How to Fix “Old Build Detected” Warning in Nativefier

Issue

When launching a Nativefier app, a warning appears saying:

“Old build detected. This app was built a long time ago… Please upgrade Nativefier and rebuild this app.”

This happens because the app was packaged using an outdated version of Electron, which may have security vulnerabilities.

Probable Cause

Nativefier apps rely on Electron (a Chromium-based framework). When Electron becomes outdated, the app triggers this warning to remind you to rebuild with a newer, more secure version.

Solution

1. Update the Existing App

You can upgrade the app while preserving your settings, cookies, and browser history.

Replace /path/to/your/existing/app with the actual path of your Nativefier app directory.

This command rebuilds the app using the latest Electron version bundled with your current Nativefier installation.

2. Rebuild the App from Scratch

If the upgrade command doesn’t work, rebuild the app completely:

nativefier "https://your-web-app-url.com" --name "Your App Name"

This creates a new version of your app with the latest Electron release.