Disable Auto-Updates for macOS

Hi @Nistha!

Here is a worklet you can use for disabling automatic software updates on a MacOS device.

Evaluation Code:

#!/bin/bash

#================================================================
# HEADER
#================================================================
#  SYNOPSIS
#    MacOS - Configuration - Disable Auto-Updates
#    Disables automatic updates in Software Update
#
#  DESCRIPTION
#    This worklet changes preferences in Software Update to disable
#    Automatic Updates, Check for Updates, Download New Updates, and
#    App Updates from the App Store.
#
#    If any of these settings are set to enabled, the evaluation code
#    will flag the device for remediation.
# 
#    The remediation script will then set the preferences of
#    'AutomaticCheckEnabled', 'AutomaticDownload', and 'AutoUpdate'
#    to a value of false to disable them.
#
#  USAGE
#    ./evaluation.sh
#
#  NOTES
#    This worklet will prevent the device from automatically patching
#    first party updates.
#
#================================================================
#  IMPLEMENTATION
#    version         WSE-151_MacOS_Disable_Auto_Update (www.automox.com) 1.0
#    author          John Guarracino
#
#================================================================
#  HISTORY
#    05/24/2023 : jguarracino : Script creation
#================================================================
# END_OF_HEADER
#================================================================

# Check if automatic update checks are enabled
automatic_check_enabled=$(sudo defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate AutomaticCheckEnabled 2>/dev/null)

# Check if automatic download of system updates is enabled
automatic_download_enabled=$(sudo defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate AutomaticDownload 2>/dev/null)

# Check if automatic installation of macOS updates is enabled
auto_update_enabled=$(sudo defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.commerce AutoUpdate 2>/dev/null)

# Check if any of the automatic update settings are enabled
if [[ $automatic_check_enabled == "1" || $automatic_download_enabled == "1" || $auto_update_enabled == "1" ]]; then
  echo "Automatic updates are enabled. Flagging for remediation."
  exit 1
else
  echo "Automatic updates are disabled. Device is compliant."
  exit 0
fi

Remediation Code:

#!/bin/bash

#================================================================
# HEADER
#================================================================
#  SYNOPSIS
#    MacOS - Configuration - Disable Auto-Updates
#    Disables automatic updates in Software Update
#
#  DESCRIPTION
#    This worklet changes preferences in Software Update to disable
#    Automatic Updates, Check for Updates, Download New Updates, and
#    App Updates from the App Store.
#
#    If any of these settings are set to enabled, the evaluation code
#    will flag the device for remediation.
# 
#    The remediation script will then set the preferences of
#    'AutomaticCheckEnabled', 'AutomaticDownload', and 'AutoUpdate'
#    to a value of false to disable them.
#
#  USAGE
#    ./remediation.sh
#
#  NOTES
#    This worklet will prevent the device from automatically patching
#    first party updates.
#
#================================================================
#  IMPLEMENTATION
#    version         WSE-151_MacOS_Disable_Auto_Update (www.automox.com) 1.0
#    author          John Guarracino
#
#================================================================
#  HISTORY
#    05/24/2023 : jguarracino : Script creation
#================================================================
# END_OF_HEADER
#================================================================

# Unloads and disables the automatic update launch agent
launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.softwareupdate_notify_agent.plist

# Disables automatic update checks
sudo softwareupdate --schedule off
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate AutomaticCheckEnabled -bool false

# Disables automatic download of system updates
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate AutomaticDownload -bool false

# Disables automatic installation of macOS updates
sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.commerce AutoUpdate -bool false

echo "Automatic updates are now disabled."

To undo the changes made by this worklet and turn Auto-Updates back on, we have a Catalog Worklet that you can use for that named Enable Auto Update.

I hope this helps!

Have a great day!