How to Update a Skill: CLI vs ZIP

Two Update Paths, Depending on How You Installed the Skill

When a new version of a skill ships, how you update depends on how you installed it originally:

1. Update via CLI: code-native agents like Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, OpenCode, Codex, Gemini CLI, Antigravity, and OpenClaw install skills via npx skills-il add. Updating is the same command, a second run pulls the latest version and overwrites the installed files.
2. Update via ZIP: web and desktop platforms like Claude.ai, Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, and Manus do not use a CLI. They install skills as a ZIP uploaded through their settings UI. Updating means downloading a new ZIP from the skill page, removing the old skill, and uploading the new one.

Each skill page on the site shows which agents it supports, so you can tell which path applies to you.

Part 1: Update via CLI

The Skills IL CLI ships two dedicated update commands: check reports which installed skills have a newer version available, and update pulls the latest version for every installed skill.

Step 1: See What's Available (Optional)

npx skills-il check

This scans every skill installed in the project and reports, per skill, whether a newer version is available. It compares the version in your local metadata.json against the upstream version in the registry.

Step 2: Update

npx skills-il update

This updates every installed skill in the project to the latest version, across all detected agents (Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf, OpenCode, Codex, Gemini CLI, Antigravity, OpenClaw).

Updating a Single Skill

If update does too much for your case, re-run the install command just for the skill you care about. A second add call pulls the latest version and overwrites the installed files:

npx skills-il add skills-il/localization --skill hebrew-date

To target a single agent among several installed, add the -a flag:

npx skills-il add skills-il/localization --skill hebrew-date -a claude-code

Updating a Whole Bundle

If you installed a skill bundle, refresh every skill in it at once with update-bundle, which also overwrites existing versions:

npx skills-il update-bundle <bundle-slug>

Confirming the Update Landed

• Run npx skills-il check again; every skill should now be marked up to date
• Open metadata.json inside the installed skill folder (for example .claude/skills/hebrew-date/metadata.json) and confirm version matches the site
• Start a new agent session (most agents load skills at the start of a conversation) and ask the agent to do something that exercises the change

There is no automatic update through the CLI. To pick up new versions, run update (or a repeat add) periodically. Tip: add npx skills-il update to a postinstall hook in your project's package.json so skills refresh on every npm install.

Part 2: Update via ZIP

Platforms that install a skill as a ZIP require manual updates: download the latest ZIP from the site, remove the old version, upload the new one. The flow is the same everywhere; only the UI differs per platform.

Download the Latest ZIP

1. Go to the skill page on agentskills.co.il
2. Scroll to the "Install via Claude.ai, Claude Desktop, ChatGPT, Manus" section
3. Pick the tab for your platform (Claude.ai / Claude Desktop / ChatGPT / Manus)
4. Click "Download ZIP". The ZIP is built live from the latest GitHub content

The new ZIP contains the updated version in metadata.json. If it matches the version you already installed, no update has shipped since your last install.

Claude.ai (Web)

Available on Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans, as long as code execution is enabled in settings.

1. Open claude.ai and sign in
2. In the sidebar, click Customize > Skills
3. Find the existing custom skill in the list and click it. Click the "..." button next to the toggle and pick Delete. Confirm the deletion
4. Back on the Skills page, click the + button, choose + Create skill, then Upload a skill
5. Upload the ZIP you downloaded from Skills IL. The skill appears in the list; make sure the toggle is On
6. Start a new conversation. The skill loads automatically when the task is relevant

Skills uploaded to Claude.ai do not sync to Claude Desktop; you need to repeat the upload on each surface. For Team/Enterprise: if the skill owner has the "Share with organization" toggle on, recipients get the new version automatically when the owner updates and do not need to re-upload.

Claude Desktop

Make sure code execution is enabled under Settings > Capabilities before uploading.

1. Open the Claude Desktop app
2. Go to Settings > Capabilities > Skills (in newer builds: Features > Skills)
3. Find the existing skill, click it, and choose Delete or Remove from the "..." menu
4. Click Upload skill (or Install skill) and drag or pick the new ZIP. The ZIP must contain a folder with a valid SKILL.md at its root
5. Flip the toggle next to the skill to On
6. Close the settings window and start a new conversation

Claude Desktop loads skills once at the start of a session. If the update does not show up, fully quit the app (Quit, not just closing the window) and reopen it.

ChatGPT (Business / Enterprise / Edu)

ChatGPT Skills is in Beta in 2026 and ships on Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans. It is not available on Plus, Pro, or Free.

1. Sign in at chatgpt.com on an organization account
2. Click your avatar > Settings > Skills (or click the Skills tab in the sidebar if it is visible)
3. Find the existing skill, open its "..." menu, and pick Delete
4. Back on the Skills page, click New skill
5. Choose Upload from your computer, select the ZIP, and approve any permissions the skill requests
6. Start a new conversation. The skill should appear in the Skills panel in the sidebar

Workspace admins can deploy a skill to the entire org via Workspace settings > Apps, including scoping access to specific roles with RBAC. Org-wide deployments still require the admin to remove and re-upload to push an update.

Manus

1. Open manus.im and sign in
2. Click the Skills tab in the left sidebar
3. Find the existing skill and remove it via its settings menu
4. Click + Add above the Skills list and choose Upload a skill
5. Manus accepts three formats: a ZIP archive, a .skill file, or an uncompressed folder. Pick the ZIP you downloaded from Skills IL
6. In a new chat, type "/" and pick the updated skill from the popup list

Manus also supports importing directly from GitHub: instead of Upload, paste the category repo URL (for example https://github.com/skills-il/developer-tools) and Manus pulls the latest version directly. This is a clean way to stay in sync without downloading a ZIP yourself.

Confirming the Update Landed

After updating, through either path, verify that the new version is running:

1. Check the version number: open metadata.json in the installed skill and compare it to version on the site
2. Exercise new behavior: ask the agent to do something that exercises the change (a fixed link, a new scenario)
3. Start a new session: most agents load skills once. Closing and reopening the conversation forces a reload

FAQ

How do I know a new version of an installed skill has shipped?

A few options:

• Favorite the skill (heart icon on the skill page). As soon as the skill is updated, you will get an in-app notification in the bell at the top of the site and a weekly digest email summarizing all the updates to skills you favorited. Manage email preferences under /profile > "Notifications".
• Check manually: the skill page shows the current version and last-updated date. Compare against the one you have installed (CLI: metadata.json in the skill folder. ZIP: open the ZIP you downloaded).
• Via the CLI: run npx skills-il check to list every installed skill that has a newer version available.

I installed through the CLI. Is there an auto-update?

Not today. The CLI only pulls the latest when you run npx skills-il update (or a repeat add) yourself. You can wire npx skills-il update into a postinstall hook so skills refresh on every npm install.

Does updating overwrite manual edits I made to the skill?

Yes. Updating through both CLI and ZIP overwrites the installed files. If you made local edits, save them separately before updating.

The installed version matches the site, but the behavior did not change. Why?

In 95% of cases, it is because the agent is still using the skill it loaded at the start of the conversation. Close that conversation and start a new one. On Claude Desktop specifically, fully quit the app (Quit, not just closing the window), not just close the settings.

I uploaded the ZIP in Claude.ai. Do I get the update on Claude Desktop too?

No. The skill is stored per platform. You need to download the new ZIP and upload it on every platform you use.

How do I update several skills at once?

For a bundle, use npx skills-il update-bundle <bundle-slug> to refresh every skill in it. Without a bundle, run npx skills-il update to update every installed skill, or re-run npx skills-il add per skill.

Is a reinstall the same as an update? Is there a separate "update" button?

Essentially yes. The CLI has an explicit npx skills-il update command, but re-running npx skills-il add for the same skill also overwrites it with the latest version. On ZIP platforms there is no separate "Update" button in most UIs, removing the old skill and uploading a new ZIP is the update.

Further Reading

• Getting Started Guide
• How to Build a Skill
• Skill Design Patterns
• Skill Testing and Distribution