Some applications require user interaction as the app needs to be closed to perform an update. App Catalog evaluates if it is appropriate to close an app with user interaction or not based on certain characteristics of the app, such as networking, conferencing and more. When App Catalog requires user interaction, the update is automatically deferred and a notification will be sent informing the user and asking to update at a more convenient time. Ultimately, the update will be enforced to make sure your organization stays up to date and compliant.

App Catalog completely relies on native Notification Center notifications for the best possible Apple experience, similarly to what users know from macOS updates. If the user doesn’t update, reminder notifications will be sent and get more frequent leading up to the enforcement date.

By default, users have 3 days to update the app using the Catalog App. As an administrator, you can specify how many days a user has to complete the app update. A deferral starts when the device first attempts to install a newly detected update. This handled locally and avoids multiple unwanted interruptions when the user hasn’t used the device for a while.

Users can update manually at any time by opening the Catalog App, navigating to the Updates section in the sidebar and initiating an individual update or all available update at once. Alternatively, organizations may also use the Root3 Support App and update quickly from the menu bar app: https://docs.appcatalog.cloud/en/articles/2121183-root3-support-app

Notification frequency

Below is an overview of how reminder notifications are sent:

• Daily reminders when the enforcement deadline is more than 4 hours away

• Hourly reminders when the enforcement deadline is within the last 4 hours

• A final countdown notification 1 minute before a forced update starts

• No further reminders after the update has been installed or is no longer pending

How enforcement works

When several app updates are pending, App Catalog tries to keep notifications clear and manageable. Updates that share the same enforcement day can be grouped into a single reminder, instead of showing a separate notification for every app. As the enforcement deadline gets closer, reminders become more frequent. On the enforcement day itself, App Catalog focuses on the updates that are due soonest and combines them into one notification. If updates must be enforced, users receive a final notification 1 minute before the required update starts. Pending updates that share the same enforcement day are enforced together when the first enforcement deadline for that day is reached.

User experience

Below shows an example of an available update requiring user interaction

Do Not Disturb & Focus States

Apps that require user interaction respect the user’s Focus state, such as Do Not Disturb or Focus States. While this works great when users temporary want to disable interruptions, this may lead to situations where the user keeps the Focus state enabled and misses enforcement notifications. When updates are due, App Catalog will proceed with the update, regardless of any Focus state.