Firefox Support Forum

Hi.

In Firefox 63 the option to never check for updates was removed. The release notes suggest to create a policies.json to disable updates. This does not result in similar behaviour! It does indeed stop the checks for updates, but it also disables the option of manually checking for updates. So this is not the same!

I'd like to know how I can disable the auto checking for updates, but keep the option to manually check and update.

I found this thread regarding a beta version of Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1232918 but that does not give an answer to my question.

I typically check for updates every few days, but I do not want Firefox to check automatically and/or install without my express permission. I seem to be left with renaming the policies file every time I want to check for updates. Cumbersome and very user unfriendly.

I would like to get back to the behaviour I have used for many years. To wit: I click on 'About Firefox' and I can see the version number without any checks or updates starting without my consent. I am presented with a button to check for updates. If I click it, I am presented with either a message stating I am up to date, or an option to update without it automatically doing so. And only if I then click to confirm that I indeed want to update, it starts downloading said update and installing it. This is what I want back please. How do I make that happen? Thanks.

Have updated to FF 79 yesterday on a private computer (with admin privileges on my user).

Ever since, the browser options changed specifically:

1) In Help > About I cannot trigger an update anymore as the button is replaced by the message "Updates are deactivated by system administrator"

2) In Settings it reads "The browser is administrated by your organization".

Never seen this.

On another computer with the same antivirus software FF updated to 79, no trouble. On yet another machine with Win Defender only also no trouble after update.

Malware & antivirus scans both come up empty. Removed and re-installed FF already to no avail.

On the troubled machine some big Win Update is not yet made available by Microsoft...

Somebody knows what is going on?

Hi,

I get an Update notification & prompt (green arrow) in Firefox 63 every time I start it. I don't want to see it and I don't want to respond to the prompt. How do I do that? I have switched OFF all “app.update.auto” settings. It hasn't helped.

Secondly and more importantly, why have you REMOVED the "Never check for updates" option from Options? Its the most absurd and atrocious idea Firefox team has had. Do you want to become like all other commercial software vendors.

Would like to know who gave suggestion for the following brilliant idea? https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1420514

This SHOULD NOT be implemented else people will STOP using Firefox. Be AWARE and sure about it. Pls don't convert Firefox into commercial software.

Thanks Amal

EVERY time I run Firefox it tells me an update is available and asks to update. However, updates to firefox are handled through an external package manager so there is no reason for it to keep harassing me. Up until v.63 this was not a problem as I simply clicked "never check for updates" and let the package manager handle it - as it should. Now some bozo has decided to remove that and try to force an update that will completely screw up my package manager. WTF Mozilla! Are you trying to decrease your user base? Give us back the option to control our updates!

I have mozilla set to notify me when an update is ready but I just watched it update with no input from me.

example: [no input] Double click on the Firefox icon on the desktop and it says wait while we install the latest update. Then the little updater box with the progress bar opens showing update in progress. I DID NOT OK AN UPDATE!

How can I rely on software that does not follow settings? I am using Win 10 and the most current {NOW) firefox thanks to it updating without my permission. This is also why I now use Chrome as my default browser.

Firefox is periodically giving me a notification that there is an update available. It does this multiple times a day, generally appearing to happen if Firefox has been "not in active use" ie minimized for some period of time. I've already clicked "not now", so I shouldn't be seeing it anymore.

How do I disable it? I don't want to update unless I absolutely have to (ie back when all the addon certificates expired) due to Mozilla's penchant for making unwanted changes to the UI. I just want the notification to go away and not appear again.

As it is, this is basically a form of very annoying spam coming from the browser itself.

All I see in these community things are The QUESTIONS on the topic but NO SOLUTION. WHAT happened to Firefox, it used to actually WORK! Now it just ignores what I say and does it anyway. I have it checked and unchecked where it is suppose to be so that it DOES NOT update! YET it still does it! SO when is Firefox going to give SOLUTIONS instead of just adding another question to the same stuff... we know a lot of people are having the same problem... SO when are you guys going to wake up and FIX IT!

I must use an older version of FF otherwise the source code in my email app turns to mush. Although I have disabled updates they still keep updating. How do I stop them updating.

Hi there, after the last update, I getting from time to time the annoying information that there is an update available for firefox. How do I disbale the update information? Please only answer is your awnser is not like that: "updates are important....." or "its not possible"

It appears I can't just add a comment to another post to add a voice of support, so I'm forced to submit another duplicate post of: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1238020 https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1232918

There is no reason to remove functionality and force it on users. Unfortunately, Chrome is even worse at this kind of behaviour so for now I'm stuck on Firefox (downgraded to v 62), but as soon as there is a viable alternative you'll have lost a loyal user of several years because I see you do this again and again. Mozilla thinks that the most clueless among its users need their preferences adjusted, when it's only the rare power users who ever open an options dialog.

I don't want automatic updates, I don't want the distracting nags, and I want to be able to check and install them easily when I do decide to. In over a decade of working in IT I've had bad updates that broke the software, secretly downloaded and installed unwanted software or outright malware, replaced working drivers with incompatible ones, irreversibly damaged the OS installation, or disabled features that I rely on in everyday usage. What I never, ever, ever had is a problem because I didn't update the software the instant an update became available.

And a final note. "There is a way to prevent this but were not allowed to mention it " is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen on a support forum, and I've seen a lot of bad support forums. Please, please, please, Mozilla, start respecting your users again while you still have them.

Every time an update is published, a real risk exists an add-on won't work any more. Multirow Bookmarks is an example. In Firefux rel 64, the "never update" CHOICE for users is GONE. Mozilla just a little self-righteous there, maybe? I've used Firefox exclusively since release of Windows 3.1 and bragged on them often, but this is deplorable. How do I remove the constant pestering to update?

Stop the nagware. You are not my parent or my manager!

I have reasons for upgrading when and the way I do. Getting nagware several times a day is ludicrous. Getting it everyday is ludicrous.

The stated reason for removing the "don't update" option, which was used by most to remove the nagware, was to 'help' orphans or some such nonsense. If that was real you'd do it once a month maybe to make people aware. That is NOT what you are doing.

Your percentage of the market is deprecating because of nonsense like this. Also breaking all the wonderful extensions we used for years and years. You seem to have a habit of doing what you want, not what your user base wants. Have any of you ever worked for a commercial product? One that was successful?

I work and suddenly must stop because firefox need to update. It is very annoying. Is it really so hard give users control on it? Give me notice and I`ll update when finish my current part of work. And why I cant disable auto-updates in options? It is really bad way. I must think about change browser first time in many years.