diff --git a/crates/auto_update/src/auto_update.rs b/crates/auto_update/src/auto_update.rs
index 56f94f526f..c8f70b1688 100644
--- a/crates/auto_update/src/auto_update.rs
+++ b/crates/auto_update/src/auto_update.rs
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ pub fn init(http_client: Arc<dyn HttpClient>, server_url: String, cx: &mut Mutab
     }
 }
 
+pub fn check(cx: &mut MutableAppContext) {
+    if let Some(updater) = AutoUpdater::get(cx) {
+        updater.update(cx, |updater, cx| updater.poll(cx));
+    }
+}
+
 impl AutoUpdater {
     fn get(cx: &mut MutableAppContext) -> Option<ModelHandle<Self>> {
         cx.default_global::<Option<ModelHandle<Self>>>().clone()
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/menus.rs b/crates/zed/src/menus.rs
index 33ac76e63c..8d23dc4f58 100644
--- a/crates/zed/src/menus.rs
+++ b/crates/zed/src/menus.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ pub fn menus(state: &Arc<AppState>) -> Vec<Menu<'static>> {
                     keystroke: None,
                     action: Box::new(super::About),
                 },
+                MenuItem::Action {
+                    name: "Check for Updates",
+                    keystroke: None,
+                    action: Box::new(super::CheckForUpdates),
+                },
                 MenuItem::Separator,
                 MenuItem::Action {
                     name: "Quit",
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/zed.rs b/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
index 7968f23466..479e65dba0 100644
--- a/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
+++ b/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ action!(About);
 action!(Quit);
 action!(OpenSettings);
 action!(AdjustBufferFontSize, f32);
+action!(CheckForUpdates);
 
 const MIN_FONT_SIZE: f32 = 6.0;
 
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ lazy_static! {
 
 pub fn init(app_state: &Arc<AppState>, cx: &mut gpui::MutableAppContext) {
     cx.add_global_action(quit);
+    cx.add_global_action(|_: &CheckForUpdates, cx| auto_update::check(cx));
     cx.add_global_action({
         move |action: &AdjustBufferFontSize, cx| {
             cx.update_global::<Settings, _, _>(|settings, cx| {