ClickOnce update cancelled by user and it never asks for an update again

Question

I've a Windows Forms application, and it is deployed through ClickOnce. During launch of the application it checks for an update and prompts the user for the same. If the user choose not to install the update for that session, it doesn't ask anymore. Is this by design or am I missing any setting?

How do I make it prompt the user for an update next time he launches the application?

Answer 1

Another alternative is to implement programmatic ClickOnce updates where you can define the behavior yourself. I suspect it's using a blunderbuss as a flyswatter in this case, but if you want to consider the option, one starting point is MSDN - Check for Application Updates Programmatically Using the ClickOnce Deployment API.

Answer 2

When the user clicks "Skip", it means "Ask me again in 1 week". There is no way to adjust this time delay.

If you release a new version of the application in the meantime, the user will again be prompted to update.

You can also prevent the user from skipping the update in the first place by:

• Checking for updates before the application starts, and
• Making the update required by specifying a minimum version

In this case, the user must either update or they cannot run the program. See MSDN - Choosing a ClickOnce Update Strategy for details.