How to stop automatic app updates on your Android device

Whether we like it or not, our social media apps, games and e-mail tools are always being tinkered with by the people that wrote them. With auto updates, apps can change every day without the phone’s owner even knowing. App updates within the Google Play Store are a fact of life for Android users – but it doesn’t have to be that way. They can easily be turned off at your convenience, and you don’t need any programming skills to know how to stop updates on Android devices.

Why stop automatic app updates on Android phones?

One advantage of manually updating your apps is that you can find out when an app has been updated. That way, you also know when to check out its new features. Sometimes, automatic updates can lead you to miss interesting and useful new tools that could enhance your Android experience. Then there is the question of freedom. For many users, app updates are something that they would like to agree on a case by case basis, instead of allowing external companies to constantly add content to their devices.

If this sounds like you, help is at hand. It’s not hard to disable automatic app updates on any Android device. Just follow a few simple steps and you’ll be in control of your updates in no time.

How to stop updates on Android devices quickly and easily

The easiest way to disable automatic app updates on your device is to use the phone’s software. This should work for both Lollipop and Marshmallow users.

1. The first thing to do is to open the “Play Store” app on your device.
2. Now, look for a box containing three parallel lines next to the search field and click it.
3. A menu should now appear. Tap on the “Settings” option and then on the option titled “auto update apps” in the “general” section.
4. Here, you will have a range of options. Simply choose “do not auto update apps” and your phone is yours again.

Many app updates are important to maintain the latest versions and to keep your phone as secure as possible, so few people will want to totally stop updating. Instead, you can choose to receive notifications when new updates are available. Simply click on the “notifications” option on the “settings menu.”

If you have tried the steps described above and you are still experiencing difficulties understanding how to stop updates on Android phones, our technical support forums are the place to go for answers.