Update the Tradovate Desktop App
The Tradovate desktop platform is built to update itself. When that breaks, here's the reliable fix: take the in-app update when it appears, and if that stalls, fully quit and reinstall.
The Tradovate desktop platform is built to update itself. Most days you just launch it, it grabs the newest build before you log in, and you're trading. When that breaks, the update prompt does nothing, or you're stuck on a stale version, the reliable fix is to take the in-app update when it appears, and if that stalls, fully quit the app and reinstall the current build from Tradovate's download page. Your orders live in the cloud, so reinstalling won't touch open positions.
How Tradovate Desktop Updates Work
The app checks for a newer build every time it starts. When one's waiting, it patches itself before it lets you sign in, that's why you sometimes sit through a short update on launch. It's quick, usually under a minute. The trouble starts when that automatic path jams: the prompt shows up but nothing installs, or the app reopens on the same old version. Then you finish the job by hand.
Update the Tradovate Desktop App: Step by Step
Confirm You're on an Old Build
Before you reinstall anything, check what you're actually running. Open the app's About or version screen, usually tucked under a menu or the settings area, and note the build number. Compare it against the current version shown on Tradovate's download page. If they match, your app is already current and your problem is something else. If they don't, keep going.
Take the Built-In Update When It Appears
Most of the time you don't have to do anything clever. Launch the desktop app and let it check for a new build. If an update prompt shows up, often a button labeled something like Install and relaunch, click it and let the app close, patch, and reopen by itself. Once it's back, recheck the version from Step 1. If you're current, you're done.
Fully Quit Tradovate if the Update Stalls
Sometimes the prompt does nothing, or the app relaunches on the same stale build. When the auto-updater won't cooperate, close the app completely, not just the window. On Windows, right-click the taskbar icon and choose Close, or end the process from Task Manager. On Mac, quit from the menu bar or Force Quit so no copy keeps running in the background. A lingering process is the usual reason a fresh install "doesn't take."
Download the Current Installer
Head to Tradovate's official devices/download page and grab the installer for your system, there's a separate Download Windows and Download Mac option. This is always the latest released build, so it skips past whatever jammed the in-app updater.
Reinstall and Sign Back In
Run the downloaded installer and let it replace your old copy. Reopen the app, log in, and check the version one more time to confirm you're current. Your orders and account data live in Tradovate's cloud, not on your machine, so a clean reinstall won't touch open positions, working orders, or history, it only swaps the software.
If the Update Still Won't Stick
A couple of things trip up an otherwise clean update:
- Your system clock is off. If your computer's time is wrong, the secure connection the updater and login rely on can fail. Set your clock to sync automatically, then try again.
- The screen goes black or blank after updating. That's usually a display or cache issue rather than a broken install.
- It freezes right after the new build. If the platform locks up mid-session on a fresh version, that often points to a platform-side hiccup, not your machine.
One note for prop-firm and evaluation traders: your firm controls which platform build and features your account can use, and those rules vary by firm and account size. Check your firm's current requirements if a fresh install still won't connect.
Keep Your Automation Running Through Updates
Here's the catch with desktop updates: your strategy stops the second the app closes to patch itself. PickMyTrade runs your TradingView-to-Tradovate automation server-side, so a routine update, or a full reinstall, never pauses your orders. Set it once and your validated trades keep routing whether the desktop app is open or not.
Keep Trading Through Every Update
PickMyTrade runs your TradingView-to-Tradovate automation server-side, so a desktop update never pauses your orders.
Start Your Free 5-Day TrialFrequently Asked Questions
Open the app's About or version screen and note the build number, then compare it to the current version on Tradovate's download page. If the two differ, you're due for an update.
No. Your account data, positions, and working orders are stored in Tradovate's cloud, not on your computer. A reinstall only replaces the app itself, so you'll see the same account after you log back in.
When the in-app updater stalls, the fix is to quit the app completely and install the latest build by hand from the official download page. That sidesteps the stuck updater entirely.
This guide is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Trading futures and other leveraged products carries a substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. PickMyTrade is an independent third-party automation platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Tradovate, Inc. "Tradovate" and all related names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Platform features and steps change over time, so always confirm the current process in the official Tradovate platform and documentation before acting.