How to Disable Auto Update in Chrome on Windows

Just like Windows, Google Chrome also auto updates itself in the background. One of the main advantages of auto-update is that your browser will be up-to-date with the latest security patches and you will also have quick access to new features.

While the automatic Chrome update is a good thing, it can be annoying at times. This is especially true if you want to control when your software updates, new updates causing instability or loss of features, etc. Whatever the reason, if you don’t want Chrome to auto-update, you can stop it. In this tutorial, we’ll show you three methods to disable Chrome auto-update. Let’s get started.

Disable Chrome Auto Update

To stop Chrome from auto-updating in the background, you can follow any of the three methods given below.

1. Disable the ‘Google Update’ service

1. Press the Windows key + R shortcut to open Run.
2. Type services.msc in the blank field.
3. Click the OK button.
4. Double-click on the Google Update Service (gupdate) service.
5. Set the Startup type to Disabled.
6. Click OK.
7. Double-click on the Google Update Service (gupdatem) service.
8. Set the Startup type to Disabled.
9. Click OK.
10. Close the Services window.
11. Restart Windows.

Note: Reinstalling or updating Chrome might automatically enable the Google Update service. In that case, you must disable it again by following the same steps.

2. Change ‘Updatedefault’ in Registry

1. Search for Registry Editor in the Start menu and open it.
2. Click on the top result to open the registry editor.
3. Navigate to the following HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies folder.
4. Right-click on the Policies folder.
5. Select New > Key.
6. Name the folder as Google.
7. Right-click on the Google folder.
8. Select New > Key.
9. Name the folder Update.
10. Right-click on the Update folder.
11. Select New > DWORD Value.
12. Name the value as Updatedefault.
13. Double-click on the Updatedefault value.
14. Set the Value Data to 0.
15. Click OK.
16. Close the registry editor.
17. Restart your computer.

That’s it. With this registry modification, Chrome will not update in the background.

3. Using the System Configuration Utility (msconfig)

1. Press Windows key + R to open Run.
2. Enter msconfig and press Enter to open the System Configuration window.
3. Go to the Services tab.
4. Look for any services named Google Update (gupdate or gupdatem).
5. Uncheck these services.
6. Click Apply, then OK, and restart your computer.

And there you have it! By following any of the three methods shown above, you can easily stop Chrome from auto-updating in the background. If you need help, comment below and we’ll help.

If you like this article, check out how to delete Chrome autocomplete URL in address bar.