How To Change Homepage On Mac Google Chrome

Chrome is the nigh powerful browser used past 65% of the people worldwide. Earlier, Google forced some features on Chrome like no option to remove bookmarks bar and non 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. Nevertheless, automatic update is still ane annoying feature forced on users. In this article, we volition 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 automobile 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 as well runs whenever yous get to some of the settings page. For example, go to the command URL "chrome://settings/aid" and you lot will see the motorcar update starts immediately.

After checking, Chrome will download and install the browser update. You volition see a success message with the latest version indicating the browser is updated.

Annotation that the open up source Chromium browser does not have auto update feature. Only Google Chrome has this on Windows and Mac, even it does not have machine update on Linux platform. You can keep track of major Chrome releases that happen once in every vi weeks by subscribing to Chrome release weblog.

Why Automatic Update May Annoy?

Automatic updates are expert to go on your browser safety and secure up to date. The problem comes due to the post-obit reasons:

Motorcar update happens without your knowledge. Many users exercise not like the process running in groundwork and downloading large size of file when they are doing some other of import job.
Browsers similar Chromium based Border has an option to disable auto update on metered connexion. However, Google Chrome does not have an option to disable automatic update on metered connexion.
Latest version may come up with changes in the functionalities. For example, earlier information technology was very easy to create shortcut of a website in Chrome. Later, this option was removed and and then added back again. This blazon of changes will user's life difficult. There should be lot of embracement when you suddenly loose a feature which you lot 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 lot like it or non.

How to Disable Automatic Chrome Update?

For whatever reason you want to finish the automatic Chrome update, you can do then in but a few steps using 1 of the listed options.

Rename the update binder (Windows)
Using Windows system configuration (Windows)
From Windows service manager (Windows)
Disable using registry editor (Windows)
Modify the auto update URL (Mac)
Point all car update URLs to localhost (Windows and Mac)
Modify plist file (Mac)

1. Rename Google Chrome Update Folder (Windows)

This is one of the easiest methods that anyone tin can do without hassle in guild to disable automatic Chrome update in Windows 11 and Windows 10.

Become to the Chrome installation drive which is generally C: drive.
So navigate to "C:\Program Files\Google\" in Windows 10 and "C:\Programme Files (x86)\Google\" in Windows 11.
You volition see the "Update" binder. Endeavor to rename this binder; if you can and so this volition disable the Chrome update. In most of the cases, you can't rename this folder.
In such a case, open "Update" folder and rename the "GoogleUpdate" application file to something similar "GoogleUpdate1" or "123GoogleUpdate".
You may demand to provide admin access for modifying the file proper name. If yo are already logged in as admin, click "Continue" when the "File Admission Denied" popular-up appears.

Information technology should wait similar beneath in Windows 11 with the file name inverse.

Update File Name Changed in Windows 11 — Update File Proper noun Changed in Windows 11

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

Change Google Update Application Name — Change Google Update Application Proper name in Windows 10

At present get to Chrome and cheque the URL "chrome://settings/help". Y'all should run across an mistake in auto update saying "An error occurred while checking for updates; Update check failed to starting time (mistake code 3: 0x80080005 — organisation level)" or a like error.

On Mac, y'all can go to "Users > Your Mac Drive > Library > Google > GoogleSoftwareUpdate" and rename this binder. Unfortunately when you cheque the auto update, Chrome will re-create this binder and run the auto update. So renaming this binder does non work on Mac.

Change Auto Update Folder in Mac — Change Automobile Update Folder in Mac

2. Disable Automated Chrome Update from Windows System Configuration (Windows)

Open up the "Run" command by pressing the "Win +R" shortcut keys or type "Run" on the Windows search box, and select the run control.
Blazon "msconfig" and click ok or hit "Enter" to open the system configuration panel.

Run Command for Opening System Configuration — Run Control for Opening System Configuration

On the system configuration window, select the "Services" tab. At the bottom of the window, uncheck the box on the left of "Hide all Microsoft services".
Navigate the list of services and uncheck both "Google Update (gupdate)" and "Google Update (gupdatem)".

Disable Chrome Updates in System Configuration

Click the "Employ" so "OK" button to relieve the changes.
When prompted to restart the PC, click on "Restart" for the changes to take effect.

Related: How to stop auto update in Chromium based Microsoft Border?

three. Disable Chrome Updates from Windows Services Manager (Windows)

Open up the "Run" command past searching "Run" from the Cortana or pressing the "Win + R" keys on the keyboard. Type "services.msc" and click "Ok". This will open services manager window.

Open Services Using Run Command — Open up Services Using Run Command

Alternatively, type "control" on the Windows or Cortana search and select the "Control Panel", select "Organization and Security" and curlicue down then click on "Administrative Tools".
Double click on "Services" to open the service manager screen.
Look for "Google Update (gupdate)" and "Google Update (gupdatem)" on the list.
Double click on both (each at a time) and on the "General" tab nether "Startup Blazon" choose "Disabled" option then click ok.

Restart the PC.

Similar to Google Chrome y'all tin can also disable auto update in Windows 10 to avoid unexpected issues and data loss.

4. Disable Automated Chrome Update from Registry Editor (Windows)

You tin also cease Chrome from automatically updating by editing the registry keys.

From the "Run" utility "Win + R" keys, type "regedit" and click "OK" to open up the registry editor.
On the registry editor open the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" folder. You may double click on the folder or click on the arrow to open.
Open the "SOFTWARE" folder and curlicue down to "Policies".
Right-click the "Policies" folder, select "New" then click "Cardinal".
Rename the newly created key to "Google".
Correct click on the "Google" folder, select "New" then click on "Key" and rename the key to "Update".
On the right paw side of the registry editor, correct click on the white infinite below the "Default" selection and select "New" then choose "DWORD".

Rename the new key to "Updatedefault".
Double click on the "Updatedefault" to edit the DWORD value and set the "Value data" to 0.

Click "Ok" to relieve your changes and exit the "Registry Editor".

If this does not work, try creating additional DWORD keys and set the values like below:

          DWORD: AutoUpdateCheckPeriodMinutes and Value: 0 DWORD: DisableAutoUpdateChecksCheckboxValue and Value: 1

5. Change Chrome Automobile Update URL (Mac)

Like to Windows, you tin follow some tricks to disable automatic Chrome update in macOS. On Mac, try to modify the Chrome motorcar update URL to disable the update.

Open up Finder and become to "Applications" folder.
Right click or control + click on the Google Chrome folder and get to "Show Packaged Content".
Click "Contents" folder and open "Info.plist" file. Recollect you demand to have editors like Xcode to open plist file. Also you should have write permission for both "Contents" folder and "Info.plist" file to edit.

Look for "KSUpdateURL" key. In our case this is pointing to "https://tools.google.com/service/update2".
Simply rename the file to something else and salve your changes.

If this does not work and then you may demand to disable all update URLs Google uses for Chrome.

Related: How to disable automated update in Firefox?

six. Block Chrome Update URLs (Windows and Mac)

Google uses i of the below services for update service. So yous tin can block these domains using hosts file on Windows and Mac to disable automated update in Chrome browser. However, later if Google uses different URL for update so the browser will proceed to car update.

google.com/dl/*
google.com/*
com/dl/*
*.gvt1.com
google.com/service/update2
google.com
googleapis.com/service/update2
google.com

Acquire how to edit hosts file in Windows and Mac.

7. Modify Update Interval in Mac

On Mac, you can modify the update frequency interval to finish auto update.

Open up Finder and navigate to "Go > Go to Binder…" bill of fare item.
Enter the path "~/Library/Preferences" and hitting enter key.
Yous will see all lot of preferences file and look for "com.google.Keystone.Amanuensis.plist" file.

Open the file using the Xcode editor or whatsoever other XML editors like TextWrangler. Remember, you tin't edit plist file using TextEdit or other normal editors.
The default key string for the "checkInterval" is 18000. Change the key string value to 0.

Change Update Check Interval — Change Update Cheque Interval

Save your file and close.
If you don't take Xcode or non able to edit plist file then press "Command + Spacebar" and type "final". Open Terminal app and enter the following command.

          defaults write com.google.Keystone.Agent checkInterval 0

This will set the value in the plist file equally explained above.

At present that the auto update should not piece of work on your Chrome browser.

Conclusion

The automatic Chrome update is not a problem for most users but it is possible to finish them whenever you need. Google does not recommend stopping of these updates, every bit they are disquisitional for improving your browsing experience and security. It is of import to empathize that by disabling the Chrome updates you lot could exist vulnerable to serious security issues and at the same time missing on some new helpful features. If for some reason you want to disable the Chrome machine updates, e'er recollect to bank check for the available updates manually and update them when you want. Moreover, y'all may enable the automated updates by reversing the above procedures.