diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Updater.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Updater.cpp
index fa13d9a961..88294c12ff 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Updater.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Updater.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 #include "DolphinQt/QtUtils/RunOnObject.h"
 #include "DolphinQt/Settings.h"
 
+// Refer to docs/autoupdate_overview.md for a detailed overview of the autoupdate process
+
 Updater::Updater(QWidget* parent) : m_parent(parent)
 {
   connect(this, &QThread::finished, this, &QObject::deleteLater);
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Updater.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Updater.h
index 462424ea89..13125e2ce4 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Updater.h
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/Updater.h
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
 #include "UICommon/AutoUpdate.h"
 
+// Refer to docs/autoupdate_overview.md for a detailed overview of the autoupdate process
+
 class QWidget;
 
 class Updater : public QThread, public AutoUpdateChecker
diff --git a/Source/Core/MacUpdater/AppDelegate.mm b/Source/Core/MacUpdater/AppDelegate.mm
index 95b03322a0..a61ebdc7d0 100644
--- a/Source/Core/MacUpdater/AppDelegate.mm
+++ b/Source/Core/MacUpdater/AppDelegate.mm
@@ -10,13 +10,16 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
+// Refer to docs/autoupdate_overview.md for a detailed overview of the autoupdate process
+
 @interface AppDelegate ()
 
 @end
 
 @implementation AppDelegate
 
-- (void)applicationDidFinishLaunching:(NSNotification*)aNotification {
+- (void)applicationDidFinishLaunching:(NSNotification*)aNotification
+{
   NSArray* arguments = [[NSProcessInfo processInfo] arguments];
 
   __block std::vector<std::string> args;
@@ -32,7 +35,8 @@
   });
 }
 
-- (void)applicationWillTerminate:(NSNotification*)aNotification {
+- (void)applicationWillTerminate:(NSNotification*)aNotification
+{
 }
 
 @end
diff --git a/Source/Core/MacUpdater/main.m b/Source/Core/MacUpdater/main.m
index b2e372139f..f027f1b00d 100644
--- a/Source/Core/MacUpdater/main.m
+++ b/Source/Core/MacUpdater/main.m
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 #include <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
 
+// Refer to docs/autoupdate_overview.md for a detailed overview of the autoupdate process
+
 int main(int argc, const char** argv)
 {
   if (argc == 1)
diff --git a/Source/Core/UICommon/AutoUpdate.cpp b/Source/Core/UICommon/AutoUpdate.cpp
index 5ad5e38495..846c9deb0f 100644
--- a/Source/Core/UICommon/AutoUpdate.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/UICommon/AutoUpdate.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 #define OS_SUPPORTS_UPDATER
 #endif
 
+// Refer to docs/autoupdate_overview.md for a detailed overview of the autoupdate process
+
 namespace
 {
 bool s_update_triggered = false;
diff --git a/Source/Core/UICommon/AutoUpdate.h b/Source/Core/UICommon/AutoUpdate.h
index 7c75100433..a712584db8 100644
--- a/Source/Core/UICommon/AutoUpdate.h
+++ b/Source/Core/UICommon/AutoUpdate.h
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 #include <string>
 
+// Refer to docs/autoupdate_overview.md for a detailed overview of the autoupdate process
+
 // This class defines all the logic for Dolphin auto-update checking. UI-specific elements have to
 // be defined in a backend specific subclass.
 class AutoUpdateChecker
diff --git a/Source/Core/UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.cpp b/Source/Core/UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.cpp
index 7eadf14a19..f52755aeb5 100644
--- a/Source/Core/UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #endif
 
+// Refer to docs/autoupdate_overview.md for a detailed overview of the autoupdate process
+
 namespace
 {
 // Where to log updater output.
diff --git a/Source/Core/UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.h b/Source/Core/UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.h
index 53f37c2424..53fe9a145e 100644
--- a/Source/Core/UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.h
+++ b/Source/Core/UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.h
@@ -13,4 +13,6 @@
 
 #include "Common/CommonTypes.h"
 
+// Refer to docs/autoupdate_overview.md for a detailed overview of the autoupdate process
+
 bool RunUpdater(std::vector<std::string> args);
diff --git a/Source/Core/WinUpdater/Main.cpp b/Source/Core/WinUpdater/Main.cpp
index 567486f00a..910a4cfd10 100644
--- a/Source/Core/WinUpdater/Main.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/WinUpdater/Main.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 #include "UpdaterCommon/UI.h"
 #include "UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.h"
 
+// Refer to docs/autoupdate_overview.md for a detailed overview of the autoupdate process
+
 int WINAPI wWinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, PWSTR pCmdLine, int nCmdShow)
 {
   if (lstrlenW(pCmdLine) == 0)
diff --git a/docs/autoupdate_overview.md b/docs/autoupdate_overview.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2335e869ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/autoupdate_overview.md
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+# AutoUpdate Overview
+Dolphin's autoupdate procedure is spread through a number of files; this overview describes the
+update flow.
+
+## General notes:
+* The updater is only supported on Windows and MacOS.
+* There are four update frequency tracks: Dev (updated every commit), Beta (a few times a year),
+  Stable (very rarely), and Disabled.
+* Applications can't overwrite themselves so a separate application is responsible for actually
+  updating the Dolphin executable and other files.
+* The updater application needs to be able to also update itself, so it creates a copy which
+  updates both Dolphin and the original updater. Every time Dolphin launches it deletes the
+  updater copy (if it exists).
+
+## Class and file responsibilities:
+* AutoUpdateChecker (UICommon/AutoUpdate.h): Checks if an update is available.
+    * Verifies the updater is supported on the user's platform and hasn't been disabled.
+    * Retrieves new version information from the update server.
+    * Copies the updater application and launches the copy.
+* Updater (DolphinQt/Updater.h): Serves as the interface between AutoUpdateChecker and Qt.
+    * Spawns a background thread when Dolphin launches that calls AutoUpdateChecker.
+    * Creates the update prompt window when an update is available.
+    * If the user wants to update now, closes Dolphin.
+* MacUpdater/main.m and MacUpdater/AppDelegate.mm: Entry point to MacOS updater.
+    * Converts command line arguments to vector\<string\> and passes them to
+      UpdaterCommon::RunUpdate().
+* WinUpdater/main.cpp: Entry point to Windows updater.
+    * Converts command line arguments to vector\<string\>.
+    * Checks if updater has write access to the Dolphin executable directory. If not, attempts
+      to relaunch itself with admin privileges (creating a User Account Control prompt).
+    * Passes argument vector to UpdaterCommon::RunUpdate().
+* UpdaterCommon/UpdaterCommon.cpp: Performs the actual update process.
+    * Manages updater UI.
+    * Fetches file manifests from update server for current and new versions.
+    * Calculates file diff between versions.
+    * Downloads and adds/replaces changed files and deletes removed files.
+    * Verifies file hashes.
+    * If the user updated immediately (rather than waiting for Dolphin to close before starting
+       the update), starts Dolphin again when the update is complete.
+
+## Update flow:
+* An update check is started in one of two ways:
+    * When Dolphin is launched (unless in NoGUI or batch mode):
+         * In main.cpp an instance of Updater is created and invokes start(), which is inherited
+           from QThread and creates a new thread which performs the check off the main thread.
+         * QThread::start() calls run() which is overridden in Updater and calls
+           AutoUpdateChecker::CheckForUpdate().
+    * When the user selects Help -> "Check for Updates..." in the main menu:
+         * The menu option runs a callback to MenuBar::InstallUpdateManually().
+         * The Config value for the update track is backed up to a temporary variable, then
+           overwritten with "dev" to force a check for the latest version. After the check
+           completes the original Config value is restored.
+         * Updater::CheckForUpdate() is called, which calls AutoUpdateChecker::CheckForUpdate().
+* AutoUpdateChecker::CheckForUpdate() checks if the selected track has a new version available.
+    * If not the check ends. If the user started it, returns to Updater::CheckForUpdate() which
+      tells the user they're up to date.
+* Information about the update is passed to OnUpdateAvailable(), which is overridden by Updater.
+* OnUpdateAvailable() creates a window displaying the update changelog and asks the user if they
+  want to update now, update after Dolphin closes, not update, or never auto-update.
+* If the user wants to update AutoUpdateChecker::TriggerUpdate() is called.
+* TriggerUpdate() builds the command line arguments for the updater process, creates a copy of
+  the updater executable, then runs the copy in a new process.
+* TriggerUpdate() returns to OnUpdateAvailable().  If the user chose to update now, Dolphin's
+  main window is closed which results in the Dolphin process ending.
+* The updater process begins.
+    * On MacOS (starts main() in MacUpdater/main.m):
+         * Checks that the process received command line arguments. If not it tells the user the
+           updater can't be launched directly and quits.
+         * Calls NSApplicationMain(), which passes control to the AppDelegate defined in
+           MacUpdater/AppDelegate.mm.
+         * The command line arguments are converted to a vector\<string\>
+           and passed to RunUpdater() in UpdaterCommon.h.
+    * On Windows (starts wWinMain() in WinUpdater/Main.cpp):
+         * Checks that the process received command line arguments. If not it tells the user the
+           updater can't be launched directly and quits.
+         * Attempts to open Updater.log in the same directory as Dolphin.exe. If this fails,
+           checks to see if the process has admin privileges.
+             * If not, attempts to relaunch the updater as admin. This will spawn a User Account
+               Control prompt.
+             * If the user declines the UAC prompt, or if the updater already has admin status,
+               the update aborts.
+         * Converts the command line arguments to a vector\<string\> and passes them to RunUpdater()
+           in UpdaterCommon.h.
+* RunUpdater() parses and validates the command line arguments, hides the updater UI, then waits
+  for the Dolphin process to quit.
+* RunUpdater() begins the actual update.
+    * Fetches file manifests from update server for current and new versions.
+    * Decompresses manifests and verifies their signatures.
+    * Downloads and adds/replaces changed files and deletes removed files.
+    * Verifies downloaded files match manifest hashes.
+* If the user updated immediately (rather than waiting for Dolphin to close before starting
+  the update), Dolphin restarts.
+* As part of Dolphin's normal startup process, the Updater copy is deleted.