How to Disable Automatic Updates in Ubuntu

Automatic updates are meant to keep your Ubuntu system secure and up-to-date. But sometimes, you want full control over when and what gets updated—especially on servers, workstations, or systems with specific software needs. Here’s how you can disable automatic updates in Ubuntu without breaking anything.

Why Turn Off Automatic Updates?

• You want to avoid sudden restarts.
• You need to keep system behavior predictable for critical applications.
• You prefer to review updates before installing.

Let’s get straight to the steps.

1. Turn Off Unattended Upgrades

Ubuntu uses a package called unattended-upgrades to handle automatic updates. Disabling it is simple.

Method A: Command Line

Open your terminal and run:

sudo systemctl stop unattended-upgrades
sudo systemctl disable unattended-upgrades

This stops the service and stops it from starting on boot.

Method B: Remove the Package

If you don’t need it at all, you can remove it:

sudo apt-get remove unattended-upgrades

2. Change Update Settings (Graphical Way)

If you’re on Ubuntu Desktop, you can do this via the Software & Updates tool:

1. Open Software & Updates from your applications menu.
2. Go to the Updates tab.
3. Find “Automatically check for updates” and set it to Never.
4. Set “When there are security updates” to Display immediately or Never if you want zero interruptions.

3. Edit APT Configuration

For more control, edit the APT configuration directly.

Open this file in your favorite editor:

sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades

You’ll see lines like:

APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "1";
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "1";

Change both values to 0:

APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists "0";
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade "0";

Save and exit.

4. Double-Check (Optional)

Run this to be sure nothing is scheduled:

systemctl status unattended-upgrades

You should see it’s inactive or not found (if you removed it).

Should You Turn Off Automatic Updates?

Be aware: Disabling automatic updates means you’re responsible for keeping your system patched. Schedule manual updates regularly to stay safe:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Wrap Up

Automatic updates in Ubuntu are easy to turn off if you know where to look. Just remember to keep an eye on security updates yourself. Total control, no surprises.

Have questions? Drop them in the comments below.

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!