AUTOUPDATE(1) User Commands AUTOUPDATE(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

autoupdate - Update a configure.ac to a newer Autoconf

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**autoupdate** \[*OPTION*]... \[*TEMPLATE-FILE*]...

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Update each TEMPLATE-FILE if given, or 'configure.ac' if present, or else 'configure.in', to the syntax of the current version of Autoconf. The original files are backed up.

## [Operation modes:](#Operation_modes:)

[**-h**, **--help**](#h)

print this help, then exit

[**-V**, **--version**](#V)

print version number, then exit

[**-v**, **--verbose**](#v)

verbosely report processing

[**-d**, **--debug**](#d)

don't remove temporary files

[**-f**, **--force**](#f)

consider all files obsolete

## [Library directories:](#Library_directories:)

[**-B**, **--prepend-include**=*DIR*](#B)

prepend directory DIR to search path

[**-I**, **--include**=*DIR*](#I)

append directory DIR to search path

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by David J. MacKenzie and Akim Demaille.

# [REPORTING BUGS](#REPORTING_BUGS)

Report bugs to [bug-autoconf@gnu.org](mailto:bug-autoconf@gnu.org), or via Savannah: [https://savannah.gnu.org/support/?group=autoconf](https://savannah.gnu.org/support/?group=autoconf).

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+/Autoconf: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>, <https://gnu.org/licenses/exceptions.html>  
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[**autoconf**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoconf.1), [**automake**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/automake.1), [**autoreconf**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoreconf.1), [**autoupdate**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoupdate.1), [**autoheader**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoheader.1), [**autoscan**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/autoscan.1), [**config.guess**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/config.guess.1), [**config.sub**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/config.sub.1), [**ifnames**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/ifnames.1), [**libtool**(1)](/man/os/autoconf/libtool.1).

The full documentation for Autoconf is maintained as a Texinfo manual. To read the manual locally, use the command

**info autoconf**

You can also consult the Web version of the manual at [https://gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/](https://gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/).

April 2026 GNU Autoconf 2.73

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Document: autoupdate(1) from autoconf 2.73-r0 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/autoconf.git