The Unsolicited Upgrades
macOS can automatically download and install updates for applications you obtained through the Mac App Store. While keeping apps up to date is generally good practice, automatic updates can be disruptive. A critical creative tool might change its interface after an update, breaking your muscle memory during a deadline-driven project. A utility you rely on for a specific workflow might remove a feature you depended upon. Professional audio and video plugins can lose compatibility with your DAW or editor after a silent update. On laptops with limited storage, large app updates can fill your remaining disk space without warning. And on metered internet connections, background downloads consume bandwidth you may need for other tasks.
Disabling Automatic App Store Updates
To stop macOS from automatically updating your App Store applications in the background, you must disable the auto-update setting in System Settings and the App Store preferences.
Click the Apple Logo in the top-left corner and select System Settings. In the left-hand sidebar, click on General. Select Software Update. Click the info (i) button next to “Automatic updates” (or click “Advanced” on older macOS versions). In the detailed options, uncheck the box labelled Install application updates from the App Store. You can leave “Download new updates when available” checked if you want macOS to pre-download updates for manual installation later, or uncheck it to prevent any background downloading. Click Done. Additionally, open the App Store application, go to App Store > Settings… (from the menu bar), and uncheck the Automatic Updates toggle. This double-ensures that no automatic installations occur. You can still update any app manually at any time by opening the App Store and clicking the Updates tab.