Automatic Mac App updates can be useful. These will automatically run in the background and save you a little time, keeping apps fully up-to-date. But not everyone wants this feature. It can be better to know exactly what you are downloading, even if you’ve been using the same app for a while.
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- Automatic Updates For Mac
- What Is My Mac Updater
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Check Chrome’s Update Check Interval. Google Chrome has a set interval at which it checks for any. To download macOS software updates, choose Apple menu System Preferences, then click Software Update. Tip: You can also choose Apple menu About This Mac, then click Software Update. To update software downloaded from the App Store, choose Apple menu App Store, then click Updates. Set your Mac to check for software updates automatically.
Click on the Apple menu in the upper left of the Finder bar. Click on System Preferences. Click on App Store. Click on Automatically Check For Updates. With all that being said, simply follow the steps detailed below to enable automatic updates for your Mac: How to enable auto update for macOS. Open System Preferences on your Mac. You can do this from either the Dock or by clicking on the menu in the top-left menu and selecting “System Preferences.” 2. Select “Software Update.”.
In this article, we look at the ways you can prevent automatic app updates on a Mac. There are a few ways you can do this, and apps that can make it quicker and easier to ensure you’ve only got the apps you need running on your Mac.
#1: Change update preferences (macOS Mojave 10.14 and newer)
- Go to the Apple menu
- Click on App Store
- Now click on Preferences
- In this, is a box for Automatic Updates (if checked by default, uncheck the box to disable automatic updates)
In the future, when an app you've downloaded through the Mac App Store has an update coming through, you will be alerted, but it can’t download until you manually confirm it.
Depending on the macOS or older version, Mac OS X that you are running, there are other ways to disable automatic updates. For these, we've covered Mac OS X High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks in the tip below — as they follow the same process — and older operating systems in another tip further down the article.
#2: Disable automatic updates (For: Mac OS X High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks)
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With older operating systems — Mac OS X High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks — the process is slightly different from the one listed above for stopping auto app updates.
- Go to the Apple menu
- Click on App Store
- Now click on Preferences
- Uncheck ALL of the following boxes to prevent automatic updates:
- Automatically check for updates
- Download newly available updates in the background
- Install app updates
However, leave the following box enabled (as this is crucial for security): Install system data files and security updates.
#3: Delete Google Automatic updaters and other background agents
With some apps, they update and even work in the background without you being aware.
These are known as background apps, or and with some they have launch agents that activate whenever a Mac is switched on. All of this potentially uses processing power, such as CPU, and even internet bandwidth. Apps shouldn't be working unless you need them and remember agreeing to open them.
Here is how to prevent this from happening:
- Download CleanMyMac X (for free, here).
- Click on the Optimization module.
- There is a Launch Agents tool within this.
- Use it to disable automatic updates, notifications and even disable Google Automatic updaters and other background apps and launch agents.
#4: For third-party apps, you can also disable updates within individual app settings
Not everyone downloads apps on a Mac from the Mac App Store.
In many cases, people get them straight from a developers website, or third-party subscription service.
With these, you need to go into the individual apps, where you should have the option to ensure they automatically update, or to switch this setting off. With these apps, they will be configured to adhere to macOS standards, so these options should come as a normal feature, ensuring they're easy to update, or not, according to what people prefer.
Before we continue, here is a cool Apple fact for you: Have you ever noticed the date shown on created and modified timestamps that have failed to download, or you cancelled or paused during a download?
Take a look. Instead of showing whichever date the download stopped, they show 24 January 1984 — the day Apple founder, Steve Jobs, unveiled the first Apple Macintosh computer to the world.
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#5: Another way to keep your software updated
As mentioned above, CleanMyMac X is a great way to prevent automatic updates and remove unwanted background apps. It can also be used in a reverse way — for updating all your applications.
The free version of CleanMyMac X (download it here) comes with an Updater feature to keep all of your updates in one place — whether or not you got them from the Mac App Store. It’s especially handy for 32-bit apps that will no longer work on the 2019 macOS Catalina. But if there are newer, 64-bit versions of these apps already available, the Updater in CleanMyMac X will suggest to automatically update your Mac.
It is also useful for keeping your Mac free from viruses and other problems that can cause a Mac to slow down. Get your Mac running as good as new, and make sure you’re only downloading the apps you definitely need.
With iOS 13 and iPadOS 13, apps and games that you download from the App Store are automatically updated by default. You won't see notifications about updating your apps. But you can also update apps manually. For example, if you want to force an update, you can update an app manually.
If you prefer to manually update all your apps, you can turn off automatic updates.
When you download an app on one device, the app isn't automatically installed on your other devices. But if you want apps that you purchase to be downloaded on all of your devices, you can turn on Automatic Downloads.
Before you begin
- Make sure that you have the latest version of iOS and iPadOS, macOS, or watchOS.
- Sign in to all of your devices with the same Apple ID.
Update your apps manually
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Update apps manually on your iOS or iPadOS device, on your Mac, or on your Apple Watch.
How to manually update apps on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
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- Open the App Store, then tap Today at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap your profile icon at the top of the screen.
- Scroll down to see pending updates and release notes. Tap Update next to an app to update only that app, or tap Update All.
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How to manually update apps on your Mac
- Open the App Store.
- In the sidebar, click Updates.
- Click Update next to an app to update only that app, or click Update All.
If you didn’t get the app from the App Store on your Mac, contact the app developer to get help with updates.
How to manually update apps on your Apple Watch
- On watchOS 6, open the App Store and scroll down to the bottom.
- Tap Account.
- Tap Updates.
- Tap Update next to an app to update only that app, or tap Update All.
Turn on or turn off automatic updates
- On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > [your name] > iTunes & App Store. Then turn on or turn off App Updates.
- On your Mac, open the App Store. From the menu bar at the top of the screen, choose App Store > Preferences. Select or deselect Automatic Updates.
- On your Apple Watch, go to Settings > App Store. Turn on or turn off Automatic Updates. Or open the Watch app on your iPhone, scroll to App Store and tap it, then turn on or turn off Automatic Updates.
- On your Apple TV HD or 4K, go to Settings > Apps. Select or deselect Automatically Update Apps.
When you turn off automatic updates, you receive notifications from the App Store each time an update for one of your apps is released.
Turn on or turn off automatic downloads
- On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > [your name] > iTunes & App Store. Under Automatic Downloads, turn on or turn off Apps.
- On your Mac, open the App Store. From the menu bar at the top of the screen, choose App Store > Preferences. Select or deselect 'Automatically download apps purchased on other Mac computers.'
- On your Apple Watch, go to Settings > App Store. Turn on or turn off Automatic Downloads. Or open the Watch app on your iPhone, scroll to App Store and tap it, then turn on or turn off Automatic Downloads.
- On your Apple TV HD or 4K, go to Settings > Apps. Select or deselect Automatically Install Apps.
On your iOS or iPadOS device or Mac, you can also turn on automatic downloads for iTunes Store music purchases and Apple Books purchases.
Learn more
- Learn how to resume interrupted downloads.
- Learn how to redownload items that you purchased previously.
- Learn more about how to download apps and games from the App Store.