[Bug]: Can't update the PWA client on Android after updating actual-server

[xenofem]

Verified issue does not already exist?

• I have searched and found no existing issue
• I will be providing steps how to reproduce the bug (in most cases this will also mean uploading a demo budget file)

What happened?

I set up actual-server 24.5.0 recently on a cloud VPS, and installed the PWA on my Android phone (by visiting my actual-server instance in Chromium). I've just upgraded actual-server to 24.6.0, but I can't figure out how to get the Android PWA client to update itself. In settings, I'm seeing

Client version: v24.5.0
Server version: v24.6.0
New version available: v24.6.0

with a link to the release notes, but no button to actually update the client. On desktop Firefox, I was able to get the client to update by force-refreshing the page, but I don't have the option to do the same in Android Chromium.

Reproduction steps:

1. Install actual-server 24.5.0 on a cloud VPS
2. Visit the actual-server instance in Android Chromium and install the PWA from there
3. Upgrade the VPS to run actual-server 24.6.0
4. Close (swipe away) and reopen the PWA on Android

I'd expect the PWA to either automatically update itself, or provide a button in settings for me to manually trigger an update. Instead, it just seems to be stuck on 24.5.0.

Where are you hosting Actual?

Other

What browsers are you seeing the problem on?

Chrome

Operating System

Mobile Device

[shall0pass]

You can update the PWA by regarding the page. On mobile I usually have to open the PWA once, close the PWA by swiping it away, then reopen it and it will update.

[xenofem]

I've done that multiple times, hasn't helped :/

[shall0pass]

If you're not using node and using yarn start to launch Actual, sometimes the dependencies aren't updated during the yarn install command. You can delete the node-modules folder and rerun yarn install && yarn start to reinstall all the dependencies.

[deathblade666]

If all else fails, this should work is either A) clear all browser data or B) delete the pwa shorcut, clear all browser data, and recreate the pwa shortcut.

[xenofem]

If you're not using node and using yarn start to launch Actual, sometimes the dependencies aren't updated during the yarn install command. You can delete the node-modules folder and rerun yarn install && yarn start to reinstall all the dependencies.

I'm building it using a nix flake (https://git.xeno.science/xenofem/actual-nix/), all the dependencies were reinstalled from scratch and are definitely up to date; like I said, I was able to get the client to update on desktop Firefox with no issues just by Ctrl+Shift+Ring.

If all else fails, this should work is either A) clear all browser data or B) delete the pwa shorcut, clear all browser data, and recreate the pwa shortcut.

Yeah, I'm confident that'd accomplish the goal as a workaround, I may end up doing that to resolve it in this instance. I still think there should be a simpler way to accomplish this (in particular, a way that definitely doesn't risk any data loss if the client isn't done syncing for some reason), hence the bug report.

[deathblade666]

If you're not using node and using yarn start to launch Actual, sometimes the dependencies aren't updated during the yarn install command. You can delete the node-modules folder and rerun yarn install && yarn start to reinstall all the dependencies.

I'm building it using a nix flake (https://git.xeno.science/xenofem/actual-nix/), all the dependencies were reinstalled from scratch and are definitely up to date; like I said, I was able to get the client to update on desktop Firefox with no issues just by Ctrl+Shift+Ring.

If all else fails, this should work is either A) clear all browser data or B) delete the pwa shorcut, clear all browser data, and recreate the pwa shortcut.

Yeah, I'm confident that'd accomplish the goal as a workaround, I may end up doing that to resolve it in this instance. I still think there should be a simpler way to accomplish this (in particular, a way that definitely doesn't risk any data loss if the client isn't done syncing for some reason), hence the bug report.

That's a fair point, wonder if something could be added where the sync button (top right) could be utilized to not just sync changes but also update the local client.

[mlhynfield]

This may need to be a separate issue, but on iOS using Safari I’m having the exact same issue when connecting to the server I have running in a container in my home lab Kubernetes cluster. I just upgraded the server to the latest release, v24.9.0, but the client version in the browser remains v24.8.0 until the cache is cleared, which really isn’t ideal.

[maxcrees]

There is no way to easily clear the cache or force reload PWAs on iOS. It used to be the case that force-quitting and opening the PWA several times would fix this, but it no longer seems to work on iOS 18 - even when rebooting. The only working alternative at the moment of which I'm aware is to delete and re-install the PWA.

The app should ship with an update button of some kind on mobile to force reload the page, or as @deathblade666 suggested it should be done when syncing.

[LolDotPdf]

I know this issue is related to Android but I wanted to chime in that I’m having a similar issue on iOS Safari. The only way to match client and server versions is to delete the PWA and clear all website data. Would be nice to have a way to force the client upgrade via the UI.

[jfdoming]

I know this issue is related to Android but I wanted to chime in that I’m having a similar issue on iOS Safari. The only way to match client and server versions is to delete the PWA and clear all website data. Would be nice to have a way to force the client upgrade via the UI.

We added a way in the current update! You should see it starting with the January update assuming things are working correctly

[LolDotPdf]

I know this issue is related to Android but I wanted to chime in that I’m having a similar issue on iOS Safari. The only way to match client and server versions is to delete the PWA and clear all website data. Would be nice to have a way to force the client upgrade via the UI.

We added a way in the current update! You should see it starting with the January update assuming things are working correctly

Sweet! Thank you so much!! This will be very helpful to have.