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7 Ways to Disable Automatic Chrome

Update
Updated on Oct 16, 2021

Posted by Editorial Staff
Browsers, Tech Tips
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Chrome is the most powerful browser used by 65% of the people worldwide.

Earlier, Google forced some features on Chrome like no option to remove

bookmarks bar and not possible to remove the favicons on the new tab page.

Later, Google introduced additional options for disabling bookmarks bar and

remove the favicons with version 69. However, automatic update is still one

annoying feature forced on users. In this article, we will explain how to disable

automatic Chrome update in Windows and Mac computers.

Related: How to import and export passwords in Chrome?

How Auto Update Works in Chrome?

Google Chrome uses a program for auto updating something similar to this open

source program called Omaha. Automatic update runs and checks for the latest

version whenever you connect to internet with 5 hours frequency. The auto

update also runs whenever you go to some of the settings page. For example, go

to the command URL “chrome://settings/help” and you will see the auto update

starts immediately.
 Chrome Checking for Updates

After checking, Chrome will download and install the browser update. You will

see a success message with the latest version indicating the browser is updated.

Chrome Updated Automatically

Note that the open source Chromium browser does not have auto update

feature. Only Google Chrome has this on Windows and Mac, even it does not have

auto update on Linux platform. You can keep track of major Chrome releases that

happen once in every six weeks by subscribing to Chrome release blog.

Why Automatic Update May Annoy?

Automatic updates are good to keep your browser safe and secure up to date.

The problem comes due to the following reasons:

 Auto update happens without your knowledge. Many users do not like the

process running in background and downloading large size of file when they are

doing some other important task.

Browsers like Chromium based Edge has an option to disable auto update on

metered connection. However, Google Chrome does not have an option to

disable automatic update on metered connection.

Latest version may come with changes in the functionalities. For example,

earlier it was very easy to create shortcut of a website in Chrome. Later, this

option was removed and then added back again. This type of changes will user’s

life difficult. There should be lot of embracement when you suddenly loose a

feature which you were using for years.

There are no options in Chrome for disabling this auto update feature or

reverting back to earlier browser version.

So you need to forcibly use the latest version whether you like it or not.

How to Disable Automatic Chrome Update?

For whatever reason you want to stop the automatic Chrome update, you can do

so in just a few steps using one of the listed options.

1. Rename the update folder (Windows)

2. Using Windows system configuration (Windows)

3. From Windows service manager (Windows)

4. Disable using registry editor (Windows)

5. Change the auto update URL (Mac)

6. Point all auto update URLs to localhost (Windows and Mac)

7. Modify plist file (Mac)

1. Rename Google Chrome Update Folder
(Windows)
This is one of the easiest methods that anyone can do without hassle in order to

disable automatic Chrome update in Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Go to the Chrome installation drive which is generally C: drive.

Then navigate to “C:\Program Files\Google\” in Windows 10 and “C:\Program

Files (x86)\Google\” in Windows 11.

You will see the “Update” folder. Try to rename this folder; if you can then this

will disable the Chrome update. In most of the cases, you can’t rename this

folder.

You will , open “Update” folder and rename the “GoogleUpdate” application

file to something like “GoogleUpdate1” or “123GoogleUpdate”.

You may need to provide admin access for modifying the file name. If yo are

already logged in as admin, click “Continue” when the “File Access Denied” pop-

up appears.

Provide Admin File Access

It should look like below in Windows 11 with the file name changed.
 Update File Name Changed in Windows 11

On Windows 10, it will look like below in File Explorer.

Change Google Update Application Name in Windows 10

Now go to Chrome and check the URL “chrome://settings/help”. You should

see an error in auto update saying “An error occurred while checking for updates;

Update check failed to start (error code 3: 0x80080005 — system level)” or a

similar error.
 Chrome Update Failed with Error

To re enable chrome auto update just change

123GoogleUpdate.exe (or to any name u might have
changed it ) to GoogleUpdate.exe