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Stop Microsoft Edge Auto Update

R

RS2

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 4, 2011
84
17
Has anyone managed to use this workaround with a plist file to turn off automatic updates for Microsoft Edge?

Microsoft Edge for macOS switches from Microsoft AutoUpdate to EdgeUpdater

Code: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd>
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>updatePolicies</key>
    <dict>
        <key>global</key>
        <dict>
            <key>UpdateDefault</key>
            <integer>3</integer>
        </dict>
    </dict>
</dict>
</plist>
 
Last edited:
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There was no answer to my question but if you must know we never allow any third party software to automatically update and especially not any Microsoft apps.
 
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Then why don't you remove Microsoft Edge from you Apple device and use something else, something that you already have there, like Apple Safari?

Look. Every software has/had always problems, bugs, security holes etc. Programmers have always tried to fix these bugs, with more or less success. The problem is that as time goes on, newer versions of programs come out faster and faster, and old bugs either remain or new ones are added. The bugs and holes in the old programs will not be fixed.

So, if you turn off automatic updates, it just means that you will be exposed to certain dangers. But that's your choice.

There is a way, that you could make a custom plist, that will disable the Edge Updater. But I don't have further instructions.
 
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I couldn't care less about your comments because you clearly don't understand the need for device management within organizations and businesses. My question was if anyone had tried and implemented the official Microsoft device configuration profile solution since it doesn't work for us. I didn't say we don't update any software but we do it centralized by device management.
 
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I have to do some more testing but I think we used the wrong value for the UpdateDefault key.

Code: 
(0) Always allow updates - Updates are always applied when found, either by periodic update check or by a manual update check.
(1) Automatic silent updates only - Updates are applied only when they're found by the periodic update check.
(2) Manual updates only - Updates are applied only when the user runs a manual update check.
(3) Updates disabled - Updates are never applied.
 
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I think it’s possible with a configuration profile (.mobileconfig) as well.

Code: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>PayloadContent</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>ComponentUpdatesEnabled</key>
            <false/>
            <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
            <string>Microsoft Edge</string>
            <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
            <string>com.microsoft.Edge.467A7DA1-CEFF-497D-B275-A4C9622FC358</string>
            <key>PayloadType</key>
            <string>com.microsoft.Edge</string>
            <key>PayloadUUID</key>
            <string>467A7DA1-CEFF-497D-B275-A4C9622FC358</string>
            <key>PayloadVersion</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
            <key>UpdatePolicyOverride</key>
            <string>0</string>
        </dict>
    </array>
    <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>EdgeUpdates</string>
    <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>MBA.3C893FA6-CE14-422C-9E54-0D17FD4488D4</string>
    <key>PayloadScope</key>
    <string>System</string>
    <key>PayloadType</key>
    <string>Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadUUID</key>
    <string>D89256F2-5301-4AF2-B8D5-1F9F31456F41</string>
    <key>PayloadVersion</key>
    <integer>1</integer>
    <key>TargetDeviceType</key>
    <integer>5</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

edge://policy/
EdgePolicy.jpg
 
RS2 said:
Microsoft Edge for macOS switches from Microsoft AutoUpdate to EdgeUpdater
Click to expand...
FWIW, it seems that this switch didn't happen automatically for me. I just checked now and Edge was still showing up in Microsoft AutoUpdate even though it was already on version 113...and no updates were found (last updated 26 May 2023).

I then went to "About Microsoft Edge" (edge://settings/help) to check for updates there. There was an "Automatically Update Microsoft Edge for All Users" button to click. After clicking that and entering in my password to allow it to run in the background (it added three files to my /Library/LaunchDaemons folder), it promoted Edge to use EdgeUpdater and it no longer shows up in Microsoft AutoUpdate anymore. It also updated Edge to version 114.

So that may be another thing to check. Make sure Edge is actually using EdgeUpdater and that it doesn't show up in Microsoft AutoUpdate. I understand that you don't want automatic updates, as that button implies; but that seems to have switched the update mechanism for me. I assume Edge needs to be using EdgeUpdater in order for the plist file to work.
 
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bogdanw said:
I think it’s possible with a configuration profile (.mobileconfig) as well.
Click to expand...

Yes that would probably also work but I would check the UpdatePolicyOverride policy.

UpdatePolicyOverride

Code: 
(automatic-silent-only) Automatic silent updates only - Updates are applied only when they're found by the periodic update check.
(manual-only) Manual updates only - Updates are applied only when the user runs a manual update check. (Not all apps provide an interface for this option.)

<key>UpdatePolicyOverride</key>
<string>manual-only</string>
 
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iStorm said:
So that may be another thing to check. Make sure Edge is actually using the new EdgeUpdater and that it doesn't show up in Microsoft AutoUpdate. I understand that you don't want automatic updates, but that seems to have switched the update mechanism for me...and I assume it'd work with EdgeUpdater plist file now.
Click to expand...

EdgeUpdater was located in ~/Library/Application\ Support/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater/ for a while but has now been relocated to /Library/Application\ Support/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater and is run with root as user.
 
Last edited:
RS2 said:
Has anyone managed to use this workaround with a plist file to turn off automatic updates for Microsoft Edge?

Microsoft Edge for macOS switches from Microsoft AutoUpdate to EdgeUpdater

Code: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd>
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>updatePolicies</key>
    <dict>
        <key>global</key>
        <dict>
            <key>UpdateDefault</key>
            <integer>0</integer>
        </dict>
    </dict>
</dict>
</plist>
Click to expand...
Did you get this to work? If so, what were the steps?
 
calvin200001 said:
Did you get this to work? If so, what were the steps?
Click to expand...

I haven't been successful stopping updates yet.

My reason for needing the workaround is due to an older machine that runs High Sierra. Brilliant Microsoft Edge keeps auto-updating past the last version 116 release and thereby kills itself as version 117+ requires macOS 10.15+.

So every 2-3 days, it breaks itself and I have to reinstall version 116. Ridiculous. :rolleyes:

If anyone finds a suitable workaround, please share.

-b.
 
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calvin200001 said:
Did you get this to work? If so, what were the steps?
Click to expand...
It worked at first but then it stopped with the EdgeUpdater version (109.0.1518.107). I suspect the values for the UpdateDefault key are incorrect or mixed up. I have been looking for a solution and have also asked Jamf but to no avail. The whole situation is ridiculous and the documentation from Microsoft is lacking. You also have to install the update policie as a configuration profile as @bogdanw posted above.
 
I'm also looking for a solution to turn off edgeupdater. I still use Mojave. Edge is no longer support this version but still auto download and install updates although they are incompletable. I have to use time machine to recover the old version every second days. Anyone know how to turn off the edgeupdater? or at least stay in the completable version?
 
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Permanently stop Edge update by deleting the EdgeUpdater version, locking the EdgeUpdater folder and deleting the EdgeUpdater LaunchDaemons.
From Terminal:
Code: 
sudo rm -rf /Library/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater/* 
sudo chflags schg /Library/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater
sudo rm -rf /Library/Application\ Support/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater/*
sudo chflags schg /Library/Application\ Support/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater
sudo rm -f /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.microsoft.EdgeUpdater.*

If or when needed, Edge can be updated with Microsoft AutoUpdate or by downloading and installing a new build from https://www.microsoft.com/edge/business/download

EdgeUpdater.jpg
 
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bogdanw said:
Permanently stop Edge update by deleting the EdgeUpdater version, locking the EdgeUpdater folder and deleting the EdgeUpdater LaunchDaemons.
From Terminal:
Code: 
sudo rm -rf /Library/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater/*
sudo chflags schg /Library/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater
sudo rm -rf /Library/Application\ Support/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater/*
sudo chflags schg /Library/Application\ Support/Microsoft/EdgeUpdater
sudo rm -f /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.microsoft.EdgeUpdater.*

If or when needed, Edge can be updated with Microsoft AutoUpdate or by downloading and installing a new build from https://www.microsoft.com/edge/business/download

View attachment 2277650
Click to expand...

I'll give it another try. I would have thought "chmod -R a-w . " executed as root on the EdgeUpdater folder would have accomplished the same, but the system just made a new folder under the EdgeUpdater root and proceeded to update to version 117 again.

Perhaps not zapping the daemon was where I went wrong. Pretty annoying!

-b.
 
carrisco said:
I'll give it another try. I would have thought "chmod -R a-w . " executed as root on the EdgeUpdater folder would have accomplished the same, but the system just made a new folder under the EdgeUpdater root and proceeded to update to version 117 again.

Perhaps not zapping the daemon was where I went wrong. Pretty annoying!

-b.
Click to expand...
As you posted above, the daemon runs as root. Running as root means that the usual permissions are effectively ignored. Root can write or read anywhere, even if the permission bits are 000.

The chflags schg listed above sets a lock flag that's similar to locking a file or folder in Finder. The difference is that the schg flag can only be removed when booted into single-user mode. See: man chflags.
 
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I'd love a solution to stopping the auto check. Mine currently run a check every 5 minutes exactly and it causes a severe hang on my system.
 
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