diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 6795372..722225d 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ export(install_cran_pkgs)
 export(install_repos_pkgs)
 export(install_workshop_pkgs_indiv)
 export(install_workshops_pkgs)
+export(install_workshops_pkgs_remotes)
 export(mail_workshop)
 export(render_workshops)
 export(update_template)
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ importFrom(crayon,blue)
 importFrom(crayon,green)
 importFrom(knitr,purl)
 importFrom(pagedown,chrome_print)
+importFrom(remotes,install_deps)
 importFrom(remotes,install_github)
 importFrom(rmarkdown,render)
 importFrom(tools,md5sum)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index b715c1b..1a12f08 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # qcbsRworkshops 0.1.0.9000
 
-* Simplify message when HTML presentations are successfully rendered. 
+* Simplify message when HTML presentations are successfully rendered.
+* `install_workshops_pkgs_remotes()` use package `remotes` to install packages required for a given workshop.
 
 # qcbsRworkshops 0.1.0
 
diff --git a/R/build_workshops.R b/R/build_workshops.R
index 5391a24..918e5e9 100644
--- a/R/build_workshops.R
+++ b/R/build_workshops.R
@@ -8,11 +8,14 @@
 #' @param Rmdfiles R Markdown source files, if `NULL` (default) then, files will be searched for in the current directory.
 #' @param update_template a logical. Should the template files be updated. Note that if these files are missing then they will be downloaded.
 #' @param pdf a logical. Should a pdf version of the template be produced?
+#' @param upgrade Should how of date packages be updated? One of "default",
+#' "ask", "always", or "never". "default", see [remotes::install_deps()] for
+#'  further details.
 #' @param verbose a logical. Should extra information be reported on progress?
 #'
 #' @export
 
-build_workshops <- function(path = ".", download = FALSE, id = NULL, Rmdfiles = NULL, update_template = FALSE, pdf = FALSE, verbose = TRUE) {
+build_workshops <- function(path = ".", download = FALSE, id = NULL, Rmdfiles = NULL, update_template = FALSE, pdf = FALSE, upgrade = "never", verbose = TRUE) {
 
   rx <- "^workshop[0-9]{2}-[ef][nr].[Rr]md$"
 
@@ -28,11 +31,15 @@ build_workshops <- function(path = ".", download = FALSE, id = NULL, Rmdfiles =
   }
   if (!length(Rmdfiles)) stop("No source file found!")
 
-  install_workshops_pkgs(find_f(path, "^pkgs.yaml$"), verbose = verbose)
+  if (length(find_f(path, "^pkgs.yaml$"))) {
+      install_workshops_pkgs(find_f(path, "^pkgs.yaml$"), verbose = verbose)
+  }
+  ## New way to install packages using remotes
+  install_workshops_pkgs_remotes(path, upgrade = "never")
 
   # check/update template files
+  path2 <- gsub("/[^/]*$", "", Rmdfiles)
   t_files <- find_f(path, "^qcbsR.*[msj][ls]$")
-  path2 <- gsub(paste0("/", rx), "", Rmdfiles)
   if (!all(template_files(path2) %in% t_files) | update_template)
     update_template(path, verbose = verbose)
 
diff --git a/R/install_workshops_pkgs.R b/R/install_workshops_pkgs.R
index 4583ee3..1f93146 100644
--- a/R/install_workshops_pkgs.R
+++ b/R/install_workshops_pkgs.R
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 #' @param file path to the list of dependencies
 #' @param verbose a logical. Should extra information be reported on progress?
 #' @param x a character string of the name of a package.
+#' @param path path where the workshops files
+#' @param ... further arguments passed to [remotes::install_deps()].
 #'
 #' @export
 
@@ -15,6 +17,16 @@ install_workshops_pkgs <- function(file = "pkgs.yaml", verbose = TRUE) {
   invisible(NULL)
 }
 
+
+#' @rdname install_workshops_pkgs
+#' @export
+install_workshops_pkgs_remotes <- function(path, ...) {
+  des <- find_f(path, "^DESCRIPTION")
+  lapply(gsub("/[^/]*$", "", des), function(x) install_deps(x, ...))
+  invisible(NULL)
+}
+
+
 #' @rdname install_workshops_pkgs
 #' @export
 
diff --git a/R/render_workshops.R b/R/render_workshops.R
index 3399279..d219fad 100644
--- a/R/render_workshops.R
+++ b/R/render_workshops.R
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 #' Render workshops
 #'
-#' Convert RMarkdown files to html presentations.
+#' Convert R Markdown files to HTML presentations.
 #'
-#' @param files path to the workshops Rmd file(s() to be rendered.
+#' @param files path to the workshops' Rmd file(s) to be rendered.
 #' @param verbose a logical. Should extra information be reported on progress?
 #'
-#'
 #' @export
 
 render_workshops <- function(files, verbose = TRUE) {
diff --git a/R/zzz.R b/R/zzz.R
index 1bc06ec..40c6610 100644
--- a/R/zzz.R
+++ b/R/zzz.R
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #' @importFrom crayon blue green
 #' @importFrom knitr purl
 #' @importFrom pagedown chrome_print
-#' @importFrom remotes install_github
+#' @importFrom remotes install_github install_deps
 #' @importFrom rmarkdown render
 #' @importFrom tools md5sum
 #' @importFrom utils download.file install.packages unzip
diff --git a/man/build_workshops.Rd b/man/build_workshops.Rd
index a60e570..4195faf 100644
--- a/man/build_workshops.Rd
+++ b/man/build_workshops.Rd
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ build_workshops(
   Rmdfiles = NULL,
   update_template = FALSE,
   pdf = FALSE,
+  upgrade = "never",
   verbose = TRUE
 )
 }
@@ -27,6 +28,10 @@ build_workshops(
 
 \item{pdf}{a logical. Should a pdf version of the template be produced?}
 
+\item{upgrade}{Should how of date packages be updated? One of "default",
+"ask", "always", or "never". "default", see \code{\link[remotes:install_deps]{remotes::install_deps()}} for
+further details.}
+
 \item{verbose}{a logical. Should extra information be reported on progress?}
 }
 \description{
diff --git a/man/install_workshops_pkgs.Rd b/man/install_workshops_pkgs.Rd
index 6cb92d0..d39f06d 100644
--- a/man/install_workshops_pkgs.Rd
+++ b/man/install_workshops_pkgs.Rd
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 % Please edit documentation in R/install_workshops_pkgs.R
 \name{install_workshops_pkgs}
 \alias{install_workshops_pkgs}
+\alias{install_workshops_pkgs_remotes}
 \alias{install_workshop_pkgs_indiv}
 \alias{install_cran_pkgs}
 \alias{install_cran_archived_pkgs}
@@ -10,6 +11,8 @@
 \usage{
 install_workshops_pkgs(file = "pkgs.yaml", verbose = TRUE)
 
+install_workshops_pkgs_remotes(path, ...)
+
 install_workshop_pkgs_indiv(file = "pkgs.yaml", verbose = TRUE)
 
 install_cran_pkgs(x)
@@ -23,6 +26,10 @@ install_repos_pkgs(x)
 
 \item{verbose}{a logical. Should extra information be reported on progress?}
 
+\item{path}{path where the workshops files}
+
+\item{...}{further arguments passed to \code{\link[remotes:install_deps]{remotes::install_deps()}}.}
+
 \item{x}{a character string of the name of a package.}
 }
 \description{
diff --git a/man/render_workshops.Rd b/man/render_workshops.Rd
index 0faa3fa..3a7acd1 100644
--- a/man/render_workshops.Rd
+++ b/man/render_workshops.Rd
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@
 render_workshops(files, verbose = TRUE)
 }
 \arguments{
-\item{files}{path to the workshops Rmd file(s() to be rendered.}
+\item{files}{path to the workshops' Rmd file(s) to be rendered.}
 
 \item{verbose}{a logical. Should extra information be reported on progress?}
 }
 \description{
-Convert RMarkdown files to html presentations.
+Convert R Markdown files to HTML presentations.
 }