# SOAP2 Version Handling & Updates — User Guide
This page explains how SOAP2 shows you its own version, how it checks whether a
newer build is available, and what to do when it tells you one is.
---
## Where to see your version
Your SOAP2 version is shown in two places:
- **Title bar** — for example `SOAP2 version [1.0.1] - Registered to Jane Doe`.
- **Help > About SOAP2** — shows the version number plus your current
Developer / Premium status and, if applicable, your trial expiry date.
!!! NOTE
The version number (e.g. `1.0.1`) identifies a *release*. Every individual
build of that release also carries its own build date/time, which is what
actually determines whether you're on the latest build — see below.
---
## Automatic update checks
Every time SOAP2 starts, it silently checks in the background whether a newer
build has been published. This check:
- runs once at startup, without ever blocking the application from opening
- makes no changes to your installation — it only **tells** you, it never
downloads or installs anything automatically
- fails silently if you're offline or the check server is unreachable — you
will not see an error, and startup is unaffected either way
If a newer build **is** found, one line appears near the top of the **Message
Log**:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A NEW VERSION OF SOAP2 (V1.0.5) IS AVAILABLE (BUILD 2026-08-20 14:05 UTC).
DOWNLOAD AT https://soap2.dev
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If nothing appears, either you're already on the latest build, or the check
could not complete (e.g. you're offline) — both cases are silent by design, so
no news genuinely is no news.
---
## Why build date, not just the version number
SOAP2 compares **build timestamps**, not version strings, to decide whether a
newer build exists. This is deliberate:
- Every compile of SOAP2 bakes in the exact UTC date and time it was built —
this happens automatically, every single time, with nothing for the author
to remember.
- The version number (`1.0.1`, `1.0.2`, ...) is bumped by hand at release time.
A minor rebuild in between releases (a hotfix, for example) might not get a
new version number right away, but it always gets a new build timestamp.
Comparing timestamps means you're always correctly told about a newer build,
even one that hasn't had its version number bumped yet.
---
## Getting the update
The message in the log includes a direct download link. You can also always
get the latest installer from the **Download SOAP2** section of the SOAP2
website, or via [Release Notes](./ReleaseNotes.md.html) to see what changed
first.
Installing the new version replaces your SOAP2 program files; your data
(trades, settings, watchlist) lives separately in your SOAP data folder and is
not affected by an update. After installing, confirm you're on the new build
via the title bar or **Help > About SOAP2**.
---
## Frequently asked questions
**Q — I closed the update message before reading it. How do I see it again?**
Restart SOAP2 — the check runs again on every startup, and the message
reappears in the Message Log as long as a newer build is still published.
**Q — Does this update itself automatically?**
No. SOAP2 only notifies you in the Message Log; you choose when to download
and run the new installer yourself.
**Q — I'm on the latest release number but the log still shows an update.**
That's expected if a newer *build* of the same release line was published
without a version-number bump yet (see **Why build date, not just the version
number** above) — the build timestamp, not the version number, is what's being
compared.
**Q — This is unrelated to my Free Trial / registration status, right?**
Correct — version/update checking is entirely separate from licensing. See the
[Licensing & Editions – User Guide](./licensing_user_guide.md.html) for trial
expiry and registration.
---
Go back to the main [SOAP2 Help Guide](index.md.html).