Product Updates Enabled in Tableau 9.1

Software is always a work in progress; customer feedback, internal testing, and external schedules can create opportunities to make Tableau even better. That's why maintenance releases are important. They help us make sure you have the best possible product available on an ongoing basis. At Tableau, we deliver a maintenance release roughly once a month, and a typical release might add support for new database drivers, fix known product issues, and address security vulnerabilities.

In Tableau 9.1, we're adding a new Product Updates feature to Tableau Desktop that will make it fast, easy, and convenient for you to update to the most recent maintenance release available.

When you install Tableau Desktop 9.1, Product Updates is ON by default. That means when you launch Tableau Desktop 9.1, Product Updates will notify you when a new maintenance version is available. You'll have options to: Download and install at exit, skip the update, or be reminded the next day.

If you choose to download and install at exit, Tableau will download the update in the background as you continue to use Tableau, uninterrupted. The total download time may vary depending on your network speed. Then, when you exit Tableau, the installer will start to update the software. No further action is needed unless the user is not the machine's administrator. With Tableau Desktop 9.1, administrator privileges are required to update the software.

If you choose the reminder option, Tableau will not prompt you again until you launch Tableau Desktop the next day. If you choose to skip this update, Tableau will not prompt you until the next maintenance release is available.

By design, Product Updates is only available to help you take advantage of each new maintenance release. In the 9.1 release, we will not auto-update major or minor versions of the product, because we want to make sure there are no compatibility issues for customers who also use an older version of Tableau Server. We want Product Updates to be a convenient and a risk-free feature that you can take advantage of.

For more details on Product Updates, including how to disable the feature, please review the 9.1 product documentation.

Product Updates is enabled in the beta version of Tableau 9.1. All the details you need for beta-testing are available on the beta site. (If you want to try the beta, contact your Tableau sales rep. The beta program is available for existing Tableau customers. Customers with an active maintenance license can upgrade for free when Tableau 9.1 is released.)

You can always send us general feedback through customer support channels, by posting on the beta forums, or by emailing us at beta@tableausoftware.com.

Note: The Product Updates feature was previously called Auto Update.