You can turn off automatic updates on a Samsung Galaxy in under a minute. Go to Settings > Software update and switch off Auto download over Wi-Fi. Your phone stops pulling down One UI and security updates on its own, and you decide when to install them.
There’s more. Apps from the Play Store and Galaxy Store have their own update switches, and many Galaxy phones hide one more toggle in Developer options. I will show you all four, and what you give up when you turn them off.
Why turn off automatic updates on a Samsung phone?
Most people should leave updates on. Still, I get why you’d want more control.
A big One UI release can ship with bugs. When One UI 9 started rolling out, some owners ended up with phones that froze or got stuck after the update, which is why I wrote this fix guide for Galaxy phones stuck after the One UI 9 update. Waiting a week or two for other people to find the problems is a fair call if you rely on your phone for work.
Here are the other common reasons:
- You are on a small data plan or slow Wi-Fi, and a full One UI upgrade can run into several gigabytes.
- You flashed firmware with Odin or changed something in the system, and an OTA could fail or undo your work.
- You want to back up your phone first and install the update on your own time.
How to stop automatic software updates on a Samsung Galaxy
This is the main switch. It controls One UI upgrades and monthly security patches.
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap Software update.
- Turn off the switch next to Auto download over Wi-Fi.
- If your phone also shows an option to install updates automatically overnight, turn that off too.
That’s it. Your Galaxy will still check for new firmware and show a notification when one is out. It just won’t download anything until you tap Download and install yourself.
One thing to know about carrier phones. On some US carrier models from Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, the Auto download over Wi-Fi switch is missing or greyed out. The carrier controls that, and there’s no setting you can change to get it back.
How to turn off Auto update system in Developer options
Android has its own system update toggle inside Developer options. On many Galaxy phones it shows up as Auto update system. It decides whether an update that’s already downloaded gets applied the next time your phone restarts.
Not every Galaxy model has it, so don’t worry if you can’t find it.
- Open Settings > About phone > Software information.
- Tap Build number seven times, then enter your PIN, pattern or password.
- Go back to the main Settings screen and tap Developer options at the very bottom.
- Find Auto update system and turn it off.
Leave the rest of the Developer options menu alone unless you know what a setting does.
How to stop apps from updating automatically
System updates and app updates are separate. Turning off one doesn’t touch the other. Samsung explains the app side on its support page for managing app updates, and here’s the short version.
Google Play Store (all apps)
- Open the Play Store and tap your profile picture at the top right.
- Tap Settings, then Network preferences.
- Tap Auto-update apps.
- Select Don’t auto-update apps. If you only want to save mobile data, pick Update over Wi-Fi only instead.
Google Play Store (one app)
- Open the Play Store, tap your profile picture and go to Manage apps & device.
- Open the Manage tab and tap the app.
- Tap the three-dot menu at the top right and uncheck Enable auto update.
This is handy when a new version of one app breaks something and you want to stay on the old one for a while.
Galaxy Store
- Open the Galaxy Store and tap Menu at the bottom right.
- Tap the gear icon to open Settings.
- Tap Auto update apps and choose Never. Pick the Wi-Fi option instead if you just want to avoid mobile data.
The Galaxy Store updates Samsung’s own apps like Samsung Internet, Samsung Notes and Good Lock modules, so this one matters more than people think.
How to install updates manually after turning auto download off
Once auto download is off, updating is on you. It only takes a few taps.
- Back up your phone first. My Galaxy backup guide covers Samsung Cloud, Smart Switch and Google.
- Connect to Wi-Fi and charge the phone to at least 50 percent.
- Go to Settings > Software update > Download and install.
- Tap Download, then Install now when it’s ready.
Want to know if a new build is out before your phone tells you? Check our Samsung security update tracker. If the update shows up there but not on your phone, here is why it’s not showing yet.
Should you keep security updates off?
Not for long. Every month Samsung patches real security holes in Android and One UI, and its security bulletin lists dozens of fixes each time.
My advice is simple. Turn off auto download if you want control, but install each security update within a week or two. You can check your security patch level any time to see how far behind you are.
And if your phone has stopped getting patches altogether, look up your model in our Samsung update policy page.
FAQ
Can I stop Samsung updates completely?
Not with a normal setting. Turning off Auto download over Wi-Fi stops automatic downloads, but your Galaxy will keep reminding you that an update is waiting. Some carrier models push updates no matter what.
Does turning off auto download stop downloads on mobile data?
It should, since Samsung’s automatic downloads happen over Wi-Fi. A few owners on the Samsung Community have reported downloads on mobile data anyway, so keep an eye on it if your data plan is small.
Will I miss an update if I turn this off?
No. The phone still checks for updates and shows a notification. You can also open Settings > Software update > Download and install at any time.
Can I go back to the old version after updating?
Usually not. Samsung blocks downgrades once the bootloader version in the firmware build number goes up. That’s the best reason to wait a few days before installing a big One UI update.
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