# Update and uninstall

> Update or uninstall pterm, the Termivoa host program, by hand, undo its Tailscale Serve setting, and find the folders that hold its data.

Termivoa has no automatic updater: you stop `pterm`, replace the program file, and start it again. Nothing downloads code on its own.

## Update Termivoa

An update ends all sessions, so finish your work first.

1. Stop `pterm` (it asks first):

   ```sh
   pterm shutdown
   ```

2. Download the new version to the same path, over the old file. For example, on macOS:

   ```sh
   gh release download <new-version> -R intojhanurag/Termivoa -p pterm-darwin-arm64 -O ~/.local/bin/pterm --clobber
   ```

   On [Linux](/docs/install/linux/) and [Windows](/docs/install/windows/), use the file name and folder from your install page.

3. On macOS and Linux, make it runnable again:

   ```sh
   chmod +x ~/.local/bin/pterm
   ```

4. Start it again:

   ```sh
   pterm launch --no-open
   ```

Paired phones, projects and settings stay. If the phone shows **A new version is ready**, tap **Reload**.

:::caution[From beta.2 to beta.3]
`v0.1.0-beta.3` does not read data from older betas. After step 2, run `pterm uninstall --delete-data`, then `pterm setup`, and pair your phone again. iPhone needs iOS 16.4 or later. See the [release notes](/docs/reference/release-notes/#v010-beta3-2026-10-04--private-beta).
:::

:::tip
To roll back later, copy the old file first: `cp ~/.local/bin/pterm ~/.local/bin/pterm-old`.
:::

## Uninstall Termivoa

Uninstall refuses while a session is active, so end sessions or run `pterm shutdown` first.

1. Preview what would be removed:

   ```sh
   pterm uninstall --dry-run
   ```

2. Remove startup at login. Your data stays:

   ```sh
   pterm uninstall
   ```

   To also delete paired phones, projects, settings and logs:

   ```sh
   pterm uninstall --delete-data
   ```

   **Next beta, macOS and Linux:** after you confirm, Termivoa tries to revoke the saved GitHub login (up to 10 seconds), then removes it locally. If revocation is unconfirmed, use the GitHub applications link printed by the command. Canceling while revocation is running stops before local deletion. The empty private data folder and ownership marker remain; paired phones, projects, settings and logs are removed. No database or login remains in that folder.

3. Delete the program file:
   - macOS and Linux: `rm ~/.local/bin/pterm`
   - Windows: delete `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Termivoa\pterm.exe`

On Linux, uninstall leaves linger on; `loginctl disable-linger` turns it off.

## Remove Tailscale Serve

Uninstall does not change Tailscale. If `pterm setup` turned on Tailscale Serve, remove it yourself after you check what Serve shares:

```sh
tailscale serve status
```

:::caution
`tailscale serve reset` removes **all** Serve settings, also ones that are not from Termivoa.
:::

## Where does Termivoa store data?

The folders use the old working name "Phone Terminal", so existing installs keep their data.

| System | Data |
| --- | --- |
| macOS | `~/Library/Application Support/Phone Terminal` and `~/Library/Caches/Phone Terminal` |
| Linux | `~/.local/share/phone-terminal`, `~/.local/state/phone-terminal` and `/run/user/<uid>/phone-terminal` |
| Windows | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Phone Terminal` |

Logs are in a `logs` folder inside these (Linux: `~/.local/state/phone-terminal/logs`). Terminal content is never saved to disk.