Server side activities have been updated. You need to restart sharepoint designer to use the updated version of activities

Recently I was trying to create a workflow using SharePoint designer 2013 for SharePoint Online site. But it gave me the below error after I give the workflow name,  description and choose the platform type as SharePoint 2013. It gave an error like: Server side activities have been updated. You need to restart SharePoint designer to use the updated version of activities.

The error looks like below:

Solution-1 (Install SharePoint Designer 2013 SP1 and related updates)

This solution worked for me. I had installed a SharePoint designer 2013 only.  After I installed the below components it worked for me.

• SharePoint Designer 2013 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Security Update for Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2013
• Update for Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2013
• Update for Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2013

During installing SharePoint designer 2013 SP1, you may get an error like “The expected version of the product was not found on the system”, You can check the solution: The expected version of the product was not found on the system

Solution-2 (Clear SharePoint Designer 2013 Cache)

If the above solution did not work, you can try clearing SharePoint designer 2013 cache. You can follow below articles to clear SharePoint 2013 designer cache.

• How to Clear Your SharePoint Designer 2010 or 2013 Cache?

Once you clear the design cache, restart SharePoint designer 2013 once and then try creating workflows.

Solution-3 (Uninstall Workflow Manager Client 1.0)

If you have installed “Workflow Manager Client 1.0” then you can uninstall Workflow Manager Client 1.0 from the system. You can uninstall Workflow Manager Client 1.0 from Programs and Features. And then it should work fine.

If you are connecting to the SharePoint Online site, then you do not need “Workflow Manager Client 1.0” to be installed in your system to create workflows using SharePoint designer 2013.

Solution-4 (Copy and Paste Microsoft.SharePoint.WorkflowServices.Activities.Proxy.dll)

Not sure if it is a recommended approach or not but I tried below thing which worked well.

I had copied Microsoft.SharePoint.WorkflowServices.Activities.Proxy.dll and Microsoft.Web.Design.Client.dll from one of the other laptops from where it is working fine and paste in the below location.

• Download the DLLS

%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebsiteCache\<Site Name>\<Version Number like 15.0.0.4455>

You have to copy the DLL to each site you want to create a workflow.  In my case, Microsoft.SharePoint.WorkflowServices.Activities.Proxy.dll was missing from the above folder.

I hope this article will be helpful to resolve “Server-side activities have been updated. You need to restart the SharePoint designer to use the updated version of activities” issue.

Read some SharePoint designer tutorials:

• Deploy sharepoint 2013 designer workflow into production in SharePoint online
• You do not have permission to open this web site in sharepoint designer 2013
• How to Create Workflow History List using PowerShell or using SharePoint Designer 2013
• The expected version of the product was not found on the system error while installing SharePoint designer 2013 Service Pack 1
• This web site has been configured to disallow editing with SharePoint Designer 2013
• SharePoint designer 2013 Workflow Condition: person is a valid sharepoint user with Example
• SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflow: Do Calculation Action Example

I hope this SharePoint tutorial explains, how to fix an error, Server-side activities have been updated. You need to restart SharePoint designer to use the updated version of activities.