Version Selection & Downgrade
May 7, 2026 · View on GitHub
aptui lets you view all available versions of a package and install any of them — including older versions (downgrade).
Opening the version selector
Press v on any package in the list. APTUI queries apt-cache policy to load all available versions and opens an overlay listing them from newest to oldest.
Controls
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
v | Open version selector |
↑ / k | Move selection up |
↓ / j | Move selection down |
pgup / ctrl+u | Page up |
pgdown / ctrl+d | Page down |
enter | Install selected version |
esc | Cancel and return to package list |
Version list
Each entry in the version list shows:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Status | ● if this version is currently installed, blank otherwise |
| Version | The version string |
| Origin | Repository origin (visible when terminal width > 60) |
The currently installed version is highlighted, making it easy to identify which version you're running.
Downgrading
When you select a version older than the one currently installed, APTUI automatically detects it as a downgrade. The operation:
- Uses
apt-get install <package>=<version> --allow-downgradesto install the target version - Records both the original version (
FromVersion) and the target version (ToVersion) in the transaction history - Shows "Downgrading" instead of "Installing" in the status bar
Undo / Redo
Version changes (upgrades and downgrades) are fully integrated with the transaction history:
- Undo (
z) — reverts the package to its previous version - Redo (
x) — re-applies the version change
See Transaction History for more details.