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How to Disable Galaxy S6 Automatic App Updates

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When you buy your brand new Samsung Galaxy S6 and get things all set up, you’re probably going to get a notification that there are tons of apps that need updated out of the box. Our own unit had 45 app updates available. Once you get everything set up it’s a good idea to update all of the apps, and here we’ll explain how to manage or disable automatic app updates in the future on your Galaxy S6.

The new Galaxy S6 is loaded with tons of features, options, and advanced controls and sometimes it can get a bit confusing. One thing we constantly get questions about are apps that update automatically, so here we’ll explain how to disable that from happening on your new GS6.

Read: 5 Best Galaxy S6 Wallet Cases

If you don’t want your device updating on its own, or rather not be bothered by tons of notifications to update apps on your Galaxy S6 almost every day there are a few easy ways to solve the problem. The Google Play Store has a few simple and easy to find settings to do this, and the images below will show you what settings to change. Something extremely helpful to first-time smartphone owners, or beginners.

Samsung nails it with the Galaxy S6 Edge.

It is extremely easy to set up the Galaxy S6 to update all your apps automatically. In fact, apps are updated automatically without any interaction from you. That’s the default setting out of the box. That said, many don’t want this, or want to only update over Wi-Fi to save data and not go over their carrier allotment. Whether or not you should do this is up to you, and here’s how.

Instructions

This is a setting that isn’t in the Galaxy S6 system or phone settings, and instead has everything to do with the Google Play Store where you get games, apps, or music. Simply head to the Google Play Store by tapping the icon on your homescreen, or by finding it in your application tray.

Once you’re in the Google Play Store users will need to tap the top left (3-lines) menu button next to the “Play Store” writing. This retrieves a slide-out settings menu from the left, and this is where you’ll head to settings for the Google Play Store. Tap the slide-out menu, then select “Settings” near the bottom from the list of options.

S6-apps

This will bring you to the general settings for the Google Play Store. In here you’ll see the first option listed is “Auto-update apps” and you’ll want to select this. You’ll then see a popup appear with three options. Likely it’s set to automatically update apps, which is nice, but if you want to disable that you can do so here as well.

Simply tap to select “Do not auto-update apps” and you’ll have to manually update apps moving forward. However, this means you’ll constantly get notifications that new apps need to be updated, and it won’t do anything automatically. I prefer to control what apps update, and when, so this is the setting I use.

S6-updates

You’ll also notice an option to auto-update apps whenever, no matter what connection you’re using. This will use your 1, 2, or 5GB data plan, and could have you reaching your limits if you download music, movies, or big games. This confirms data charges may apply, so you’d probably want to set it for the other option, which is over WiFi only.

It’s best to update apps over WiFi to save data, not to mention many home internet connections or WiFi spots have faster speeds than your smartphone. It’s also worth noting that in here you can also uncheck the feature that automatically puts icons on your homescreen whenever you download an app. This is nice, but if you download a lot you’ll quickly fill up all those homescreens with icons. Keep it clean, and disable this while you’re in here.

What Should You Choose?

Casual smartphone users or those new to Android may just want to let the smartphone do everything for them. I know my parents hate getting notifications for updates all the time, so they have it set to auto. Personally, I’d rather control what updates, and look at changelogs and permission requests, so I do it all manually.

If you use auto-update you won’t know what’s new, because you didn’t read it when updating the app. You’ll just notice changes to popular apps like Facebook, YouTube, or even games you may enjoy.

In the end it’s all about personal preference. How much time you want to spend messing with things and manually updating apps, or just letting your phone do all the work for you. Select what’s best for you, and change it as you see fit.

22 Comments

22 Comments

  1. Andrew

    04/24/2015 at 1:53 am

    Thank you sir. Easy, smart, and simple. well done.

  2. Seymor

    05/07/2015 at 1:41 pm

    Thank you Galaxy 6 God. You have made an old man very happy. No automatic updates for me.

  3. oliver

    05/15/2015 at 12:43 am

    It still auto updates after changing the settings to say not :(

    • Gabe (@Spazmattik)

      07/14/2015 at 4:53 am

      Mine does the same thing, it auto updates Facebook even when I turn the setting off.

      • Andrew

        08/17/2015 at 7:13 am

        You need to do the same thing with Galaxy Apps. Click on it, then Galaxy Apps drop down menu on top left, then settings, and then turn off auto update apps.

        • Doug

          03/11/2016 at 11:47 am

          “Click on it” – click on what????

        • Doug

          03/11/2016 at 11:51 am

          Never mind, found it. Under Apps, there is the Galaxy Apps icon. Open that, then proceed as explained.

  4. Richard

    06/11/2015 at 12:37 pm

    Thank you.this makes using the s6 much more fun

  5. candes

    07/31/2015 at 8:58 pm

    But still my s6 shows updates of fb, Google etc..

  6. Carl

    08/01/2015 at 9:35 am

    Stopping Google Play updates is easy, How do you stop the Samsung Apps updater updating?

  7. Andrew

    08/17/2015 at 7:11 am

    You need to do the same thing with Galaxy Apps. Click on it, then Galaxy Apps drop down menu on top left, then settings, and then turn off auto update apps.

  8. Becky

    11/22/2015 at 2:13 pm

    Easy to understand. Thank you.

  9. Merlin

    11/23/2015 at 2:04 am

    Really thankful for this information. God bless you!

  10. Joe

    12/19/2015 at 8:03 am

    I have auto-updates off, but some apps still update on their own – apps I don’t even use or want, ones I can’t seem to delete, like Samsung Pay. Any suggestions what to do with those?

  11. ILHR

    01/16/2016 at 6:47 am

    Perfectly illustrated solution and detailed with suggestions. Thanks for it. This will save my data usage a way lot.

  12. dooki doons

    04/06/2016 at 1:40 am

    there is NO galaxy app icon on my phone! wtf

  13. Kim Bailey

    09/03/2016 at 12:26 am

    I also don’t have a galaxy app icon. What’s the solution?

  14. Sharon

    11/12/2016 at 6:48 am

    Still updates them even though you check the DO NOT AUTO UPDATE

  15. Phyllis

    11/27/2016 at 2:45 pm

    It was still auto-updating for me after going through the google play store.

    I saw Andrew’s reply, about having to do the same with the ‘Galaxy apps’. But mine does not have the option to turn it off. When I go into the Galaxy app settings, Under ‘auto update apps’ I see ‘turn off’ via wifi only’ and ‘whenever available’ I selected turn off.
    But there is another category called ‘Auto update Samsung Galaxy Apps’ and it only gives the options for ‘Via Wi-fi only’ and ‘Whenever available’

    I got this phone last week and it has auto updated one game three times. Its very annoying.

  16. Noelle

    03/16/2017 at 7:07 am

    My S6 is set up to update over wifi only, but this morning it did a system update over cellular without my telling it to do so. I saw that there was an update, but haven’t allowed it to bc of a time factor. At work, I turn off my wifi bc it’s not secure and slow. I glanced at my phone earlier only to see it updating. When it was done, it was not connected to wifi, and it said 4GLTE. Why did it update?

  17. Joao Pires

    05/14/2017 at 12:08 am

    Thank you very much for your time.
    In the Google Play I only have 2 opinions… Update only with Wi-Fi or Always update.
    This equipment is a piece of… :-(
    I had one S2 2xS4 but, this S6 is really crappie
    :-(

  18. Eileen

    08/26/2017 at 4:25 am

    Thank you – that was very simple and easy to disable automatic updates.

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