How Do I Disable the Adobe Updater?
Stop the Adobe Update Service from running in the background on Windows or macOS so the CPU, memory, and network bandwidth stay free for the work that matters.
Quick Answer
On Windows, open Services (Win + R, type services.msc), find Adobe Acrobat Update Service or Adobe Genuine Monitor Service, right click, Properties, set Startup type to Disabled, and click Stop. On macOS, open Adobe Creative Cloud, click your profile, Preferences, and uncheck Always keep Creative Cloud up to date and Auto update for each installed app. Remove leftover Adobe LaunchAgents from /Library/LaunchAgents if they still wake on login.
You can still update apps manually from the Creative Cloud window whenever you want; you have just stopped Adobe from doing it on its own schedule.
What the Adobe Updater actually does
The Adobe Update Service (and on Mac the Creative Cloud helper plus several LaunchAgents) checks Adobe's servers in the background for new app versions and patches. It can wake on boot, run while you are working, and start downloads of multi gigabyte installers without warning.
On a powerful machine you may never notice it. On a laptop, a tethered hotspot, or during a video render, it can chew up CPU, RAM, and bandwidth right when you need them.
Disable on Windows: the Services method
- Press Windows + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
- Scroll the alphabetical list and find Adobe Acrobat Update Service (for Acrobat / Reader) and Adobe Genuine Monitor Service (for Creative Cloud activations).
- Right click each, choose Properties.
- Click Stop to halt the running process.
- In the Startup type dropdown, choose Disabled.
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Repeat for any other service that starts with Adobe.
Disable on Windows: Task Scheduler
Adobe also installs scheduled tasks that run on a timer even when no service is listed.
- Press Windows + R, type taskschd.msc, press Enter.
- Expand Task Scheduler Library and look for entries like Adobe Acrobat Update Task or AdobeGCInvoker.
- Right click each and choose Disable.
Disable in the Creative Cloud app (recommended first step)
The cleanest way is inside the Creative Cloud app itself, which works on Windows and macOS.
- Open Adobe Creative Cloud (the menu bar icon on Mac, the system tray icon on Windows).
- Click your profile picture, then Preferences.
- In the General tab, uncheck Always keep Creative Cloud up to date.
- Open the Apps tab. For each installed app, uncheck Auto update.
- Close the panel.
Disable on macOS: clean up LaunchAgents and LaunchDaemons
Even after you uncheck auto update, Adobe leaves background helpers in two folders. Move them to the trash to stop them loading on login.
- Open Finder, press Cmd + Shift + G to bring up Go to Folder.
- Type /Library/LaunchAgents and press Enter.
- Move any file starting with com.adobe to the Trash. Common ones include com.adobe.ARMDC.Communicator.plist and com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist.
- Repeat in /Library/LaunchDaemons and ~/Library/LaunchAgents.
- Empty the Trash and restart the Mac.
You will be asked for your administrator password. Adobe will not put these files back unless you reinstall an app.
Block updates at the network level (optional)
If you want certainty that no Adobe process can reach its update servers, add the Adobe update domains to your hosts file and point them to 127.0.0.1. This is heavy handed and breaks license checks for some apps, so use it only on machines that stay offline or that you license through a managed install. The two main targets are adobedownload.adobe.com and ccmdls.adobe.com.
What stops working when you disable updates
| Disabled | Still works | Breaks |
|---|---|---|
| Background updater | Manual update via the Creative Cloud app | Nothing |
| Genuine Monitor service | License activation | Genuine software warnings if you also block the network |
| LaunchAgents on Mac | Apps launched manually | Automatic syncing of cloud documents (can still sync on app open) |
FAQs
Will my Adobe apps still get security patches?
Only when you click Update inside the Creative Cloud app. Check once a month so you do not fall behind on important patches.
Will Adobe reinstall the services on the next app launch?
No. The services stay disabled until you manually re enable them in services.msc, or until you reinstall the Creative Cloud desktop app itself.
Does this affect Photoshop or Premiere performance directly?
Indirectly. Less background activity means more CPU, RAM, and disk throughput available when an app actually needs them.
Can I disable just the network usage without stopping the service?
Yes. In Windows Firewall, create an outbound rule blocking the Adobe update executables (typically in C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\). The service runs but cannot reach the internet.
The takeaway
Turn off Always keep Creative Cloud up to date in preferences first. On Windows, disable the Adobe services in services.msc and the scheduled tasks. On Mac, move Adobe LaunchAgents to the trash. Update manually once a month from inside the Creative Cloud window and you keep the apps current without the background drain.