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You are here: Home / Smart Phone Tips / Q&A: How do I set Google Play to only auto-update apps over Wi-Fi?

Q&A: How do I set Google Play to only auto-update apps over Wi-Fi?

Posted on February 12, 2025

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Question from Kara:  I have an Android phone that loves to auto-update my apps over my cellular data connection without any warning.

The problem is I sometimes use up my data allotment before the month runs out.

I realize that downloading app updates doesn’t use up a lot of data, but they do use some, right?

How can I set my phone to only auto-update my apps when I’m connected to Wi-Fi? 

Or if that’s not possible can I just turn auto-update off completely?

Rick’s answer:  I feel your pain, Kara. I used to have that problem as well.

Luckily, it’s really pretty easy to set Google Play to auto-update your apps only when your phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. Just follow the steps below:

Note: The actual steps required to complete this tip could vary slightly depending on your device’s Android version and the model of the device. Therefore you should use the following as a general guide.

1 – Launch the Play Store app.

2 – Tap the small thumbnail of your profile photo.

3 – Scroll down and tap Settings.

4 – Tap Network preferences.

5 – Tap Auto-update apps.

6 – Select Over Wi-Fi only.

That’s all there is to it. From now on your phone will only try to automatically update your apps when it’s connected via Wi-Fi.

I hope this helps, Kara. Good luck!

 







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