How to Disable Automatic App Updates on Android

Introduction / Why This Is Needed

Automatic app updates in the Google Play Store are convenient but can lead to unexpected mobile data usage, especially when using unmanaged data plans. Additionally, updates sometimes contain bugs or are incompatible with your version of Android. By disabling auto-updates, you gain full control: you decide when and which apps to update, which is particularly important for devices with limited data or in corporate environments. This guide will help you completely stop background updates for both regular and system apps.

Requirements / Preparation

1. An active Android device running Android 8.0 (Oreo) or newer. Methods may work on older versions, but the interface may differ.
2. Google Play Store installed (version 20.0+ recommended).
3. For the ADB method: A computer with Android SDK Platform-Tools installed and USB debugging enabled on the device (Settings → About phone → Developer options → USB debugging).
4. Administrator privileges on the device to change certain system settings (usually not required for basic methods).

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Disable Auto-Updates via Play Store Settings

This is the primary and simplest method, stopping updates for all apps installed from the official store.

1. Open the Google Play Store app.
2. Tap your profile avatar in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. In the dropdown menu, select "Settings".
4. Scroll down to the "General > Auto-update apps" section.
5. Choose one of the options:
   • "Don't auto-update apps" — completely disables background checks and installations.
   • "Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only" — restricts updates to wireless networks (but does not disable them entirely).
6. Tap "Done" or simply navigate back. The setting will save automatically.

⚠️ Important: This method does not affect updates for system apps (e.g., Google Play Services, YouTube), which may update through a separate mechanism.

Step 2: Restrict Play Store Background Activity (Additional Block)

To be extra cautious and completely stop background update checks, limit the store's background activity.

1. Open your device's "Settings".
2. Go to "Apps" → "Manage apps" (or a similar menu).
3. Find and select "Google Play Store" from the list.
4. Tap the "Battery" or "Battery optimization" option.
5. Select "Background restriction" or "Battery optimization".
6. Toggle "Restrict" on. On some Android versions, you may need to select "Don't optimize" to prohibit all background actions.
7. Confirm the action.

Now the Play Store will not be able to run in the background to check for updates.

Step 3: Use ADB for Granular Control (Advanced Method)

If you need to block updates for a specific system app (e.g., Google Play Services) or want to guarantee an app never updates automatically, use Android Debug Bridge (ADB).

1. Set up ADB on your computer:
   • Install Platform-Tools.
   • Connect your device to the PC via USB.
   • On the device, a prompt will appear to allow USB debugging — grant permission and check "Always allow from this computer".
   • Open a terminal/command prompt on the PC and verify the connection: adb devices. Your device ID should appear in the list.
2. Block updates for a specific package: Replace com.example.app with the target app's package name (e.g., com.google.android.gms for Play Services).

   adb shell pm block-uninstall com.example.app
   

   
   This command prohibits both uninstallation and updating of the package via the Play Store. To unblock later:

   adb shell pm unblock-uninstall com.example.app
   

3. Globally prohibit background installation (alternative):

   adb shell pm set-install-location 2
   

   
   This sets the install policy to "manual only" (value 2). After this, the system cannot install apps in the background, including updates. To revert to automatic installation (default 0):

   adb shell pm set-install-location 0
   

💡 Tip: You can find an app's package name via the Play Store (in the app's page URL) or using apps like "App Inspector".

Step 4: Verify the Result

1. Open the Google Play Store.
2. Navigate to the "My apps & games" menu.
3. The "Updates" tab should list available updates.
4. Try manually updating any app from the list by tapping "Update". The installation should succeed.
5. Check that in the "Installed" tab, apps do not have an update icon (a circular arrow). This icon appears when an auto-update is queued.

Potential Issues

• Apps still update: Most often, these are system apps (Google Play Services, Google Play System Updates). Their updates may come through a separate channel — Google Play System. To block these, use the ADB method (pm block-uninstall) for packages com.google.android.gms and com.google.android.packageinstaller.
• ADB does not detect the device: Ensure USB debugging is enabled on the device and you granted connection permission on the device screen. Try a different USB cable or port. Restart the ADB server: adb kill-server → adb start-server.
• Settings reset after reboot: Check if any special battery saving modes (e.g., "Ultra power saving mode") or corporate policies (on work devices) are installed. These can reset background activity settings.
• No "Background restriction" option: On some firmware (e.g., Xiaomi, Huawei), battery saving settings are hidden under "Battery & performance" → "Power saving" → "Background apps". Find Google Play Store and set it to "No restrictions" or "Prohibit".

After completing all steps, you will have full control over the app update process on your Android device. Remember that regular manual checks for critical app updates (security, communication) are still recommended.