How to disable auto-update of applications on Honor: complete guide

Automatic update of applications on smartphones Honor is a convenient feature that ensures apps are up to date and secure. However, it has a downside: uncontrolled consumption of mobile traffic, battery drain in the background, and sudden changes in the operation of applications after updates. This is especially true for users with limited tariffs or older models Honor (for example, Honor 8X or Honor 10 Lite), where every megabyte and percentage of charge counts.

In this article you will find 5 proven methods disable auto-update - from standard settings Google Play Market i AppGallery to hidden system parameters. We will also look at how to disable updates for individual applications, what to do if the settings are reset after a reboot, and why sometimes updates bypass your restrictions.

If you notice that your smartphone has become slower after the next update or the mobile data “flies away” in an unknown direction - rather All in all, it’s the automatic update that’s to blame. Next, you will learn how to take control of this process.

1. Disabling auto-updates in the Google Play Market

The main source of updates for most users is Google Play Market. Here you can flexibly configure the settings or completely prohibit background updates. The instructions are valid for all models Honor based on Android 8.0 and later (including Magic UI and EMUI).

To change settings:

1. Open Google Play Market.
2. Tap on profile avatar in the upper right corner.
3. Select Settings → Network settings → Automatic application updates.

There are 3 options available in this menu:

• 🔄 Via any network — updates are downloaded via Wi-Fi and mobile data (the most “gluttonous” mode).
• 📶 Only via Wi-Fi —a compromise option to save traffic.
• ❌ Do not update automatically —complete disabling of background updates.

Select the last item if you want completely prohibit automatic updates through the Play MarketPlease note. note: this does not block manual updates - you can launch them manually through the section My applications and games.

2. Setting up AppGallery on Honor smartphones

On devices Honor (especially on models for the Chinese market or with firmware Magic UI) instead of Google Play Store, a branded store is used AppGallery. Here, too, there are some nuances with auto-updates.

To disable background updates:

1. Run AppGallery.
2. Go to the section Me → Settings → Automatic application updates.
3. Select Disable or Wi-Fi only (if you want to save mobile traffic).

Unlike Google Play, in AppGallery there is no way to selectively disable auto-update for individual applications. Only the global setting works here. Also note that some system applications (for example Huawei Mobile Services) can be updated to bypass these restrictions.

Why does AppGallery ignore settings?

In some firmware Magic UI background updates of system components (for example, Huawei services) go through a separate channel. To block them, you will need to disable HMS Core auto-update in your Huawei account settings.

3. Prohibiting updates for individual applications

If you need to leave auto-update enabled, but exclude several apps from it (for example, social networks or games that “eat up” a lot of space), do the following:

In Google Play Market:

1. Find the desired application through search.
2. Open its page and tap on three dots in the upper right corner.
3. Uncheck the item Enable auto-update.

There is no such function, but you can take a workaround: AppGallery There is no such function, but you can take a workaround:

• 🔧 Uninstall the application and install its APK file manually (for example, from the website APKMirror).
• 🛡️ Use a firewall (for example, NetGuard) to block the application's access to the Internet.
• ⚙️ Disable update notifications in the application settings (if such an option exists).

List of applications that are most often recommended to be excluded from auto-updates:

Application	Reason	Risk when disabling updates
Facebook	Frequent updates (every 1-2 weeks), large size	Reduced security, possible bugs
Instagram	Updates often degrade performance	Not critical, but new features may disappear
Google Chrome	Updated weekly, consumes traffic	Security vulnerabilities with outdated version
Games (PUBG, Genshin Impact)	Updates weigh 1–2 GB	It is impossible to play without updates

4. Disabling background activity through Android settings

Even if you have disabled auto-updates in stores, some applications can bypass these restrictions through background activity. To completely block their access to the Internet in the background:

For mobile traffic:

1. Go to Settings → Wireless networks → Data transfer → Data usage.
2. Select an application (for example, Google Play Store or AppGallery).
3. Disable the switch Background data.

For Wi-Fi:

• 📱 In the same data usage settings, tap on Wi-Fi network.
• 🔍 Find the application and disable Background transfer.
• ⚠️ Attention: this may interfere with notifications and synchronization.

On some models Honor (for example, Honor 20 Pro or Honor View 20) there is an additional option Traffic optimization. It allows you to limit background activity for all applications at once. Find it in Settings → Battery → Traffic optimization.

5. Using a firewall to block updates

If system methods do not help, you can resort to third-party tools. Firewall applications (for example, NetGuard or AFWall+) allow you to flexibly manage network access for any software, including system services.

Instructions for NetGuard (does not require root access):

1. Install NetGuard from Google Play or F-Droid.
2. Launch the application and provide access to the VPN (this is necessary for operation).
3. Find in the list Google Play Store and AppGallery.
4. Disable the switches Wi-Fi and Mobile data for these applications.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔒 Complete blocking of updates, including system ones.
• 📊 Traffic control for each application.
• 🛡️ No need for root access (unlike AFWall+).

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Attention: The firewall may conflict with some VPN applications.
• 🔄 A manual update of the list of rules is required after a reboot.
• 📴 There may be problems with notifications from blocked applications.

6. Resetting application store settings

Sometimes auto-update settings are reset after a firmware update or a malfunction. Google Play Services. If you notice that the ban on background updates has stopped working, follow these steps:

For Google Play Market:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Google Play Market.
2. Click "Storage" → "Clear cache" and "Clear data".
3. Repeat setting up auto updates (see section 1).
4. Restart your smartphone.

For AppGallery:

1. Open Settings → Applications → AppGallery.
2. Select "Storage" → "Clear cache".
3. Return to AppGallery and check the auto-update settings.

If the problem persists, it may be The firmware is to blame. On some models Honor (for example, Honor 30 or Honor V30after major updates Magic UI permissions for system applications are reset. In this case, only manually disabling auto-updates after each OS update will help. data-i="204">Clearing the cache and application store data is the first step in case of any failures in auto updates. This resets temporary files that may ignore your settings.

7. What to do if updates bypass restrictions

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where applications are updated despite all the restrictions:

Cause 1: System applications (Google Play Services, Huawei Mobile Services) have privileged access.

• 🔧 Solution: Disable auto-update for them via Settings → Applications → Three dots → Show system → [service name] → Auto-update.

Reason 2: Updates are downloaded via Huawei HiSuite or other synchronization services.

• 🔌 Solution: Disable Auto-update via HiSuite in your account settings Huawei.

Reason 3: The smartphone has software for remote administration (for example, enterprise solutions).

• 🏢 Solution: Contact the administrator or delete the device profile in Settings → Security → Remote control.

If none of the methods worked, check your smartphone for malware using Malwarebytes or Dr.Web. Some viruses replace system services and download updates bypassing restrictions.

How to check which application is being updated in the background?

Use Network Monitor or the built-in traffic monitor in Settings → Battery → Data usage. Sort the list by data consumption for the last hour.

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to disable auto-renewal for mobile data only, leaving Wi-Fi?

Yes, Google Play Store i AppGallery there are separate settings for Wi-Fi and mobile data. Select the option Only via Wi-Fi in the auto-update settings. However, this does not guarantee that applications will not be updated via the mobile network in the background - to completely block them, use a firewall (section 5).

Why do some applications still update after auto-updates are disabled?

This is typical for system applications (Google Play Services, Huawei AppMarket) and software installed by the manufacturer. They use separate update channels that are not controlled through standard settings. To block them, disable background data for these applications manually (section 4) or use a firewall.

Will the smartphone work stably if you completely disable auto-updates?

Yes, but with caveats:

• 🔹 Security: Old versions of applications may contain vulnerabilities.
• 🔹 Functionality: some apps (for example, banking) require current versions to work.
• 🔹 Performance: new versions are often optimized better than old ones.

We recommend checking for critical updates manually at least once every 1-2 months.

How to disable notifications about available updates?

In Google Play Market:

1. Open Settings → Notifications.
2. Disable the switch Application updates.

In AppGallery:

1. Go to Me → Settings → Notifications.
2. Uncheck Application updates.

Is it possible to roll back an application to a previous version after auto-updating?

Yes, but this requires manual actions:

1. Uninstall the current version of the application.
2. Download the APK of the desired version from a trusted source (for example, APKMirror).
3. Before installation, turn off the Internet to avoid automatic updates.
4. Install the APK file and block network access for this application via firewall.

⚠️ Attention: rolling back system applications (for example, Google Play Services) can lead to unstable operation of the smartphone.