Updating Citrix Workspace

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New Offering (9/2/2020) Connections to lab desktops are now available via the VCL Getting Started We recommend updating your installation of Workspace App before every semester for the latest peformance enhancements, security updates and bug fixes. If you are sill running Citrix Receiver.

Version 4.8 of Citrix Receiver for Windows comes with automatic update functionality which is enabled by default. There are a couple of different ways to control the behaviour of the auto-update feature.

Note: Receiver for Mac 12.6 also has the auto-update ability.

Update Citrix Workspace App

You may want to use auto-update but adjust the default behaviour. The ways to configure auto-update related settings are described below.

Things to note

Citrix Workspace Download

Note: in case you are updating to Citrix Workspace app from an unsupported version of Receiver (e.g. 12.x or 13.x), make sure to use the parameter /rcu. This will execute the Receiver Cleanup Utility. Dec 15, 2020 Citrix Workspace is a unified and updated client for application delivery through the WCM myApps service. The current version of Citrix (Citrix Receiver) is going end-of-life on December 31st, 2020, after which it will no longer be supported. Upgrading to Citrix Workspace ensures you maintain fast, secure access to you applications. Another big name in DaaS, Citrix Managed Desktops has great hosted desktop services that are particularly well suited to a mobile workforce. Users can connect from Android, Windows, macOS, Chrome.

  • Outbound proxies must be configured with an exception to the Receiver auto-update Signature service https://citrixupdates.cloud.com and the download location https://downloadplugins.citrix.com
  • By default auto-update is disabled on Session Host, Remote PC and VDI VDA machines.
  • Auto-update is disabled on machines that have Desktop Lock installed.
  • Machines must be connected to the internet for auto-update to work
  • Receiver for Web users cannot download the StoreFront policy automatically. You have to add or refresh the StoreFront account manually through Receiver.
Citrix

The first method is GPOs. Download the Receiver for Windows ADMX templates from Citrix and import them on to your Domain Controllers. Edit/create a GPO and navigate to Computer Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Citrix Components -> Citrix Receiver -> AutoUpdate. You have two configurable settings.

The first setting Set the Delay in Checking for Update can be set to Fast, Medium or Slow. This allows for staged upgrade rollouts. Fast means an update is pushed out as soon as it is available. Slow means the update will be pushed out after it has been available and tested for a period of time. Medium is somewhere in between.

The second setting Enable or Disable AutoUpdate Policy is used to set auto-update to disabled, auto (default) or manual (user checks manually for updates). You can also specify if only LTSR Receiver versions are offered for upgrade and set a defer count. The defer count can be set as a value of -1 to 30. -1 means no limit is set on the amount of defers a user can perform. A value of 3 would allow 3 maximum defers for example. A value of 0 means the remind me later option is not displayed.

Updating Citrix Workspace Software

The second method is to disable auto-update via command line when installing Receiver. A couple of new switches exist to control the behaviour of the auto-update feature.

  • /AutoUpdateCheck – Configure auto-update to be on, off or manual. Values accepted are AUTO, MANUAL and DISABLED.
  • /AutoUpdateStream – Control if auto-updates are for LTSR versions only or Current Release versions. Values accepted are LTSR or Current.
  • /DeferUpdateCount – Allows you to specify the number of times you can defer an update notification. Values accepted are -1 to 30. -1 means the user can defer any number of times.
  • /AURolloutPriority – Specify the speed of which a rollout of an upgrade will be performed. Values accepted are Auto, Fast, Medum and Slow.

Disable Citrix Workspace Update

For more information on a command line install of Receiver for Windows see https://www.jgspiers.com/command-line-install-citrix-receiver-for-windows/

The third option is using Preferences. This setting is per-user and user defined settings will be written to HKCU. Right-click on Receiver and click Advanced Preferences.

Click on Auto Update.

Choose your desired setting.

The fourth option is using StoreFront by modifying the web.config file found in wwwrootCitrixRoaming.Find the text beginning <account id. Scroll down a couple of lines until you see:

<properties>

Update Citrix Workspace Without Admin Rights

<clear />

Update Citrix Workspace

</properties>

Citrix Workspace Download

Enter lines as below, modifying to suit your needs.

The fifth option is using CitrixReceiverUpdater.exe after Citrix Receiver has been installed. CitrixReceiverUpdater.exe can be found in %ReceiverInstallLocation%CitrixICA ClientReceiver.