How can I check the version of Google Chrome without it upgrading itself without asking me?

google-chrome automatic-update google-updates

16,611

Solution 1

How can I check the version of Google Chrome without it upgrading itself without asking me?

Below are some possibilities.

Type `chrome://version` in the Chrome address bar

The version number will be displayed:

Check using "Programs and Features"

In the "Start" menu of Windows select "Control Panel" then select "Programs and Features".

The version number will be displayed in the last column:

Turn off Google Update, then type `chrome://version` in the Chrome address bar

To check for the update, Google Chrome uses two System Services namely Google Update (gupdate) and Google Update (gupdatem). So, to turn off automatic update in Google Chrome, we have to disable these Google services.

You can disable these services easily from the System Configuration window. Follow these steps to know how to turn off automatic updates in Google Chrome.

Note: Turning off auto-updates should be done with caution. You may not receive the latest security updates if you do not auto-update or manually update Google Chrome frequently.

Close the Google Chrome browser. Make sure you save all open tabs in Chrome if you want to restore them later.

Press WindowsR. It will open the "Run command" dialogue box.

Type, "msconfig" in the box and press enter. It will open the "System Configuration" Window.

In the "System Configuration" window, select the "Services" tab.

At the bottom, check the box "Hide All Microsoft Services". This will hide all the services related to Microsoft so that you don’t disable essential services.

Under services section search and find "Google Update (gupdate)" and "Google Update (gupdatem)".

Uncheck both the Google Services and click "Apply". Click "OK" to save the settings.

Now, you will be asked whether you want to exit without restart or want to restart your PC now. Choose anything according to your current situation.

That’s it! You have successfully disabled automatic updates in Google Chrome.

To check whether the settings have been applied correctly, open Google Chrome > click "Chrome Menu" > "Help" > "About Google Chrome".

Now Google Chrome will start checking for the available update. If you see an "An error occurred while checking for updates: Update check failed to start (error code 3: 0x800704C7 — system level)." message then you have successfully disabled the automatic updates in Google Chrome.

Note:

When you open Google Chrome next time, you might be asked to provide administrative access to enable automatic update in Google Chrome. Simply select "No" every time.

Source Disable Automatic Updates in Google Chrome

Solution 2

You can also consult the properties of the Chrome executable. (This works even if Chrome isn't running.) To find that file, choose Open file location in the context menu of Chrome's Start menu entry, then right-click the shortcut you get and choose the same option. For me, the main Chrome program is here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

Right-click that file and choose Properties. On the Details tab, there is a Product version row, which contains the Chrome version.

If Chrome is running, there's another way if you like consoles: You can use PowerShell!

(Get-Process 'chrome').MainModule[0].ProductVersion

That prints the product version of a Chrome process's main module (chrome.exe) to the standard output. You'll get the same value as you do in the above screenshot.

Solution 3

Just type this into the address bar:

javascript:alert(navigator.userAgent)

Note: Type, don't paste - if you paste, the browser removes the javascript: part automatically, and then it does not work.

Solution 4

The easiest way is to go to whatismybrowser.com which will show you your version number (scroll down to see the full version). It will also tell you if it's the latest version - without chrome dialing home to Google's servers.

Solution 5

Another effective (and default) way to prevent the auto-update is to set the User Account Control (UAC) settings' bar to the highest level in your Windows machine. On Windows 7:

You can open the dialog by going to Control Panel, clicking User Accounts, and then clicking Change User Account Control Settings (MS TechNet).

Normally this is the default level:

Drag that bar up to the top and click OK:

Now when you access chrome://help a pop-up will show up asking if you want to give write permissions to Chrome. If you click No, the update will not be performed.

You may access chrome://version later to confirm it.

Note: having UAC set to the highest level is recommended in terms of system security, especially because it does not allow most programs to perform write operations without your confirmation (e.g. when you download a .ppt from an email with cute kittens that has some embedded macros, it will prevent those macros to be run without your authorization).

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16,611

Franck Dernoncourt

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Franck Dernoncourt almost 2 years

The version of Google Chrome can be checked by going to chrome://help. However, if Google Chrome is not up to date, it will upgrade itself without asking the user. How can I check the version of Google Chrome without it upgrading itself without asking me?

I use Google Chrome on Windows 7 SP1 x64 Ultimate.
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  Silliest idea: Unplug cable / disconnect WiFi, and open that page?
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  @Kroltan someone suggested that earlier but it looks like comments keep getting deleted here
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  As an aside, why would you not want it to update? - This'll effect which answers are most suitable (a one off check of version doesn't help if you're trying to limit data usage and it just updates itself anyway).
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  @djsmiley2k someone suggested that earlier but it looks like comments keep getting deleted here
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  I had a similar problem when trying to lock Firefox to version 46. Need to disable automatic updates before checking the version.
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  This fiddle may help you.
- Admin almost 8 years
  
  Thanks. Actually I discourage myself (and everyone) to post link only answers so didn't post it even after that fiddle is created by me :). But will surely add if that comment is removed.
- Admin over 7 years
  
  FYI Why did these comments get deleted? Someone else wrote the same afterward and got over 20 upvotes
kukis almost 8 years

I don't see why this answer is being downvoted. Simply disabling Google Update is enough to solve the problem. Now the user can enter chrome://help and Chrome will not update itself
Amani Kilumanga almost 8 years

@kukis (not my downvote, but) it seems to already be covered in the top answer. By the way, I don't have such a plugin in my browser.
MonkeyZeus almost 8 years

Don't forget about Add/Remove Programs. Feel free to use my screenshot :-)
jingyu9575 almost 8 years

@AmaniKilumanga I think "Google Update services" means the Windows service in services.msc? I don't know if disabling the service alone can stop the update.
David Mulder almost 8 years

I wish I could downvote because turning off update services for one of the two main sandboxes on your system is beyond irresponsible advice.
Lightness Races in Orbit almost 8 years

@kukis: It was downvoted because it is a single-sentence answer (when you remove the second answer, which is pure useless noise) giving a vague recommendation without any effort to explain why this might help, and what the downsides may be (of which, in this case, there are serious examples). If "this solves the problem but causes ten more much worse" is acceptable to you then go for it, but there is no way we should be taking this approach in the general case when providing answers on Stack Exchange.
David Mulder almost 8 years

-1 This should not and does not work in Chrome. If you try to paste something starting with javascript: in to the URL bar the javascript: part is removed (to prevent a lot of human powered XSS attacks). Okay, very technically speaking the answer says 'type', so I won't actually downvote, but still... doubt anybody who reads this answer would not try copy pasting.
Metro Smurf almost 8 years

A better way, since you have to type into the address bar, would be to open the developer tools (F12) and type into the console which will even provide intellisense: console.log(navigator.userAgent)
CPHPython almost 8 years

@MetroSmurf Yeah, I was also thinking like that (since you are already in the console, you don't even need the console.log: just type navigator.userAgent on it and hit Enter). But since it's easier to copy+paste chrome://version to the address bar as DavidPostill suggested, why bother opening the dev tools?
Metro Smurf almost 8 years

@CPHPython - nice tip on sans console.log.
Joe DeRose almost 8 years

I was about to post a similar answer linking to useragentstring.com, but the resource you listed is even better.
jpmc26 almost 8 years

Would this work if you installed Chrome only for the current user? (I assume that is still an installation option.)
CPHPython almost 8 years

@jpmc26 the pop-up will show up as long as the current Windows user that visits chrome://help has that UAC level set to maximum. Which means: the options you set when you are running the Chrome installation process will not change the UAC level, therefore the Windows pop-ups will always show up.