The Forced Updates
Google Chrome is designed to update itself automatically in the background. While this is generally an excellent security feature that keeps you protected from zero-day vulnerabilities, there are specific scenarios where forced updates are highly disruptive. If you are a developer testing a web application on a specific older build of Chrome, or if an enterprise internal tool breaks on the newest browser version, you need Chrome to stay exactly as it is. Unfortunately, Google does not provide a simple “Turn off updates” button in the standard Chrome settings menu.
How to Disable Chrome Updates via System Services
Chrome relies on a background Windows Service called the “Google Update Service” to check for and install new versions. Disabling this service is the most reliable way to prevent Chrome from updating.
1. Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type services.msc and press Enter to open the Windows Services manager.
3. Scroll down the alphabetical list until you find two services:
- Google Update Service (gupdate)
- Google Update Service (gupdatem)
4. Double-click on the first one (gupdate) to open its Properties window.
5. In the “Startup type” drop-down menu, change the setting from “Automatic” to Disabled.
6. Click Apply, then click OK.
7. Repeat steps 4 through 6 for the second service (gupdatem).
With both of these services disabled, Chrome will no longer be able to phone home to download new versions in the background.
How to Rename the Update Folder (The Nuclear Option)
If Chrome somehow manages to restart the services and update anyway, you can break the updater executable directly by renaming its folder. This physically prevents the updater from running.
1. Open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to your C: drive, then go to: Program Files (x86)\Google\ (or just Program Files\Google\ depending on your installation).
3. You will see a folder named Update.
4. Right-click the Update folder and select Rename.
5. Change the name to something else, like Update.disabled.
6. Press Enter. You will likely be prompted to provide Administrator permission to make this change; click Continue.
Now, when Chrome tries to trigger the update process, it will look for the “Update” folder, fail to find it, and gracefully give up, leaving your browser frozen on its current version.