In our previous guide on reducing heavy data consumption / usage on your PC (see https://www.hovatek.com/blog/laptop-consuming-a-lot-of-data-mb-solved/ ), we discussed some heavy consumers like Windows updates and other background auto-update apps. In this tutorial, we’ll be looking at reducing heavy data usage by disabling Google Chrome auto updates. If you’re on a limited / metered data plan then Chrome’s auto updates could take quite a bite from your data. Many would argue that Google should have at least given you a prompt whether or not to go ahead with downloading updates instead of imposing on you. Disabling auto updates from chrome://plugins doesn’t stop the auto updates, that’s why we put this guide together.
How do I disable Google Chrome auto updates?
As Earlier mentioned, disabling auto updates under chrome://plugins doesn’t work so we’ll be disabling chrome auto updates from the registry.
1. Download a Group Policy Editor Administrative template. This template will allow you to manage how Google Update handles updates for all of the Google applications from within the Group Policy Editor. Download @ http://dl.google.com/update2/enterprise/GoogleUpdate.adm
2. Press the Start menu and search for gpedit.msc then launch it
3. Expand Computer Configuration > Right-click on Administrative Templates > Select Add/Remove Templates
4. In the Add/Remove templates box that pops up, click Add
5. In the window that pops up, navigate to the location where you downloaded GoogleUpdate.adm to > Highlight it > Click Open
6. Google Update should now be listed in the Add/Remove templates box, click Close
7. Navigate to the Chrome group policy
For Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003:
Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Google -> Google Update -> Applications -> Google Chrome
For Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows 2008 R2, and Windows 8:
Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Classic Administrator Templates -> Google-> Google Update-> Applications -> Google Chrome
8. Click Google Chrome > You should now see two settings at the right-hand pane (Allow installation and Update policy override
9. Double-click the Update policy override setting and wait for the Update policy override box to pop up
10. When the Update policy override box opens, tick Enabled
11. In the dropdown below, you’ll see the following options
Always allow updates
: This setting means that updates are always installed when they are found via manual checks or silent update checks
Manual updates only
: This setting means that updates are only installed when found during a manual check
Automatic silent updates only
: This setting means that updates are only installed when found via periodic silent update checks
Updates disabled
: This setting will disable all updates for Google Chrome
Select Manual updates only then Click Apply and OK
Hovatek….just a button away!