Help me remove an app's update badge

[gogreen1]

I recently solved an update notification and badge problem for Catalina with the forum's help, but now I want to remove the update notification and badge for another app. How do I remove the badge for other software? I want to remove the badge for only the one app, not all notifications--just one specific app. Thanks.

 

[chabig]

There are two ways to remove the badge:

1. Update the app.
2. Delete that app from your computer.

 

[retta283]

There are two ways to remove the badge:

1. Update the app.
2. Delete that app from your computer.

What if the update breaks key functionality and he wants to get rid of the notification?

 

[gogreen1]

Thank you, chabig. That would work, but surely there has to be a way to remove the badge without deleting the app. I want the app, I just don't want to update it. Same idea as the Catalina solution provided here in a different thread, but for a different app.

 

[chabig]

I don't think there is a way to achieve what you want.

 

[retta283]

Possibly find a modified icon and swap them out, just copy the existing and add a white dot or something. Notification badges may override those though. You could also just remove the App Store from the dock.

 

[chabig]

You could also just remove the App Store from the dock.

This is the best answer so far!

 

[DeltaMac]

I know you said that you don't want to update a particular app - but, which app is that?

 

[jbarley]

I recently solved an update notification and badge problem for Catalina with the forum's help, but now I want to remove the update notification and badge for another app. How do I remove the badge for other software? I want to remove the badge for only the one app, not all notifications--just one specific app. Thanks.

If the new app store hide feature works the same as in the past, then clicking on this hide button for the app in question in the app store under your account should stop all efforts to update the app.

 

[Tech198]

There are two ways to remove the badge:

1. Update the app.
2. Delete that app from your computer.

and 3... If its listed in Notifications section..

Not all apps appear,,,, For example, VMWare fusion is listed and Transmission, but not VLC.

This is the best answer so far!

Ya, but then it defeats the purpose of having it there. You could just use Spotlight every time (quicker than going to Applications unless you use keyboard shortcut (Command+Shift+A) from desktop

 

[bogdanw]

According to Apple's documentation, it should be possible to disables software update notifications https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicemanagement/appstore
I've tried with

defaults write com.apple.appstore DisableSoftwareUpdateNotifications -bool TRUE

but the badge came back after restart.
I'm trying now with

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.appstore.plist DisableSoftwareUpdateNotifications -bool TRUE

So far, it survived one restart.

 

[gogreen1]

Thanks, but I don't to disable all software updates. I want to disable only one. I'm guessing there are Terminal commands for that, or a Terminal command, just as there are for disabling the Catalina update notices. But I have no idea what the syntax would be.

 

[DeltaMac]

That tip does not block updates, it simply prevents the display of update notifications - which is likely tied to the update badge. I think that you will still be able to scan manually for updates available whenever you want, and then you can choose at that time to update, or not update. You just won't be notified automatically that updates are available. That's your number badge that you have asked about on other threads as well. Isn't that what you want - no update badge?

Just curious - You said you really only want to disable one app. Which app is that?

 

[bogdanw]

I want to ignore Xcode because it's a big update and I don't need to use it for the moment. I want to ignore some other apps that are updated more than I use them. Those are small and I could just delete and reinstall when I need them.
I've tried without succes some suggestions found on-line (pkgutil --forget) and some guesswork (softwareupdate --ignore or adding InactiveUpdates to com.apple.AppStore or com.apple.appstored).
The DisableSoftwareUpdateNotifications was supposed to only disable notifications for app updates, it's more complicated to implement (requires creating a mobileconfig profile) and didn't work for me, even after signing the profile. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.
To get rid of the badge, I've found these solutions:
- delete the DockTile.docktileplugin folder from inside the App Store.app/Contents
- create an alias for App Store.app and drag the alias into the Dock
- create a launcher in Script Editor for App Store.app and drag it to the Dock
- create a simple app in Script Editor that deletes the badge.

 

[gogreen1]

I tried deleting the app and locating and getting rid of its remnants via EasyFind.app. I've also tried deleting com.apple.commerce.plist, com.apple.appstore.plist, com.apple.storeagent.plist, and com.apple.SoftwreUpdate.plist, all to no avail--that badge remains.

To get rid of the badge, I've found these solutions:
- delete the DockTile.docktileplugin folder from inside the App Store.app/Contents
- create an alias for App Store.app and drag the alias into the Dock
- create a launcher in Script Editor for App Store.app and drag it to the Dock
- create a simple app in Script Editor that deletes the badge.

Are the four steps you indicate all required, or is each a solution? I think I could perform these tasks, except creating a Script launcher and creating a simple app to delete the badge--how do I do these tasks? Thanks.

 

[bogdanw]

all to no avail--that badge remains.

As I mentioned in the other thread, the badge can be temporary deleted with

defaults delete com.apple.AppStore appStoreBadgeCount; defaults delete com.apple.appstored BadgeCount; killall Dock

Are the four steps you indicate all required, or is each a solution?

No, each is a different solution.

Creating an alias in Terminal

ln -s "/Applications/App Store.app" "/Applications/App Store"

remove App Store from the Dock and drag the App Store alias created in /Applications


Creating a launcher: open Script Editor, copy-paste

do shell script "open '/Applications/App Store.app'"

and save it as an app. Change the app’s icon with that of the App Store and drag the app to the Dock.

An app that temporary deletes the badge: open Script Editor, copy-paste

try
    do shell script "defaults delete com.apple.AppStore appStoreBadgeCount"
end try
try
    do shell script "defaults delete com.apple.appstored BadgeCount"
end try
do shell script "killall Dock"

and save it as an app.

 

[gogreen1]

Thank you, bogdanw. I created App Store.app, removed the App Store from the Dock, and replaced it with the app I created. The badge is gone, and it appears it's gone permanently because it did not appear on restart, so I think (I hope) I have this problem solved. The App Store itself still has the update indicated, but at least the badge is gone. Thanks again!

 

[bogdanw]

I might have found the proper way of disabling the notification badge for App Store. The setting is located in ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.ncprefs.plist and to disable it you have edit the file with Prefs Editor, TextWrangler or something similar. Search for com.apple.appstore and in flags change the last number to 0 (zero). Save the file and log out, the badge should be gone. Here is how it looks in TextWrangler after I changed the initial value 8342 to 8340.

 

[gogreen1]

I edited the file, but the "1" indication still appears in the App Store itself. Heck, I can live with that. It was the Dock items that really bothered me. It's gone now.

 

[katbel]

According to Apple's documentation, it should be possible to disables software update notifications https://developer.apple.com/documentation/devicemanagement/appstore
I've tried with

defaults write com.apple.appstore DisableSoftwareUpdateNotifications -bool TRUE

but the badge came back after restart.
I'm trying now with

sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.appstore.plist DisableSoftwareUpdateNotifications -bool TRUE

So far, it survived one restart.

Thanks! What I was looking for!
I don't mind the badge though, it tells me I can check for other apps I would want to update but without being annoyed by the notification, that in HighSierra doesn't give you too many choices
Now or tomorrow

 

[sackmesser]

What happens when you rename the app?

 

[katbel]

What happens when you rename the app?

I guess you should rename the one inside the pkg content because from what I saw so far, browsing terminal commands, this is the one that triggers the update but you will break the app that will no longer work

 

[golfnut1982]

sudo softwareupdate --reset-ignored

 

[katbel]

The only thing that worked for me is

The Terminal method temporarily moves “OSXNotification.bundle” from its original location in the /Library/Bundles/ folder to your user accountʼs default Documents folder.
“OSXNotification.bundle” is a small Apple-signed bundle that controls macOS upgrade notifications. Reverting the change puts the file back in its original location.

I'm adding that works only if you compress the “OSXNotification.bundle” that you put in another folder and delete the non compressed one
I've been off notification since 1 week 😊 and I still have two apps to update. I prefer to have the red badge since at least I know I have some updates in case I need it