How to block android system update

Guides
1

Blocking Android system updates can help prevent unwanted changes or preserve a rooted or controlled environment—especially for parental control, enterprise, or kiosk use cases. Here’s how you can block Android system updates depending on your setup:

:white_check_mark: 1. Disable Auto-Updates via System Settings (User-Level Block)

Steps:

  1. Go to Settings > System > Software update (or Settings > About phone > System updates)
  2. Tap the menu (⋮) or gear icon
  3. Disable:
  • Auto download over Wi-Fi
  • Scheduled update checks

:warning: This does not fully block updates. It only disables automatic downloads and prompts.

:white_check_mark: 2. Block OTA Updates with Package Disabling (Root or ADB)

ADB (no root required):

Use adb shell to disable the update package:

bash

CopyEdit

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.gms
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.ota
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.samsung.sdm
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.android.updater

Not all devices use the same update service. Common ones:

  • com.google.android.gms (Google Play Services)
  • com.android.ota or com.android.updater
  • com.samsung.sdm (Samsung)

:warning: Some packages may auto-reenable after reboot or cause issues (test carefully).

Best Practice for Parental Control

Use an app like iKeyMonitor to block the Settings app, so kids can’t manually trigger updates or factory reset.
Go to Logs - Screen Time - Blocklist and add “Settings” app to the list with iKeyMonitor panel.