Google continues with Google Chrome updates. The company promised to deliver Chrome updates every 15 days. Google automatically updates the browser in the background to keep you in sync with the company’s latest and greatest. However, this behavior may bother some users. If you are among them, read the four best ways to stop automatic Google Chrome updates on Windows 10 and Mac.
Being on the latest Google Chrome browser is essential for security. However, on the other hand, Google may remove some functions in the new build or change the positions of some menus that may not suit your preference.
In such cases, you should stop automatic Chrome updates on Windows and Mac. Here’s how to do it.
1. Disable Chrome Automatic Update From Windows System Configuration (Windows)
You can easily disable automatic Chrome updates on Windows using the System Configuration menu on Windows.
Stage 1: Press Windows + R keys and open the Run menu.
Step 2: Medicine msconfig and press Enter to open the System Configuration menu.
Stage 3: Go to the Services tab.
Step 4: Scroll down and uncheck both Google Update Service dialogs.
Open Google Chrome and go to the About Chrome menu. You will see an error stating that Chrome is unable to check for new updates.
2. Use Windows Services Manager
Windows service manager lets you take a look at every background service available on your Windows PC. Using the same menu, you can disable/enable Chrome automatic updates on the device.
Follow the steps below to make the necessary changes.
Stage 1: Press Windows + R keys and open the Windows Run menu.
Step 2: Medicine service.msc and press Enter.
Stage 3: It will open the Services menu on your computer.
Step 4: Search for Google Update (gupdate) and Google Update (gupdatem) in the list.
Step 5: Double click on it and it will open the Properties menu.
Step 6: Go to the General tab.
Step 7: Click on the startup type and select Disabled from the menu below.
Hit OK at the bottom and restart your computer to apply the changes.
3. Change Chrome AutoUpdate URL (Mac)
Mac users, this is for you. The steps on Mac are different compared to Windows. Let’s pass them.
Stage 1: On Mac, open the Finder menu.
Step 2: Go to the application folder.
Stage 3: Find the Google Chrome app and right-click it.
Step 4: Select Show Package Contents and open the Contents folder.
Step 5: Open the info.plist file. Note that you need editors like Xcode to open a plist file. Also, you must have write permissions to edit both the Contents folder and the Info.plist file.
Step 6: Control KSUpdateURL and rename the string value URL to another name.
Close the current window and you can continue without automatic updates of Chrome on Mac.
4. Rename Google Chrome Update Folder (Mac)
Google Chrome creates an update folder on the device to run the auto-update process in the background. You can rename this folder to another name to stop the automatic update process.
Go through the steps below.
Stage 1: On Mac, open the Finder menu.
Step 2: Go to your Mac drive.
Stage 3: Go to the Library > Google folder.
Step 4: you will find GoogleSoftware Update inside.
Rename the folder to another name; It should disable Chrome auto-update on Mac.
Sometimes, when you try to update Google Chrome manually, the browser will recreate this folder in the Library menu. In such cases, the automatic update will re-enable itself.
Chrome update URLs can also be blocked on Windows and Mac. But there is a problem with the method. If Google decides to use a different URL to update the browser, you will see the automatic update start in the background.
Should You Disable Google Chrome Auto-Update?
There is a reason why Google constantly releases new updates for the Chrome browser every 15 days. And no, it’s not about making the Chrome browser more power hungry with every update.
With attackers, spammers, and security vulnerabilities, it’s more important than ever to secure your browsing experience with Google’s latest protocols.
If you have disabled Google Chrome auto-update, you can leave a huge security hole on your Windows or Mac with an old version of Chrome.
Stop Automatic Google Chrome Updates
In some cases, Google Chrome automatic updates can be annoying. For example, it can remove your favorite feature or mess up navigation with new UX. Here is what we will suggest you: You can disable Chrome automatic updates using the above methods. When a new version of Chrome is launched, check what’s new in it and you can manually update the Google Chrome browser if necessary.
Next: Is your Google Chrome search engine switching from Google to Bing? Read the post below to learn how to fix the problem.