How to Disable Firefox Updates and Update Notifications (2023)

With Firefox Quantum, Mozilla has removed the option toNever check for updatesin browser update settings. However, they left two out of the original three options:

• Install updates automatically (recommended)
• Check for updates but allow you to choose to install them

Now, I'm not sure what prompted this decision, but if I could speculate, the most likely reason is that Mozilla is simply trying to protect users from themselves; that is, push security updates that they feel are urgent and would otherwise be ignored by some users.

That's fine, but it robs many more, often the more tech-savvy, savvy audience of the option to make this decision at their own discretion. Instead of the now-defunct option, Mozilla seems to hope these users will settle for the option to check for updates and notify them to install.

Now, this option would be a bit bearable if it weren't for the annoying update notification that appears a few minutes after a new browsing session. If that's not enough, they also include a "sticky" update notification in the hamburger menu just to further remind you of the urgency of the update.

As much as I understand the urgency of some of these updates, I find all these signals rather unnecessary. Anyway, I've always updated my Firefox manually and prefer to keep it that way. For this reason, I decided to find a way to disable these notifications, and I was successful at first.

In an initial iteration ofthis postI've shared how to do this, but subsequent Firefox updates have rendered the settings we used unusable. However, I keptvideo tutorialif you are interested in finding out more.

Fortunately, there is a second option that has worked during subsequent updates, including in the newFirefox Proton🇧🇷 This second method is foolproof as it involves disabling automatic updates usingfirefox policies🇧🇷 Update notifications are also turned off in the process.

Disable automatic Firefox updates using policies

Firefox comes with a list of corporate policies that can be viewed by accessing the addressabout:policiesand choosingdocumentation🇧🇷 However, the policy that interests us here is theDisable app updatepolicy.

This policy can be enabled in several ways, depending on the operating system. They include:

• Using a JSON file inside the Firefox installation directory on Windows, Linux or macOS.
• Enabling policy via registry editor on Windows.
• Enabling the policy via the command line on macOS.
• Enabling policy through Local Group Policy Editor on Windows.
• Enabling the policy via a property list (plist) file on macOS.

I'll cover the first four, which should be enough for most users on all platforms.

Note that this policy will only disable verification and installation ofautomatic updates🇧🇷 Therefore, you can still update Firefox manually by downloading and running theFirefox offline installers.

Disable updates using Enterprise Policy JSON (Windows/Linux/macOS)

1. Open a plain text editor like notepad or notepad++ and paste the following code into it:

{ "policies": { "DisableAppUpdate": true }}

2. Save the file asjsonfile named:policies.json

The following policy JSON file must be saved in the Firefox installation directory in a folder calledDistribution🇧🇷 This folder is not included by default, so you'll need to manually create it. The default installation directories on all three platforms are as follows:

Windows:

• C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\distributiono;
• C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox (x86)\distributionif you are running a 32-bit Firefox installation on a 64-bit Windows.

Linux:

• firefox/distributionWherefire Foxis the Firefox installation directory on the distribution you are using or ;
• you can specify a system-wide policy by saving the file inside/etc/firefox/policies

MacOS:

Before installing the file on your Mac, you must remove the quarantine set up by macOS that breaks an application if its installation is changed.

To do this, open the terminal and navigate to the applications directory runningcd /Applications🇧🇷 Then run the command:xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine firefox.app

After doing that, save the policy.json file inside:/Aplicativos/Firefox.app/Contents/Resources/distribution🇧🇷 You will have to make directories if they are not present.

If you run Firefox after that and get an error message saying 'Firefox is damaged and cannot be opened. You must move it to the Trash', it means that the quarantine was not removed correctly.

To avoid this error, you canconsider using command line optiondiscussed below.

Disable Firefox updates on Windows through the Registry

1. Open notepad and paste the following code:

Editor de Registro do Windows Versão 5.00[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla][HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Mozilla\Firefox]"DisableAppUpdate"=dword:00000001

2. Save the file asDisableAppUpdate.reg

3. Double-click the file to install the key into the registry. give a clickOKto dismiss the warning.

Alternatively, you can manually install the key in the registry editor as follows:

1. PressWindows key + Rlaunch theRunventana.
2. Log into governand pressureLog into open the registry editor.
3. Navigate to the following key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\
4. Right click on thePoliciescarpet and go toNovoand create aspannerI callMozilla.
5. Right click on theMozillafolder and create a key calledfire Fox.
6. Click to select thefire Foxthen in the right pane right click and create a newValor DWORD (32 bits)namedDisable app update.
7. Double click to open the value and give it ahex valuedata from1.
   
8. Restart Firefox.

Disable Firefox Updates on macOS Using the Command Line

The following commands will require

1. Launch Terminal.
2. First, enable policies by running the following command:sudo defaults type /Library/Preferences/org.mozilla.firefox EnterprisePoliciesEnabled -bool TRUE
3. Enter your admin password when prompted.
4. Then run the following command to disable updates:sudo defaults type /Library/Preferences/org.mozilla.firefox DisableAppUpdate -bool TRUE

Disable Firefox updates on Windows using Local Group Policy Editor

Starting with Firefox 60 and Firefox 60 ESR, Firefox policies can be integrated into Windows Group Policy. Using theLocal Group Policy Editorthen you can easily enable or disable specific policies that will be applied to all users who are members of a certain group.

Therefore, using this method is especially useful for system administrators who manage multiple users, as it is not ideal for creating thepolicies.jsonon individual computers.

However, you can also choose to use this method as an individual PC user, as it is less complicated and ensures the policy remains active if you reinstall Firefox.

However, for this to work, you must be running an edition of Windows that supports Group Policy. They include:

• Windows 10: Professional, Business, and Education
• Windows 8/8.1: Professional and Enterprise
• Windows 7: Professional, Ultimate e Enterprise

If this is verified, do the following:

steps

1. Download theFirefox Policy Sheets🇧🇷 Be sure to download the version for the version of Firefox you are running.

2. Extract the ZIP package and copy all the contents inside thewindowschainer.

3. Now, to install the policies, paste the copied files in the following directory:C:\Windows\Policy Settings\

4. Then launch the local group policy editor by runninggpedit.mscThroughRun…ventana (victory key +R).

5. In the editor sidebar, go to Computer settings and expandAdministrative Templates > Mozilla > Firefox

6. In the Policies window, open thedisable updateselement and set it toactivated🇧🇷 That is all.

TO USE:

• For some reason, in Windows 7, this policy setting disables updates for all user accounts (Standard and Administrators) except Guest accounts. However, it works with Windows 10 Guest account.

Confirm that updates have been disabled

After activating the policy, restart Firefox and go to settings. You should get an embedded notification at the top of the settings page with the message:Your organization has disabled the ability to change some options.

When scrolling down to the Updates settings, you should see the message:Updates disabled by system administrator. Lossearch for updatesThe button will also have been disabled in the process.

If you want your browser's search engines to update automatically, remember to enable this option, as it is disabled after enabling this policy setting.

On the other hand, if you want to revert this setting, just delete thejsonfile or revert the disabled update policy tonot configured🇧🇷 Otherwise, rest assured, free from forced updates.