
- UNINSTALL GOOGLE MAPS FOR CHROME ON MY MAC INSTALL
- UNINSTALL GOOGLE MAPS FOR CHROME ON MY MAC UPDATE
- UNINSTALL GOOGLE MAPS FOR CHROME ON MY MAC SOFTWARE
It's light's out for GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app on your computer! What about updates? To confirm the Google app is now removed from your computer: Sudo chmod 444 /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate Is GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app really gone? Sudo touch /Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate Therefore, you should also run this command in Terminal:

UNINSTALL GOOGLE MAPS FOR CHROME ON MY MAC INSTALL
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. Sudo chmod 444 ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate Sudo touch ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate
UNINSTALL GOOGLE MAPS FOR CHROME ON MY MAC UPDATE
These steps will prevent Google apps from reinstalling the update again by creating a dummy file with the same name: Unfortunately, with this solution, it will quickly return if you once again run a Google app on your Mac.īecause of this, you need to take different steps to uninstall the app. You can disable GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app by using the command syntax: sudo rm -R ~/Library/Google/GoogleSoftwareUpdate/. If you change the checkInternal to 0, Google's no longer sending data, which E-Tinkers rightly notes is sufficient for most users.įor those who don't like how Google uses the GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app on Mac, uninstalling might be the best option.
UNINSTALL GOOGLE MAPS FOR CHROME ON MY MAC SOFTWARE
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.ĭefaults write checkInterval 604800 where the check now happens every 24 hours. You can adjust this time by changing it using Terminal. In the example above, Google checks every five hours (3,600 x 5 = 18,000 seconds) by default. This shows how often Google checks your computer for software updates in seconds. In the screenshot above, note the checkInternal setting. You should see a screen like the following if you don't, the file isn't installed:Īdjusting how often GoogleSoftwareUpdate.app runs

it can't be configured via a settings menu.it frequently sending data back to Google without your knowledge.it installs in your computer without explicit asking for your permission, nor giving the options to decline it.What will you think if I'm telling you that there is a piece of software that: 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." If you click "Cancel," you have a new set of annoyances to deal with. If you click "OK," you're back to what you've always been 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. 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. Recently, it's been rearing its ugly head again with the update to macOS Catalina. Unfortunately, it also grabs your computer's hardware information, usage frequency, the number of active profiles on your computer, and more. Unfortunately, it's also an apex predator often accused of mining and collecting personal data in questionable ways.Ī 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.įirst discovered by Wired a decade ago, the pesky file runs in the background and supports software patching and updating. 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).
