This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Disable update popup?

  • 6 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 2 views
  • Last reply by Jason

more options

Users have been complaining about update nags for several years, and when a solution is found via about:config, Mozilla typically puts a spanner in the works and deletes the relevant config items like 'app.update.silent', 'app.update.doorhanger... etc.

I just want to remove the popup, not the ability to update. I'll update when I'm good and ready, and I don't need a popup each and every day nagging me to do so.

If Mozilla must ape Chrome, then aping Chrome's non-nagging update policy would be a good move.

FF 85.0.2

Users have been complaining about update nags for several years, and when a solution is found via about:config, Mozilla typically puts a spanner in the works and deletes the relevant config items like 'app.update.silent', 'app.update.doorhanger... etc. I just want to remove the popup, not the ability to update. I'll update when I'm good and ready, and I don't need a popup each and every day nagging me to do so. If Mozilla must ape Chrome, then aping Chrome's non-nagging update policy would be a good move. FF 85.0.2

Modified by Jason

Chosen solution

How do you completely turn off update checks in Firefox v64? You can use a policies.json file to disable updates for all users. https://github.com/mozilla/policy-templates/blob/master/README.md or https://winaero.com/blog/disable-updates-firefox-63-above/

You can use a policies.json file in the distribution folder in the Firefox installation folder instead as also listed in the article, so no need to use GPO keys in the Windows Registry. • https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-using-policiesjson

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (6)

more options

Chosen Solution

How do you completely turn off update checks in Firefox v64? You can use a policies.json file to disable updates for all users. https://github.com/mozilla/policy-templates/blob/master/README.md or https://winaero.com/blog/disable-updates-firefox-63-above/

You can use a policies.json file in the distribution folder in the Firefox installation folder instead as also listed in the article, so no need to use GPO keys in the Windows Registry. • https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/customizing-firefox-using-policiesjson

more options

So the only way to get rid of the popup is to completely disable updates? Throwing the baby out with the bathwater comes to mind.

more options

Some time ago, the 'Powers That Be' decided to remove the 'Do Not Update' option.

Me, I am still using v54. So far no real problems. (I did not like where Quamtom was going)

more options

I was going along swimmingly with v47 until Google Search suddenly appeared in mobile format - disastrous for my Google Books searches which relies on custom date. I bit the bullet and updated.

Winaero's ready-made disable/enable registry fix is painless, so thanks for that.

Modified by Jason

more options

If you use the policy to disable updates then you won't be able to update from within Firefox. You would have to disable the policy ("DisableAppUpdate": false) or install the full version (this will override the distribution folder and thus remove policies.json).

more options

The downloadable registration entries enables and disables updates in seconds. I'm sure Mozilla will find a way of stopping this in future versions of FF, but if they had the savvy to realise folk don't like to be nagged then we wouldn't need to disable anything.