Do Self-Hosted Runners update themselves?

[Rod-at-DOH]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Bug

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Actions Runner

Discussion Details

Two years ago, I configured a self-hosted runner on one of our Windows Servers in our network. At that time, I believe I read that self-hosted runners will keep themselves updated. I'd like to know if my memory is correct.

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐

[mert-batu]

Yes, self-hosted runners do auto-update by default.

Before each job runs, the runner checks GitHub for a newer version. If one is available, it downloads and installs it automatically before picking up the job. This is why you may occasionally notice a short delay before a job starts.

Key details:

• Auto-update is enabled by default for self-hosted runners
• Updates happen silently in the background before each job
• GitHub enforces a minimum supported runner version — if your runner is too old, jobs will be rejected with a version error

To check your current runner version:
Go to your repo/org → Settings → Actions → Runners → click on the runner name

For Windows Server environments, make sure the runner service account has write access to the runner directory so updates can be applied successfully.