Apps and helpers

What is GoogleUpdater?

GoogleUpdater updates Chrome and other Google apps in the background. Older installs use the Keystone agent, GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent. Both are from Google, not part of macOS.

Process: GoogleUpdaterAlso seen as: GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent, KeystoneMade by GoogleApplies to: Google Chrome and other Google apps on macOS 14 Sonoma and later. Checked on 1 November 2026 against Google's documentation.Checked: 1 November 2026

Short answer

Google's updater for Chrome and other Google apps on the Mac. It checks for updates about every few hours and downloads new versions.

Block with care

Blocking it stops Chrome and other Google app updates, including security fixes. On a hotspot, pause it and update later instead.

Path: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater /Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater
Signing identifier: com.google.GoogleUpdater

What it is

Google's help says that Chrome installs updates in the background. The Chromium updater documentation describes the updater app and its install folders.

A per-user install is in ~/Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater. A system install is in /Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater.

The Chromium functional spec says that the updater runs periodic tasks every hour. It checks for updates only if 4.5 hours have passed since the last check, unless policy changes it.

Google's Chrome Enterprise help says that devices get Chrome updates from dl.google.com and www.google.com/dl.

Why it uses the network

Update checks. It asks Google's servers for new versions of the apps that it manages.
Update downloads. It downloads new versions of Chrome and other Google apps.

How much is normal

Small checks every few hours are usual when you have Google apps.

Chrome updates are large downloads, a few times a month.

The Chromium manual says that the updater removes itself when no app needs it any more.

When it uses a lot, and why

A new Chrome version. Each new version downloads in the background. Several Google apps can update around the same time.
Many Google apps. One updater serves all the Google apps on the Mac, so their updates arrive through the same process.
A server that asks to retry. The Chromium spec says that the client waits when the server asks, for up to 24 hours, before checking again.

Is it safe to block?

Block with care

Blocking it stops Chrome and other Google app updates, including security fixes. On a hotspot, pause it and update later instead.

What breaks if you block it

Chrome and other Google apps stop updating, and security fixes don't arrive.
Chrome's About page can't update the browser.

Blocking means a firewall rule that refuses its connections. Don’t quit or disable a macOS process to save data: macOS starts it again, and other features depend on it.

Reduce its use

Keep Chrome up to date. Updates fix security problems.
To update now, on your usual network, open Chrome. Choose Chrome › About Google Chrome, then click Relaunch.
If you remove all Google apps, the updater removes itself after some hours. The Chromium manual describes this.

See how much it uses

Open Activity Monitor from Applications › Utilities. Click Network.
Type GoogleUpdater in the search field. The Sent Bytes and Rcvd Bytes columns show what it moved since it started.
In Terminal, watch only this process. Press d to show the change per second, and q to quit.
```
nettop -p 'GoogleUpdater' -P
```

With Kilobat

With Pro and the network filter, Kilobat pauses this updater on metered networks. Chrome keeps working. See Stop updates from using hotspot data.
```
kilobat updaters
```
Ask the same question in Terminal.
```
kilobat explain GoogleUpdater
```

The live view and the explanations are free. History in the app needs Kilobat Pro. Blocking needs Pro and the network filter: see the network filter, Protection and the hotspot data saver.

Hosts it contacts

Apple and the maker document these hosts for this feature. A process can also contact others; Kilobat’s Connections tab shows what it actually opens on your Mac.

dl.google.comGoogle's download host, where Chrome gets its updates.Google →

Questions

Can I stop GoogleUpdater on a hotspot only?

macOS has no setting for this. Kilobat Pro with the network filter pauses it on metered networks. Chrome keeps working.

Why is GoogleUpdater still here after I removed Chrome?

The Chromium manual says that it removes itself some hours after no app needs it.

Is GoogleSoftwareUpdateAgent the same thing?

It is Google's older updater, Keystone. Google's Mac help still documents its com.google.Keystone settings.

Sources

Checked on 1 November 2026.