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Why does pref app.update.auto take no effect in custom cfg file?

Albani
Albani
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Every six months we update firefox to the newest ESR version in our company. Last we did this in December 2019, and now users are complaining that firefox wants to install updates, which requieres admin privileges. To prevent this, we set up the following in a custom cfg file:

lockPref("app.update.auto", false); lockPref("app.update.enabled", false);

But now this setup takes no effect anymore (Neither the preference itself, nor that it should actually be locked). The firefox settings seem to ignore this, for there is absolutely no restriction. Other settings get applied, only the update policy is changeable to whatever the users want.

Am I missing something?

Every six months we update firefox to the newest ESR version in our company. Last we did this in December 2019, and now users are complaining that firefox wants to install updates, which requieres admin privileges. To prevent this, we set up the following in a custom cfg file: lockPref("app.update.auto", false); lockPref("app.update.enabled", false); But now this setup takes no effect anymore (Neither the preference itself, nor that it should actually be locked). The firefox settings seem to ignore this, for there is absolutely no restriction. Other settings get applied, only the update policy is changeable to whatever the users want. Am I missing something?

Chosen solution

The update options were removed from the Firefox preferences like app.update.enabled were removed from Firefox 63 and no longer do anything.

If you want to disable updates on Firefox, you need to use the DisableAppUpdate policy either with a policies.json file or Group Policy (Windows only).

Hope this helps.

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Wesley Branton
Wesley Branton
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Chosen Solution

The update options were removed from the Firefox preferences like app.update.enabled were removed from Firefox 63 and no longer do anything.

If you want to disable updates on Firefox, you need to use the DisableAppUpdate policy either with a policies.json file or Group Policy (Windows only).

Hope this helps.