There are a lot of great things Google has brought to the table over the years, including Search, Maps, and the Google Pixel smartphone (its cameras, anyway). Unfortunately, it's also an apex predator often accused of mining and collecting personal data in questionable ways.
- Mac Keeps Saying Software Update Is Needed For Ipad Air
- New Software Update
- Mac Keeps Saying Software Update Is Needed For Ipad 2
- Mac Keeps Saying Software Update Is Needed For Ipad Air
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- Dec 20, 2018 To update your Mac, open System Preferences, and then click Software Update. Your Mac will check for updates and if there is an update available, click Update. You may also check the “Automatically keep my Mac up to date” box. Update your iOS device by going to Settings General Software Update.
- Mar 18, 2020 This wikiHow teaches you how to update the system software on your iPad using Software Update on the iPad or iTunes on your desktop. Back up your iPad. In most cases, updating the iOS will not cause a loss of data, but things can.
- Now, the next time updates appear for these apps, you should be able to install them without going through this process again. This Mac 911 article is in response to a question submitted by a.
A case in point is the GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app file that gets installed on Macs in the presence of Google apps such as Chrome and Google Earth.
First discovered by Wireda decade ago, the pesky file runs in the background and supports software patching and updating. Unfortunately, it also grabs your computer's hardware information, usage frequency, the number of active profiles on your computer, and more.
Recently, it's been rearing its ugly head again with the update to macOS Catalina. With the new Catalina security settings in place, updaters you may not have even known were there are being spotlighted, asking if you're OK with what they're doing. The first time you open Chrome on your Mac, you may see a notification asking if you want to run GoogleSoftwareUpdater.app, noting that Google installed it at a previous time. If you click 'OK,' you're back to what you've always been doing. If you click 'Cancel,' you have a new set of annoyances to deal with.
Jan 19, 2020 More specifically, the focus of this article is on what you can do to when your Mac won’t update to the latest version of macOS. Some Mac users, unfortunately, have been and continue to be affected by various macOS software update issues where they may experience a stalled macOS update.
The folks over at E-Thinkers say what Google claims the file does is 'harmless.' However, because of how it's been designed, it 'behaves like a malware.'
What will you think if I'm telling you that there is a piece of software that:
- it installs in your computer without explicit asking for your permission, nor giving the options to decline it;
- it frequently sending data back to Google without your knowledge;
- it can't be configured via a settings menu;
- there is no uninstallation tool for you;
- and it will re-install by itself if you delete it.'
I would agree, which is why removing GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app permanently might be the best course of action for most Mac users. However, because the tool's main objective is to automatically update Google software in the background, a better solution might be to change how often Google can check for those updates.
Mac Keeps Saying Software Update Is Needed For Ipad Air
Warning: This guide is for expert-level users. If you don't have a comfortable understanding of Terminal, low-level systems, and security, stay away. Otherwise, as a responsible adult: proceed at your own risk.
Confirming GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app
Before attempting to delete or adjust the Google file, you should confirm its existence on your computer. Hint: If you have a Google product installed, it's almost certainly there somewhere!
E-Tinkers first published each of the following steps in January 2018. Apparent changes made by Google required an update released in July 2019.
To confirm GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app is installed, you'll need to bring up Terminal.
- Selection Go on the Mac toolbar.
- Choose Utilities.
-
Click Terminal.
- Type of the following command syntax:
defaults read com.google.Keystone.Agent.plist
. -
Hit Return. You should see a screen like the following; if you don't, the file isn't installed:Source: E-Tinkers
Adjusting how often GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app runs
In the screenshot above, note the
checkInternal
setting. This shows how often Google checks your computer for software updates in seconds. In the example above, Google checks every five hours (3,600 x 5 = 18,000 seconds) by default. You can adjust this time by changing it using Terminal. By changing how often the updater check for software updates, you can continue to use your Google apps, but only run it once in a while.
- Selection Go on the Mac toolbar.
- Choose Utilities.
-
Click Terminal.
-
Type of the following command syntax:
defaults write com.google.Keystone.Agent checkInterval 604800
where the check now happens every 24 hours.
If you change the checkInternal to 0, Google's no longer sending data, which E-Tinkers rightly notes is sufficient for most users.
For those who don't like how Google uses the GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app on Mac, uninstalling might be the best option.
To uninstall GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app
You can disable GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app by using the command syntax:
sudo rm -R ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/
. Unfortunately, with this solution, it will quickly return if you once again run a Google app on your Mac.
Because of this, you need to take different steps to uninstall the app. These steps will prevent Google apps from reinstalling the update again by creating a dummy file with the same name:
New Software Update
- Selection Go on the Mac toolbar.
- Choose Utilities.
-
Click Terminal.
-
Type of the following command syntax:
sudo touch ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate
sudo chmod 444 ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate
One final step
In July, E-Tinkers determined Google had changed a setting so GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app would install on the global level on a Mac if a user deleted it at the user level. Therefore, you should also run this command in Terminal:
sudo touch /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate
sudo chmod 444 /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate
Is GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app really gone?
To confirm the Google app is now removed from your computer:
- Launch Google Chome.
-
Type
chrome://help
in the URL. You should see the following:
It's light's out for GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app on your computer!
What about updates?
If you want to update a Google app on your Mac after following the steps above, you'll need to delete it, then install it again from the Google website. You'll once again need to delete GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app after doing so, however.
Any questions?
Let us know if you have any questions about the steps offered in this post below.
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If you can’t download or update any apps, including free apps and you see a message about billing or payment, learn what to do.
If you want to update apps, you can update them manually or turn on automatic updates. But if your app won't update or is interrupted while it's downloading, try these steps:
Connect to Wi-Fi
If you’re using cellular data or Wi-Fi and have issues with an app, try to connect to another Wi-Fi network. Learn how to connect to Wi-Fi on your iOS or iPadOS device, on your Mac or on your Apple Watch.
To check your Wi-Fi connection, try streaming a video from the Internet to see if it loads quickly. Or contact your Internet provider for more help.
Pause and restart the app download
When you firmly press the app from the Home screen, you might see options to Resume Download, Pause Download or Cancel Download. If the app download is paused, tap Resume Download. If it's stuck, tap Pause Download, then firmly press the app again and tap Resume Download.
Restart your device
Mac Keeps Saying Software Update Is Needed For Ipad 2
If the app appears on your Home screen but is dim or has a white grid with grey lines on it, don't delete the app. Restart your device, then go to the App Store and redownload the app. Learn how to restart your iOS or iPadOS device, Apple Watch or Apple TV.
If you delete an app, you might lose the content associated with it.
Mac Keeps Saying Software Update Is Needed For Ipad Air
Get more help
Mac Keeps Saying Software Update Is Needed For Ipad Free
If you still have issues with apps on your device, contact Apple Support.