, or copy the install command from Update Center.
4. End active streams before installing. Follow that release’s instructions, then restart Polaris when required and check the running version in Update Center.

Beta packages come from the selected GitHub prerelease. The normal dnf and pacman repositories carry stable releases only. Enabling beta releases does not reconfigure those repositories, and their usual upgrade command will not install a beta.

If this host uses polaris-kms, update the base package and matching KMS helper from the same release together. Update Center includes the helper when it is installed; if that release lacks a matching helper, use the release instructions instead of installing a mismatched pair. Bazzite and SteamOS have separate installation steps in their Bazzite and SteamOS guides.

Update an existing beta

Leave Include beta releases on, select Check again, and install the newer package offered by Update Center. Check the full version, including beta.N or rc.N, after restarting. A stable release can still be offered when it is newer than the beta you are running.

An upgrade keeps the existing account, paired devices, settings and library. Sign in at https://localhost:47990/#/login; do not repeat first-run account creation or delete the configuration directory to update.

For PyroWave testing, use the PyroWave client and build instructions. Standard Moonlight does not support that codec, and the ordinary Nova Linux Flatpak attached to beta.3 was not built with it enabled.

Return to stable

Turn off Include beta releases and select Check again. This changes which releases are offered; it does not downgrade or replace the installed beta. You can wait for a newer stable release and install it normally.

To move to an older stable release immediately, open the stable release, back up your configuration, and follow its package installation or downgrade instructions for your distribution. Keep the base package and any KMS helper on the same version. A package manager may require an explicit downgrade; do not remove the app’s data or force a mismatched dependency to get past that check.

For stable repository setup and package trust, see Repositories and upgrades. Nova has its own beta and update guide; selecting Polaris betas does not change the Nova client’s update channel.