# Find and update your chainctl release version

URL: https://chainguard-docs-preview-git-uv-frozen-installs.chainguard.app/platform/chainctl-usage/chainctl-version-update.md
Last Modified: September 28, 2026
Tags: chainctl

Learn how to check your chainctl version and update to the latest release for enhanced security features and improved container management capabilities


Chainguard regularly releases updates to `chainctl` with new security features, performance improvements, and expanded capabilities for container management. This guide explains how to check your current version and update to the latest release.

For a full reference of all commands with details and switches, refer to [chainctl reference](/platform/chainctl/).

## View your chainctl version

To see which `chainctl` version you have installed, use:

```shell
chainctl version
```

This command tells you more than just a release number.

```output

               ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
             ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
           ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
          ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
         ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
     ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
  ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
 ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
 ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
  ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄   ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
           ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄     ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

   ____   _   _      _      ___   _   _    ____   _____   _
  / ___| | | | |    / \    |_ _| | \ | |  / ___| |_   _| | |
 | |     | |_| |   / _ \    | |  |  \| | | |       | |   | |
 | |___  |  _  |  / ___ \   | |  | |\  | | |___    | |   | |___
  \____| |_| |_| /_/   \_\ |___| |_| \_|  \____|   |_|   |_____|
chainctl: Chainguard Control

GitVersion:    v0.2.66
GitCommit:     cb0ff7f1806341b20fd72be4769668a1985ed845
GitTreeState:  clean
BuildDate:     2025-04-09T07:49:51Z
GoVersion:     go1.24.1
Compiler:      gc
Platform:      linux/amd64

```

## Update your chainctl install

To update your `chainctl` installation to the latest release, use:

```shell
chainctl update
```

This will present the following:

```output
Current version         v0.2.66
Latest version          0.2.73

Download URL            https://dl.enforce.dev/chainctl/latest/chainctl_linux_x86_64
chainctl filepath       /usr/local/bin/chainctl
Cache                   /root/.cache/chainctl

Operating System        linux
Architecture            x86_64

Do you want to continue? [Y,n]:
```

Enter `Y` to proceed and the upgrade will continue and confirm like this:

```output
   ✔ Download complete!

Backing up current chainctl (/usr/local/bin/chainctl)
Updating chainctl...

   Update complete! ⛓


               ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
             ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
           ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
          ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
         ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
        ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
     ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
  ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
 ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
 ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
  ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄   ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
           ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄     ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

   ____   _   _      _      ___   _   _    ____   _____   _
  / ___| | | | |    / \    |_ _| | \ | |  / ___| |_   _| | |
 | |     | |_| |   / _ \    | |  |  \| | | |       | |   | |
 | |___  |  _  |  / ___ \   | |  | |\  | | |___    | |   | |___
  \____| |_| |_| /_/   \_\ |___| |_| \_|  \____|   |_|   |_____|
chainctl: Chainguard Control

GitVersion:    v0.2.73
GitCommit:     bd6a3e9901c85801697599d72e2646a862570cde
GitTreeState:  clean
BuildDate:     2025-04-22T17:27:55Z
GoVersion:     go1.24.2
Compiler:      gc
Platform:      linux/amd64

Temporary files may need to be removed manually:
  rm -f /root/.cache/chainctl/chainctl.bak

```

`chainctl update` verifies the signature of the downloaded binary in-process before installing it, so you don't need a separate `cosign` binary on your `PATH`. Verification needs network access to `dl.enforce.dev` and, at least on first use, to the Sigstore trust root at `tuf-repo-cdn.sigstore.dev`. If verification fails or those hosts are unreachable, the update stops and your current installation is left in place.