diff --git a/deeplabcut/gui/window.py b/deeplabcut/gui/window.py
index de40d326fa..1e967fa4a2 100644
--- a/deeplabcut/gui/window.py
+++ b/deeplabcut/gui/window.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import List
 from urllib.error import URLError
-from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor, TimeoutError
 import qdarkstyle
 
 import deeplabcut
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@
 from deeplabcut.gui import BASE_DIR, components, utils
 from deeplabcut.gui.tabs import *
 from deeplabcut.gui.widgets import StreamReceiver, StreamWriter
+from deeplabcut.utils.multiprocessing import call_with_timeout
 from napari_deeplabcut import misc
 from PySide6.QtWidgets import (
     QMessageBox,
@@ -41,19 +41,13 @@
 from PySide6.QtCore import Qt, QTimer
 
 
-def call_with_timeout(func, timeout, *args, **kwargs):
-    with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=1) as executor:
-        future = executor.submit(func, *args, **kwargs)
-        return future.result(timeout=timeout)
-
-
 def _check_for_updates(silent=True):
     try:
         is_latest, latest_version = call_with_timeout(
-            utils.is_latest_deeplabcut_version, 1
+            utils.is_latest_deeplabcut_version, 5
         )
         is_latest_plugin, latest_plugin_version = call_with_timeout(
-            misc.is_latest_version, 1
+            misc.is_latest_version, 5
         )
     except (URLError, TimeoutError):  # Handle internet connectivity issues
         is_latest = is_latest_plugin = True
diff --git a/deeplabcut/utils/multiprocessing.py b/deeplabcut/utils/multiprocessing.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3515b73125
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deeplabcut/utils/multiprocessing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#
+# DeepLabCut Toolbox (deeplabcut.org)
+# © A. & M.W. Mathis Labs
+# https://github.com/DeepLabCut/DeepLabCut
+#
+# Please see AUTHORS for contributors.
+# https://github.com/DeepLabCut/DeepLabCut/blob/master/AUTHORS
+#
+# Licensed under GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0
+#
+"""
+DeepLabCut2.2 Toolbox (deeplabcut.org)
+© A. & M. Mathis Labs
+https://github.com/DeepLabCut/DeepLabCut
+Please see AUTHORS for contributors.
+
+https://github.com/DeepLabCut/DeepLabCut/blob/master/AUTHORS
+Licensed under GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0
+"""
+import multiprocessing
+
+
+def _wrapper(func, queue, *args, **kwargs):
+    try:
+        result = func(*args, **kwargs)
+        queue.put(result)  # Pass the result back via the queue
+    except Exception as e:
+        queue.put(e)  # Pass any exception back via the queue
+
+
+def call_with_timeout(func, timeout, *args, **kwargs):
+    queue = multiprocessing.Queue()
+    process = multiprocessing.Process(
+        target=_wrapper, args=(func, queue, *args), kwargs=kwargs
+    )
+    process.start()
+    process.join(timeout)
+
+    if process.is_alive():
+        process.terminate()  # Forcefully terminate the process
+        process.join()
+        raise TimeoutError(
+            f"Function {func.__name__} did not complete within {timeout} seconds."
+        )
+
+    if not queue.empty():
+        result = queue.get()
+        if isinstance(result, Exception):
+            raise result  # Re-raise the exception if it occurred in the function
+        return result
+    else:
+        raise TimeoutError(
+            f"Function {func.__name__} completed but did not return a result."
+        )
diff --git a/tests/utils/test_multiprocessing.py b/tests/utils/test_multiprocessing.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..34333be81d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utils/test_multiprocessing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#
+# DeepLabCut Toolbox (deeplabcut.org)
+# © A. & M.W. Mathis Labs
+# https://github.com/DeepLabCut/DeepLabCut
+#
+# Please see AUTHORS for contributors.
+# https://github.com/DeepLabCut/DeepLabCut/blob/master/AUTHORS
+#
+# Licensed under GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0
+#
+import pytest
+import time
+from deeplabcut.utils.multiprocessing import call_with_timeout
+
+
+def _succeeding_method(parameter):
+    return parameter
+
+
+def _failing_method():
+    raise ValueError("Raise value error on purpose")
+
+
+def _hanging_method():
+    while True:
+        time.sleep(5)
+
+
+def test_call_with_timeout():
+    parameter = (10, "Hello test")
+    assert call_with_timeout(_succeeding_method, 30, parameter) == parameter
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        call_with_timeout(_failing_method, timeout=30)
+
+    with pytest.raises(TimeoutError):
+        call_with_timeout(_hanging_method, timeout=1)