When you install Google Chrome, you're not just getting a browser. Google's automatic update software gets installed behind the scenes on your Mac, without your consent. This how-to explains why it's there, how to manage it and how to delete it if you don't need it.
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Iphone Software Updates Uninstall
Google Updater makes the software installation process more convenient in several ways. First, it streamlines the software installation process. Also, once Google Updater is installed, you can see which Google software you have already installed. Finally, Google Updater provides you with a central place for discovering and downloading more. Google's automatic update software gets installed behind the scenes on your Mac, without your consent. This how-to explains why it's there, how to manage it and how to delete it if you don't need it. Manually run Google Software Update. Another option would be that you disable the Google Software Update program from automatically checking the Internet for updates and manually update any Google software on your Mac. $ defaults write com.google.Keystone.Agent checkInterval 0. Dec 19, 2008 NOTE: Make sure the -uninstall portion of the command actually has two dash characters. It's possible your browser replaced the two dashes with a single dash character. If you have something like the Google Gears plugin installed in your browser, you should either uninstall the Gears plugin or use it with caution. The Google Software Update is meant to help keep your Gears plugin.
All Mac users should be aware that when they install Google Chrome on their Mac, additional software is installed that is able to conduct automatic updates. In general, this is a Good Thing™, except for two things.
1. The user isn't notified that the software is being installed, nor given the option to decline. As a result, a false perception is created that the user is only installing a browser.
2. The update software has a fairly aggressive update cycle and has also been blamed for slowing a Mac down in a mysterious way. [Perhaps the update server wasn't responding.]
What You Need to Know
1. If you install any Google software on your Mac, such as Chrome, Hangouts, Earth, and so on, a Launch Agent and supporting software are also installed.
2. A check is made every 5 hours (18,000 seconds) to see if there's an update for one of the Google apps.
3. If you don't want to delete this auto update software but manage it instead, you can change the time interval of the checks to your liking.
4. If you elect to delete all your Google apps, not just one of several, you may want, for the sake of tidiness, to remove all the Google software. But if you run, say, Chrome again, it will all be re-installed.
Note: many Mac users disable or delete Adobe Flash from their Macs (or Windows) and use Google Chrome, with its built-in version of Flash, only when necessary to view a Flash video. WIth that in mind, it's a good idea to let Chrome always update itself with the latest version of Flash.
Software Locations
In your own account's Library, that is, /Users/your_account_name/Library as well as the the System Library, that is, Macintosh HD/Library/ look for these files. [If your own Library directory isn't visible, here's how to fix that.]
For example,
If you decide that you're done with all Google software and the auto-updater, delete the directory and files listed above plus the Google apps from your Applications directory.
Inspection & Awareness
If you're keeping the auto-updater and want to get a feel for what Google software is installed, when it was checked, and what update interval is, enter this command from the terminal.
It will look something like this, depending on the Google apps you have installed.
Change the Update Interval
If you'd like change the interval when the check is made, select the desired interval in hours and multiply by 3,600. For example, if you want the interval to be every 48 hours, calculate 48 x 3600 = 172800.
Then, enter this command in the terminal. [Copy and paste is always a good idea.]
If you want to leave the software installed for future use but don't want any checks to occur for the time being, use a time interval of 0, a numeric zero. For example:
This is probably the best course of action for a temporary disable because the Google software takes up an insignificant amount of space on your drive, is always there if you need it, and you can enable it at any time with a non-zero update interval. In that case, revert to Google's default of 18000 seconds.
Final Thoughts
If you use Chrome as an alternative for viewing essential Flash videos, you should consider leaving the updater software as-is with its default update interval. Otherwise, you might forget to re-enable and software won't get its security updates.
Some observers have reacted strongly to this surreptitious installation of auto-updater, but in this era of constant security updates, knowledge of the software and the means to manage it is a better course than a hasty scrubbing.
Uninstall Software Update On Android
When installing desirable software for good, it’s nice to be kept advised of updates. One way to do that is through a Mac OS X mechanism called launch agents. They activate a request to check for updates. However, after you’ve deleted experimental software, those update checks can linger and consume system resources. Here’s how to delete them.
Sometimes those software update agents are innocuous. But other times, they’ll leave behind remnants of themselves, for example Menu Bar items. Or they’ll constantly pop up in Little Snitch, if you use that, begging for permission. It can get a little annoying. At the very least, it’s messy to leave these persistent messengers around (that phone home) after you’ve deleted experimental software.
The first place to look for remnant agents is in System Preferences -> Accounts -> Login Items to see if any agents are still being launched at login. If you don’t see anything suspicious there, look in:
~/Library/LaunchAgents (local)
/Library/LaunchAgents (global)
In the case of Google’s Chrome, it installed a launch agent on my system in my local Library.
Google’s Chrome Launch Agent
If you see something like this, and know you don’t want it around anymore, you can just delete the file. In this case: com.google.keystone.agent.plist. Then, at your convenience, restart to reset the tasks for launchd.
In general, when a new application comes with a .pkg installer, one must be on guard because an installer will often install other files, in addition to the app in /Applications. One tip: it asks for an admin password. If you want to be extra cautious, you can inspect all the files that will be installed by looking at the installer’s File menu -> Show files.
However, some apps, simply dragged to /Applications, when launched, can also sneakily insert files into other locations in your system, for example, Chrome. Vigilance (and a tool like Little Snitch) can smoke out these unwanted tidbits of code in your system after you’ve deleted the primary app.