---
title: "Update your server"
description: "Update a managed Dark Pawns instance from the admin console or command line, and understand the automatic rollback after a failed health check."
type: guide
audience: operators
verified: v0.1.8
canonical: https://darkpawns.org/docs/host/update-server/
---

[Documentation](/docs/) / [Host](/docs/host/)

# Update your server

Update a managed Dark Pawns instance from the admin console or command line, and understand the automatic rollback after a failed health check.

Update a managed instance with `darkpawns update` or **Admin → Updates**. The launcher stages and verifies a release while the world runs, then restarts into it. If its health check fails, the previous release is restored automatically.

## Before you start

*   A managed instance installed with the Dark Pawns launcher.
*   Implementor access (level 40) for the admin console.
*   A maintenance window if players are online. The world stops during the switch.

## Run the update

*   [Admin console](#tab-panel-0-0)
*   [Command line](#tab-panel-0-1)

1.  Open **Admin → Updates**.
2.  Choose **Check for updates**.
3.  Review the available release and online players.
4.  Choose **Update now** and confirm.
5.  Return to the page later to read the transaction status. You can close the browser while the update runs.

The page reports staging, applying, testing, then committed or rolled back. A browser refresh can resume reading status from the launcher's journal.

![The Updates page showing the available local release controls.](/media/docs/admin-updates.png)

1.  Run `darkpawns update` from the instance's launcher environment.
2.  Follow the printed status until the command reports completion or failure.

If the machine stopped during an update, run the recovery command printed by the admin console or `darkpawns update recover`.

![An offline candidate release passes verification; --check leaves the running world untouched.](/media/docs/update-check.gif)

## How rollback works

The diagram shows the launcher's update transaction and its rollback path.

Yes

No

Stage release

Verify publisher

Stop world and save players

Snapshot instance

Switch active release

Start candidate

Health check passes?

Commit update

Restore previous release

Start previous release

## Did it work?

The status is **Committed**, and the running release shown in **Admin → Updates** matches the release you selected.

## If it didn't work

*   **The check finds no release.** The server may already be current. Check the running version on the Updates page.
*   **The candidate fails its health check.** The launcher restores the previous release. Read the transaction detail and server log before retrying.
*   **The update was interrupted.** Run `darkpawns update recover` as directed by the status page.

## Related

*   [Install Dark Pawns](/docs/host/install/)
*   [Configuration settings](/docs/host/admin-configuration/)
*   [Players can't connect](/docs/host/players-cannot-connect/)