Recipe

Stop updates from using hotspot data

On a metered network, Kilobat can pause the helpers that download updates. The apps keep working, and the updates continue on your usual network.

Needs Kilobat Pro in the appBlocking needs the network filterChecked: 29 October 2026

In the app

Make sure that Kilobat treats the network as metered. macOS flags an iPhone hotspot. For other networks, open the Wi-Fi menu and set Data cost to Metered.
Open the dashboard and click the Health tab.
Find Pause updaters. Turn on On metered networks. It is on by default.
Click What’s covered and what got through. The list shows the covered helpers and the update bytes that got through on this network.
Read the apps under Sparkle and Squirrel. These apps update from inside the app, so Kilobat cannot pause them separately.

With the CLI

Mark the current network as metered, if macOS does not.
```
kilobat networks cost metered
```
Show the updater report.
```
kilobat updaters
```
Output The covered helpers, the update bytes that got through (gotThrough), connections paused in the last 24 hours and the inProcess apps.
Turn pausing on. It is on by default.
```
kilobat updaters on
```
To let one update through, allow its helper for a short time.
```
kilobat allow com.google.GoogleUpdater --minutes 30
```

Through MCP

Connect the MCP server once with claude mcp add kilobat -- kilobat mcp. For other clients, see the docs. Then an agent can call these tools. Tools that change settings tell the agent to ask you first.

Tool and arguments	What it does
`get_updaters`	The covered helpers, what got through, and whether updaters are paused now.
`set_network_cost` `{"cost": "metered"}`	Treat the current network as metered.
`set_updater_pause` `{"pause": "on"}`	Pause updater helpers on metered networks.

Good to know

Kilobat covers Google Updater and Keystone, Microsoft AutoUpdate, softwareupdated, App Store downloads, and the Sparkle and Squirrel helpers.
The filter stops new connections. A download that started before the network became metered can finish.
Kilobat changes no setting in other apps or in System Settings. There is nothing to restore.
The Unrestricted profile pauses nothing.

Questions

Why does an app still update on the hotspot?

Many apps that use Sparkle or Electron download the update inside the app. Turn off automatic updates in that app, or block the app for a while.

How do I stop macOS updates without Kilobat?

Change the Software Update settings in macOS. See Stop Software Update downloading on a hotspot.

Sources

Sources checked on 29 October 2026. Man pages are the ones installed with macOS; open one with man <name> in Terminal.