How to disable Google Chrome's Auto-update feature?

Question

I am using Google Chrome. I re-installed it today as it was crashing when I start it. I guess may be that this was due to any of my Extensions or Google Update. I disabled my extensions but it was still crashing. Now I installed an old version of chrome from http://www.oldapps.com/google_chrome.php. However, Chrome automaticallyuppdates itself (although Windows asks me before installing and I don't grant it permissions, its still annoying to get Google update asking me permission after a couple of minutes.

I saw the question at Disable auto-update of Google Chrome however, it doesn't seem to hlp me. i disabled the service and I stopped it as well, but the problem still persists. I also tried to look into the registry according to the following link: http://www.sitepoint.com/how-to-disable-google-chrome-updates/ but the "Policies" section of my registry doesn't contain any folder called "Google". I use Windows 7 - 64 bit Home Premium Service pack 1.

Could anybody help? Thanks a ton!

Answer 1

1. Download a windows group policy template "Google Update Administrative Template" from Google Site.

2. Open the editor by typing "gpedit.msc" into the search button on the start menu and click the resulting link

3. Navigate to User Configuration - Administrative Templates

4. Right click on Administrative Templates, select add/remove templates from menu bar.

5. In the popup box click add button and navigate to where you downloaded the GoogleUpdate.adm file and then click close button

6. You should find a new entry under Local Computer Policy - Computer Configuration - Administrative Templates - Classic Administrative Templates called Google

7. Navigate to Administrative Templates - Google - Google Update - Applications - Google Chrome.

8. Right click on Update Policy Override and select edit.

9. Click enabled button and in the scrollbar list under Policy choose Updates disabled and click OK

10. To be sure that update not occur, Go to Start > Run > msconfig > Startup > Disable GoogleUpdater.exe

You have now stopped Google Updater from checking for updates for Google Chrome

Answer 2

the best way to disable Google chrome auto update is as follows

• Go to oldversion dot com and download old version of google
• Use Advanced unsinstaller to completely uninstall current (Updated) version. This will also get rid of registry entries
• Download update freezer and create a shortcut on desktop
• Disable internet
• Restart PC
• With internet disabled, install old version of Chrome
• Ope Update Freezer and Disable Google auto update

You are done

Answer 3

from http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/chrome/GrNPXViSjpI

1. Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Schedules Tasks (or search for Task Scheduler in Control Panel) . Look for Active Tasks, delete all Google Auto Updates Tasks
2. From Chrome browser, open chrome://plugins/ , disable Google Update.
3. From Start menu, run msconfig.exe -> Start up tab, disable Google Update ( though it seems automatically come up again)
4. Open your task manager, find the GoogleUpdate.exe in the task list, locate the file, and delete it

Answer 4

One method to disable silent updates in Chrome is to manually add the policies to the Windows Registry. The Windows Registry key responsible for determining how Google Update updates Chrome can be found in the following Registry key and value:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Update "Update{8A69D345-D564-463C-AFF1-A69D9E530F96}"

This value can have 4 different DWORD settings assigned to it that describe how Chrome will be updated. These different DWORD values are:

0 - This setting corresponds to the Updates disabled policy setting. This means updates are completely disabled for Chrome.

1 - This setting corresponds to the Always allow updates policy setting. This means that updates are always installed regardless of whether they were found via periodic silent updates or a manual update check.

2 - This setting corresponds to the Manual updates only policy setting. This means updates are only applied when a user performs a manual check.

3 - This setting corresponds to the Automatic silent updates only policy setting. This means updates are only installed when they are found via the periodic silent update check.

To change the Google Update setting for Chrome simply create the above key and value and assign one of the above value.

If you don't wan to play with registry then download the following registry files and run them. The first one will enable Manual updates and the second one will restore Chrome back to its normal defaults of updates being installed via silent updates or manual updates.

Registry file to set Chrome to Manual Updates only
Registry file to reset Chrome back to its default update policy (Manual+Silent Updates)

Simply download one of the above Registry files and save them to your desktop. Then double-click on the registry file and allow the changes to be merged into the Registry. The changes to Google Update for Chrome will now be set.

For more you can read this source.

Answer 5

I have done the steps mentioned before, but somehow it doesn't work for me, so I decided to rename the "GoogleUpdate.exe" that Google uses for updating its products, and Chrome remains in its installed version.

However if you rename it and as "GoogleUpdate" is responsible to update all google products so you'll no longer receive updates from Google.