How to turn off automatic app updates on iPhone is simple, but whether you should do it depends on how much control you want over app changes. Disabling automatic updates can prevent unexpected redesigns, feature changes, or new bugs from appearing without warning, especially if you rely on certain apps for work or daily tasks.
The setting has moved slightly in recent iOS versions, but it is still easy to manage. This guide shows where to find it, what changes after you switch it off, how to update apps manually, and how to limit updates over cellular data instead.
1. How to Turn Off Automatic App Updates on iPhone
Turning off automatic app updates gives you more control over when new versions reach your iPhone. That can be useful if you rely on a particular app layout for work, want to wait before installing a newly released version, or simply prefer to review updates yourself.
Apple has moved some settings around in recent iOS versions, so the path depends slightly on what your iPhone is running.
Step 1: Open Settings and Tap Apps or App Store
On iOS 18 and later, go to:
Settings > Apps > App Store
On iOS 17 and earlier, go to:
Settings > App Store
The difference is mostly organizational. Starting with iOS 18, Apple moved many app-specific controls into a dedicated Apps section instead of keeping them directly in the main Settings list.
Step 2: Tap App Store or App Updates
Inside the App Store settings, look for App Updates.
This setting controls whether apps you downloaded from the App Store automatically receive new versions. It does not uninstall anything, and it does not stop you from updating an app later.
You may see other App Store controls nearby, such as App Downloads, In-App Content, Cellular Data, or Offload Unused Apps. Make sure you change App Updates specifically if your goal is to stop apps from updating on their own.
Step 3: Toggle Off App Updates
Switch App Updates off.
From that point forward, App Store apps will remain on their current versions until you choose to update them manually.
This can be useful when a new version has just been released and you want to wait for early bugs to be resolved, or when you depend on a particular feature and do not want an unexpected redesign to interfere with how you use the app.
However, keeping apps on older versions indefinitely is not ideal either. Updates often include compatibility fixes, security improvements, and bug fixes, so manual control works best when you still check for updates periodically.
Note: This setting applies to apps downloaded through the App Store. Apple’s built-in apps can still change when you install an iOS update.
>>>Read more: How to Clear System Data on iPhone and Reclaim Your Storage
2. What Happens After Turning Off Automatic App Updates?
Disabling this toggle changes when updates happen, not whether apps continue working normally in the meantime.
Apps Stay Installed but Stop Updating Automatically
Turning off automatic updates does not remove your installed App Store apps. They remain on the iPhone at their current versions until you update them manually.
Keep in mind that some apps may eventually require a newer version to keep working properly with their online services or newer versions of iOS.
Updates Must Be Installed Manually
With automatic updates off, checking the App Store’s Updates tab periodically becomes the way new versions actually arrive.
Apps will simply stay on their current version indefinitely until manually updated, which gives more control over exactly when a redesign or new feature actually reaches the device.
This matters most for anyone relying on a specific app for work or a scheduled task, where an unannounced interface change or a bug in a brand-new version could cause real disruption at an inconvenient moment.
Holding off on an update until reviewing what changed, rather than receiving it automatically overnight, gives a small but genuine buffer against that kind of surprise.
3. Stopping Updates Over Cellular Data
Not everyone wants to disable automatic updates completely.
If your main concern is mobile-data usage, you can keep automatic updates enabled over Wi-Fi while limiting what happens over cellular.
On current iOS versions, go to:
Settings > Apps > App Store
Then review the Cellular Data and automatic-download options available on your iPhone.
This can be useful if you have a limited data plan or frequently use your phone away from Wi-Fi. App updates can vary dramatically in size. A small utility update may barely use any data, while a game or social media app can require hundreds of megabytes or more.
If automatic updates themselves are not bothering you, restricting cellular use is often a better choice than disabling them entirely.
You can also use Low Data Mode when you want the iPhone to reduce background network activity. While Low Data Mode is active, automatic App Store updates and downloads are reduced or disabled along with other background data use.
4. Should You Turn Off Automatic App Updates?
There is no single best setting for everyone.
Leaving automatic updates on is convenient and means bug fixes and security improvements generally arrive without requiring much attention.
Turning them off makes more sense if you value control over convenience. You may prefer this if:
- you rely on an app with a familiar interface;
- a previous update caused problems;
- you want to review changes before installing them;
- you need to avoid unexpected app behavior during work or travel.
The tradeoff is that you become responsible for checking updates yourself.
If you turn automatic updates off and then forget about them completely, some apps can become outdated enough to cause compatibility or security problems.
For many users, a middle-ground approach works well: keep automatic updates off, but check the App Store every week or two.
5. What If You Cannot Control App Updates?
If the App Updates option seems missing or unavailable, first make sure you are checking the correct location for your iOS version.
On newer versions, remember that App Store settings are under:
Settings > Apps > App Store
If you are using an employer- or school-managed iPhone, the situation can be different. Organizations can use mobile device management, or MDM, to control how managed apps are installed and apps updated.
That means an app provided by your workplace may update according to company policy even if your personal App Store settings say otherwise.
Screen Time restrictions can also affect other App Store actions such as installing, deleting, or purchasing apps. On a child’s iPhone, some of these controls may be managed through Family Sharing.
If other App Store options are also unavailable, check:
Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions
For a personal, unmanaged iPhone, restarting the device and making sure iOS itself is current are reasonable next steps if the expected setting does not appear.
6. FAQs
Why does the App Updates setting look different on my iPhone?
Apple reorganized Settings beginning with iOS 18. On newer versions, App Store controls are under Settings > Apps > App Store, while iOS 17 and earlier place App Store directly in the main Settings list.
Does turning off auto-updates also stop security patches?
It can delay security fixes that are delivered through normal app updates. The app will stay on its current version until you manually update it, so it is still worth checking the App Store regularly even when automatic updates are disabled.
Will my apps still update while I’m on Wi-Fi at home?
Not if the main App Updates setting is turned off. That disables automatic updates for App Store apps on both Wi-Fi and cellular connections. Cellular settings only matter when automatic app updates remain enabled overall.
Can I turn off updates for just one app instead of all of them?
Not for ordinary App Store apps through the standard iPhone settings. The automatic-update control applies system-wide. If you want to delay updates for only one app, leave automatic updates off and manually choose which apps to update.
Conclusion
How to turn off automatic app updates on iPhone comes down to a short settings path that shifted slightly with iOS 18’s reorganization, but the underlying toggle works the same way regardless of which version is installed.
Understanding what stays the same afterward, apps keep working exactly as before, just without silent version changes, makes it easier to decide whether full manual control is worth trading for the convenience automatic updates normally provide.
