The Bandwidth Hog
By default, Ubuntu Linux is configured to automatically check for system updates, download the necessary packages in the background, and then prompt you to install them. While this is an excellent security practice for average users, it can be problematic if you are on a metered internet connection, using a mobile hotspot, or if you need absolute control over when your system consumes bandwidth and disk space. If you prefer to manage updates manually via the terminal, you need to disable the automated background downloading tool.
How to Disable Auto-Downloads via GUI
If you are using the standard Ubuntu desktop, the easiest way to stop background downloads is through the Software & Updates graphical utility.
1. Press the Super key (Windows key) to open the Activities overview, type Software & Updates, and press Enter to launch the application.
2. Click on the Updates tab at the top of the window.
3. Look for the dropdown menu labelled Automatically check for updates.
4. Change this setting from “Daily” to Never.
5. Look for the dropdown menu labelled When there are security updates.
6. Change this setting to Display immediately (this stops the system from downloading them without asking).
7. Click the Close button. The system will prompt you to reload your software repositories; click Reload.
How to Disable Unattended Upgrades via Terminal
If you are running an Ubuntu Server or prefer the command line, you must disable the `unattended-upgrades` package, which is responsible for the automated downloading and installation of security patches.
1. Open your terminal application (Ctrl+Alt+T).
2. Open the configuration file using a text editor with root privileges:
sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades
3. You will see lines that look like this:
APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "1";
4. Change the “1” (which means enabled) to a “0” (which means disabled) on both lines.
5. Save the file (Ctrl+O, Enter) and exit (Ctrl+X).
Your Ubuntu system will now never check for, download, or install updates automatically. You must manually run sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade when you are ready to update your system.