FileZilla Disable Auto Update – Stop Forced Updates

To FileZilla disable auto update, go to Edit > Settings > Updates and select “Never” under the update check frequency. This stops FileZilla from automatically checking for or installing updates. Manual updates can still be performed when needed.

FileZilla is one of the most popular open-source FTP clients in the world for uploading and managing files on websites. It’s strong, easy to use, and gets updates often.

But automated updates can sometimes cause problems or make things incompatible, which is a big deal for developers and administrators who need their tools to be stable and predictable. This article will look at the pros and cons of turning off FileZilla’s auto-update feature and how to do it.

FileZilla has an auto-update option that checks for new versions on a regular basis and installs them automatically, based on the user’s choices. This ensures that users get the newest features and security fixes, but it can also cause interface changes that users don’t expect, workflows that don’t work, or problems with compatibility.

For people who run several client sites or rely on FileZilla for important tasks, these kinds of sudden changes can be very annoying. The first step in deciding whether or not to turn off the update mechanism is to know how it works.

FileZilla starts automatically updating as it starts up and every so often while it’s being used. These rules apply to both the FileZilla Client and the FileZilla Pro version.

In general, it’s best to keep software up to date for security reasons, but there are times when you should turn off automatic updates.

• First, if you run production websites or utilize custom processes, rapid updates can break scripts, extensions, or change the UI in ways that make it harder to get work done. Before implementing updates, developers generally like to check them out first.
• Second, if you work in a business setting or have tight version control rules, you might need to lock software versions on all of your systems. Turning off automatic updates makes sure that everything stays the same and cuts down on the amount of support work needed.
• Finally, updates might use up bandwidth, force restarts, or get in the way of active transfers, all of which are bad when you have to get things done quickly.

It’s crucial to know the hazards before you turn off updates. The biggest risk is not getting security updates. New versions of FileZilla may cure security holes or problems, and not installing them could put your system at risk.

Some server protocols also change over time. If earlier versions of FileZilla discontinue supporting older client behavior, they may not work with some FTP, FTPS, or SFTP servers anymore.

That said, you can stay up to date and keep control if you keep an eye on FileZilla’s release notes and upgrade it by hand.

It’s a good idea to look at your current settings before turning anything off. You may change how FileZilla updates from the main options window.

To check:

• Start FileZilla.
• On macOS, go to FileZilla > Settings or Edit > Settings.
• Go to the left-hand menu and click on Updates.
• Watch how often the update check happens and what it does (auto-download, ask before updating, etc.).
• You can adjust or turn off the settings for automatic updates here.

It only takes a minute and is really simple.

Step by step:

• Open FileZilla.
• Select Settings from the Edit menu.
• On the left sidebar, click Updates.
• Choose Never from the Check for updates drop-down menu.
• Uncheck any boxes that let updates be downloaded or installed automatically.
• To save changes, click OK.

FileZilla won’t look for or install updates on its own anymore.

FileZilla settings are stored in a configuration XML file (e.g., filezilla.xml or fzdefaults.xml). You can enforce update behavior by modifying this file manually.

1. Locate the FileZilla configuration file:
   • On Windows: C:\Users\[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\FileZilla\filezilla.xml
   • On macOS/Linux: ~/.config/filezilla/filezilla.xml
2. Open the file in a text editor.
3. Find or add the following line inside the <Settings> block:

xml

<Setting name=”Update Check”>0</Setting>

This disables automatic update checking programmatically.

You can also create a fzdefaults.xml to set this globally across a team or in a portable installation.

For system administrators or team environments, you can create a default settings file that applies globally.

To do this:

1. Create a file named fzdefaults.xml.
2. Place it in the same directory as the FileZilla executable.
3. Add the following content:

xml

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″?>

<FileZilla3>

  <Settings>

    <Setting name=”Update Check”>0</Setting>

  </Settings>

</FileZilla3>

This ensures that all instances launched from this executable follow the same configuration and never auto-update.

Using the portable edition of FileZilla is an excellent option if you are very worried about version control or upgrades. It keeps all of its settings on your computer and only updates when you replace the program.

You can get it from FileZilla directly or from sites like PortableApps. It’s great for testing, development, or teams that need to keep tight control over versions.

If you’re not sure you want to turn off updates completely, you can set FileZilla to “Check for updates only” or “Ask before updating.” This lets you get notifications without having to update.

This way, you’ll always know when a new version is out, but you may choose when or if to install it.

It strikes a balance between being stable and being cognizant of security.

You will have to update FileZilla by hand if auto-updates are turned off. 

• When you’re ready, go to https://filezilla-project.org and get the most recent version.
• When you do manual updates, you can read the changelog, back up your settings, and plan upgrades when there isn’t much traffic. This lowers the chance of downtime and surprises.
• Use a calendar reminder or a tool like RSS to keep track of FileZilla updates.

IT departments in businesses sometimes have to make sure that multiple users utilize the same technologies. Turning off automatic updates makes sure that everyone is using the same version and eliminates problems.

For centralized control, use the fzdefaults.xml technique. Give out FileZilla with settings already set up, and only upgrade it after testing new versions in-house.

This method cuts down on problems and lets you check compatibility before you roll it out.

The process for updating automatically can be a little different if you use FileZilla Pro. It often installs security updates and new features for supported protocols like Amazon S3, WebDAV, and Google Cloud Storage without you having to do anything.

You can still stop updates from happening by using the same XML or settings dialog. FileZilla Pro is a commercial program, thus you should normally keep it up to date unless you need rigorous version control in your environment.

For precise update policy settings, be sure to look at the FileZilla Pro instructions or get in touch with their support.

FileZilla upgrades often contain modifications to the protocol level or security enforcement for FTP, SFTP, or FTPS. These modifications are supposed to make things safer, but they can also disrupt connections to old servers.

By turning off automatic updates, you stop changes from happening that could affect access to legacy servers. But don’t forget to read the release notes and test the new versions before you update.

If your server can only use old ciphers or authentication methods, you may need to turn off updates until the upgrades are done.

After an automatic update, users commonly say that the layout of the UI has changed, bookmarks are broken, site management entries are missing, or the program isn’t working with other programs. These issues can slow down work, although they don’t happen very often.

You can back up your settings, test changes in a safe place, and avoid being exposed to new problems right away by turning off automatic updates.

Using manual update processes is a technique to keep your workflow safe while still getting the information you need.

FileZilla has both stable and nightly (development) builds. By default, auto-updates come from the stable channel. But turning on development builds can cause changes that break things.

To see what channel you’re on right now:

To find out what version you have, go to Help and then About.

If you want your computer to be stable, make sure you’re not signed up for beta or nightly updates under the update settings.

If you turn off updates completely, you won’t ever unintentionally switch to a development branch.

If you plan to re-enable updates later, consider backing up your configuration files, bookmarks, and site credentials.

Backup the following:

• filezilla.xml
• sitemanager.xml
• fzdefaults.xml (if used)
• Logs or transfer queues, if saved

Doing this ensures you can revert to your known-good state if anything goes wrong during future updates.

Stay in the loop by monitoring FileZilla’s official changelog. This lets you track bug fixes, new features, and deprecated functionality.

You can subscribe to the release RSS feed or bookmark the page. Checking release notes before manual updates keeps you informed and reduces surprises.

Admins can also use these notes to write internal documentation before deploying upgrades to teams.

On Linux, FileZilla updates may be handled by system-level package managers like apt, yum, or dnf. Disabling auto-updates in this context involves removing or modifying update scripts.

You can exclude FileZilla from automatic system upgrades by pinning the version in your package manager. For example:

bash

sudo apt-mark hold filezilla

This holds the current version and prevents system-wide upgrades from affecting it.

Large organizations can use Group Policy, configuration management tools (e.g., Ansible, Puppet), or endpoint protection software to prevent software from auto-updating.

If FileZilla is part of your standard software stack, you may want to restrict update permissions at the OS level. This can be done using Windows policies or restricted user access.

Combining this with fzdefaults.xml offers a complete solution for enterprise software control.

Disabling auto-updates in FileZilla makes sense when stability, security policies, or workflow consistency matter more than immediate feature access. For developers, sysadmins, and businesses, it offers predictability and control.

That said, staying informed and manually updating when appropriate is essential to keep your system secure. Set reminders, track changelogs, and always test new versions in a controlled environment before rolling them out widely.

With the right balance, you can enjoy the best of both worlds—stability today and readiness for tomorrow.