Updating Butter Motion
Butter Motion has two things that update on their own schedules: the plugin inside Premiere, and the Butter Motion app itself. Your presets, render history and account stay exactly where they are either way.
The plugin updates itself
The plugin watches for new versions and updates itself, in place, right from the panel. There's no installer file to download for a plugin update.
When an update is optional
When a newer version exists, the panel shows a soft banner, Butter Motion vX is out (with the new version number), with two buttons: Update to install it now, or Later to keep working and update when it suits you. Nothing is forced, and you can finish what you're doing first.
When an update is required
Occasionally a version becomes too old to keep working with the service. When that happens the panel shows a hard gate instead of a soft banner: Update required. You'll need to download and install the update before you can generate again. The message reassures you that your presets and history stay in place, because the update only replaces the app, not your work.
Installing an update
You don't have to wait for a banner. Open the account popover (click the credits chip in the panel header) and use Check for updates:
- While it checks, it shows Checking…
- If you're current, it shows You're on the latest version
- If there's a newer version, the block shows its number with Update available, and the button turns into Update.
Click Update on the banner (or the version block), then confirm in the window that opens. The panel downloads and installs the new version itself, no file to run by hand. When it's done, reload the panel to start using the new version. There's no need to quit Premiere.
If self-update isn't possible, the hard Update required gate points you to a download instead, that's the app's territory. See The Butter Motion app, Install on macOS and Install on Windows.
The app doesn't update itself
The Butter Motion app doesn't install its own updates. When a new version is out, it shows "A new version of Butter Motion is out" with "Download it and drag it over the old one." and a Download button.
- Click Download in the app, or get the latest installer from the Downloads page.
- Run the new installer over your current install, no need to remove the old one first.
Your account, saved presets and render history are stored in your account and in separate local files, so an app update never touches them.
The update installer may ask for the same one-time confirmation you saw on first install. What to click is covered in Install on Windows and Install on macOS.
Disk space for updates
Installing an app update needs disk space, just like the first install: it needs about 1.2 GB free at minimum, more for a bigger download. That's a smaller, separate check from the one Butter Motion runs before every render, which can need much more room depending on resolution and format. See Not enough disk space for that one.