diff --git a/.github/workflows/backward_model_load_check.yml b/.github/workflows/backward_model_load_check.yml
index 7b2b1a65347..ad8f6add281 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backward_model_load_check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backward_model_load_check.yml
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           python-version: '3.10' 
       - name: Download artifact
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: test_manylinux_amd64_3.10
           path: built_wheel
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v1
         with:
           submodules: recursive
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: vw_generated_models
           path: .vw_runtests_model_gen_working_dir
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_docs.yml b/.github/workflows/build_docs.yml
index 1d45cb2a160..058cbf2078d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_docs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_docs.yml
@@ -87,11 +87,11 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ github.event_name == 'push' }}
         run: echo "VW_SPHINX_VERSION_OVERRIDE=latest" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Download Wheel
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: python_wheel
       - name: Download vw-dump-options
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: vw-dump-options
       - name: Change permissions to rvw-dump-options
@@ -137,11 +137,11 @@ jobs:
         if: ${{ github.event_name == 'release' || github.event_name == 'workflow_dispatch' }}
         run: echo "FOLDER_NAME=$(echo ${GITHUB_REF:10})" >> $GITHUB_ENV
       - name: Download c++ Docs
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: cxx_docs
       - name: Download Python Docs
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: python_docs
       - name: Print contents of directory
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dotnet_nugets.yml b/.github/workflows/dotnet_nugets.yml
index 129c14959ed..5527a727302 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dotnet_nugets.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dotnet_nugets.yml
@@ -167,19 +167,19 @@ jobs:
       # Download the previously built Nuget packages
       - name: Clear nuget cache
         run: dotnet nuget locals all --clear
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.runtime.win-x64.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.runtime.linux-x64.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.runtime.osx-x64.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
@@ -226,19 +226,19 @@ jobs:
       # Download the previously built Nuget packages
       - name: Clear nuget cache
         run: dotnet nuget locals all --clear
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.runtime.win-x64.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.runtime.linux-x64.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.runtime.osx-x64.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
@@ -291,19 +291,19 @@ jobs:
       # Download the previously built Nuget packages
       - name: Clear nuget cache
         run: dotnet nuget locals all --clear
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.runtime.win-x64.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.runtime.linux-x64.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbit.runtime.osx-x64.${{steps.get_version.outputs.version}}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
diff --git a/.github/workflows/forward_model_load_check.yml b/.github/workflows/forward_model_load_check.yml
index 51952a08545..18478eddd13 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/forward_model_load_check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/forward_model_load_check.yml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           python-version: '3.10' 
       - name: Download artifact
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: test_manylinux_amd64_3.10
           path: built_wheel
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v1
         with:
           submodules: recursive
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: vw_generated_models
           path: .vw_runtests_model_gen_working_dir
diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yml b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
index 68b6a854adc..6aa29613ee3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           submodules: recursive
       - name: Download Wheel
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: wheel_${{ matrix.config.version }}
       - name: Install dependencies
diff --git a/.github/workflows/native_nugets.yml b/.github/workflows/native_nugets.yml
index 035e0687e2c..671a6ecc0ed 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/native_nugets.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/native_nugets.yml
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "version=$version" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
       # Download and install nuget
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: VowpalWabbitNative-${{matrix.toolset}}-x64.${{ steps.get_version.outputs.version }}.nupkg
           path: downloaded_nugets
diff --git a/.github/workflows/python_wheels.yml b/.github/workflows/python_wheels.yml
index d844ca03681..fe8578727fc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/python_wheels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/python_wheels.yml
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v1
         with:
           submodules: recursive
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: manylinux_amd64_${{ matrix.version }}
           path: built_wheel
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           python-version: '3.10'
           architecture: 'x64'
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: python_source_distribution
       - name: Install dependencies
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: Set up QEMU
       id: qemu
       uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v1
-    - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+    - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
         name: manylinux_aarch64_${{ matrix.config.version }}
         path: built_wheel
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v2
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.version }}
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: macos_amd64_${{ matrix.version }}
           path: built_wheel
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/setup-python@v2
         with:
           python-version: ${{ matrix.version }}
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v1
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: windows_amd64_${{ matrix.version }}
           path: built_wheel
diff --git a/.github/workflows/run_benchmarks_manual.yml b/.github/workflows/run_benchmarks_manual.yml
index 285b331e704..ed2224ebf6a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run_benchmarks_manual.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run_benchmarks_manual.yml
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: rm -rf test/benchmarks
       - name: Download master's benchmark module
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: benchmark-module
           path: test/benchmarks/
@@ -87,18 +87,18 @@ jobs:
           submodules: recursive
           ref: ${{ github.event.inputs.compare_ref }}
       - name: Download ${{ github.event.inputs.base_ref }} benchmark results
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: base-benchmarks
       - name: Download benchmark compare
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: benchmark-compare
       - name: Remove existing benchmark module (in favour of master)
         shell: bash
         run: rm -rf test/benchmarks
       - name: Download master's benchmark module
-        uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: benchmark-module
           path: test/benchmarks/
diff --git a/.github/workflows/valgrind.yml b/.github/workflows/valgrind.yml
index b7551e8088d..227701b61b7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/valgrind.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/valgrind.yml
@@ -62,13 +62,13 @@ jobs:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v1
         with:
           submodules: recursive
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: vw
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: spanning_tree
-      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
+      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
         with:
           name: to_flatbuff
       - name: run tests