How do you stay updated on application updates?

We started using Action1, which has a solid repository of the software we use. It alerts you on the dashboard when updates are available and even notifies you of any reported vulnerabilities. For apps not in their repository, you can upload the installer packages, which covers about 90% of what we use. If there's ever a vulnerability published for any installed software, we get notified to check for patches.

For years now, I've relied on the Distill Web Monitor browser extension. In some cases, I have to let it run in a background tab if checks without sound aren't effective. But it works well as long as the vendors actually post their version numbers.

I set up a self-hosted change detection app that checks specific app pages for any changes and lets me know when something updates.

We mainly use Patch My PC for the majority of our applications. For the few apps not covered, we depend on vendor emails for update notifications.

I automated the update process using PDQ. It tracks about 20 applications automatically. I also created a script that scrapes the release notes from vendor websites to get the latest version details. Each month, I prepare a change list for applications to update, and it works great for tracking about 100 applications.

I've got a few methods! I use RSS feeds and GitHub subscriptions for updates, and if all else fails, I resort to browser automation. Honestly, I prefer web applications over installed ones because managing lots of different installed apps can be a full-time job.