How to deactivate automatic updates

In today’s fast-paced technological world, have become a common feature on most devices and software. While automatic updates can often be beneficial in terms of keeping your system up to date with the latest features and security patches, they can also be a nuisance, especially when they interrupt important tasks or consume excessive data.

If you find yourself wanting to take control of when and how updates occur on your devices, here’s a guide on how to deactivate automatic updates:

1. Windows 10
For Windows 10 users, disabling automatic updates requires accessing the system settings. Begin by clicking on the “Start” button and selecting “Settings.” From there, choose “Update & Security” and then navigate to the “Windows Update” tab. Here, you’ll find various update options. Click on “Advanced Options” and under the “Pause Updates” section, toggle the switch to “On.” This will temporarily pause updates for up to 35 days.

To completely turn off automatic updates, you can utilize the Group Policy feature. Press the “Windows” key + “R” to open the run dialog box, then type “gpedit.msc” and hit enter. Navigate to “Computer Configuration,” “Administrative Templates,” “Windows Components,” and finally, “Windows Update.” Double-click on “Configure Automatic Updates” and choose the “Disabled” option. Click “Apply” and “OK” to save the changes.

2. macOS
If you’re an Apple macOS user, note that automatic updates are typically tied to the App Store. To them, click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen and select “System Preferences.” Choose “App Store” and uncheck the box that says “Automatically check for updates.” This will stop automatic updates for the operating system and App Store applications.

3. Android
On Android devices, the procedure to deactivate automatic updates may differ slightly depending on the device manufacturer and operating system version. However, the general steps remain relatively similar. Open the Google Play Store, tap on the three horizontal lines in the upper-left corner to access the menu, and select “Settings.” Locate the “Auto-update apps” option and choose “Don’t auto-update apps.” Alternatively, you can select “Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only” to ensure updates only occur when connected to a Wi-Fi network.

4. iOS
For iPhone and iPad users, automatic updates are managed through the Settings app. Go to “Settings,” tap on the “General” tab, and select “Software Update.” Here, you will find an option to enable or disable automatic updates in iOS. Toggle the “Download iOS updates” or “Install iOS updates” switch to turn off automatic updates.

5. Chrome Browser
If you’re using the Google Chrome browser, automatic updates are typically enabled by default. To disable them, open Chrome, click on the three dots in the top-right corner, and select “Settings.” Scroll down and click on “Advanced,” and then navigate to the “System” section. Here, you can click on “Updates” and toggle the switch to disable automatic updates.

While disabling automatic updates can give you more control over your devices, it’s worth noting that updates often include crucial security patches that protect against vulnerabilities. Therefore, it’s important to manually update your devices regularly to ensure they remain secure.

In conclusion, automatic updates can be both helpful and bothersome, depending on your preferences and circumstances. By following these steps, you can gain more control over when and how updates occur on various devices and operating systems. Just remember to stay vigilant and manually update your devices to keep them secure in the long run.