Release notes / July 28, 2026

Star-Launcher 3.0 Stable

A major usability and reliability update to the portable Star Citizen pre-flight launcher.

Version 3.0 Stable

Released July 28, 2026

Highlights

  • Completed the Star-Launcher naming and branding transition, including automatic migration of existing profiles and preferences.
  • Added versioned controller-preset import and export with validation and safe duplicate-name handling.
  • Expanded keybind references to support images, PDFs, web addresses, and Windows internet shortcuts.
  • Added movable, resizable placement templates for keybind, reference, and website windows.
  • Added a dedicated launch-progress window with Stop, persistent results, acknowledgement, and conservative safe retry.
  • Added optional automatic profile launch with a visible Cancel countdown and controller-preset override.
  • Added a consent-driven portable self-updater with stable-feed validation, download progress, checksum verification, safe replacement, and rollback.
  • Improved RSI Launcher recovery from visible, minimized, and tray-hidden states.
  • Improved recognition of a newly started Star Citizen process when RSI Launcher remains open.
  • Improved the optional vJoy preparation workflow so its configuration window opens, restores, or receives focus consistently.
  • Improved settings organization, larger text, keyboard focus, screen-reader naming, status announcements, and Windows high-contrast support.
  • Introduced the approved navigation-star identity, Deep-Space Indigo themes, and coordinated application and website branding.

Download package

Star-Launcher 3.0 Stable is distributed as Star-Launcher-3.0.0.zip, a verified portable package containing the executable, README, release manifest, and executable checksum.

A matching SHA-256 file is published with the download so the archive can be verified.

Requirements

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11, x64
  • Any optional third-party tools selected by the user

No installer, background service, or bundled third-party software is included. Existing data under %APPDATA%\Star-Launcher is preserved.

Update support

Star-Launcher 3.0 Stable includes the portable self-updater. It checks the official stable release feed and can apply supported updates while preserving the application location, profiles, and preferences. Updates require user consent and checksum verification; manual ZIP updates remain available.