An electronic device (such as a cellular telephone) automatically installs and personalizes updates to an applet on a secure element in the electronic device. In particular, when a digitally signed update package containing the update is received from an updating device (such as a server), the secure element identifies any previous versions of the applet installed on the secure element. If there are any previously installed versions, the secure element verifies the digital signature of the update package using an encryption key associated with a vendor of the secure element. Then, the secure element uninstalls the previous versions of the applet and exports the associated user data. Next, the secure element installs the update to the applet, and personalizes the new version of the applet using the user data.