Junior checks for updates shortly after launch and periodically while it runs, then downloads anything new in the background. You aren't asked about any of that.

What you do get is a banner reading Update ready, with Restart. Pressing it closes Junior and reopens it on the new version.

Restarting ends anything you're recording. Junior asks you to confirm if a recording is running. Finish the call first, then restart.

You can check on demand from Check for Updates... in the Junior menu in the menu bar, or from About in Settings.

Questions

Can I put off the restart?

Yes, indefinitely. The banner waits. You keep running the version you have until you restart, which is fine, though you miss whatever the update fixed.

It says the update failed.

The download or the install didn't complete. It'll try again on its own. If it keeps failing, your firm may be blocking it, or the disk may be full. On Windows, check whether Settings says Updates managed by IT, in which case it's theirs to fix.

Do I have to update to keep using Junior?

Not usually. Some features do need a recent version (renaming speakers is one), so if something described in these pages is missing, being several versions behind is worth ruling out. Your version is in About.

Does the phone app update the same way?

No. That goes through your phone's app store, or through your firm's device management if they distribute it that way.