How to Disable Online Updates in OpenOffice 4

For many many years Microsoft Office ruled the world as the most popular office software suite. But things started to change in early 2000s as OpenOffice was released as a successful alternative to Microsoft Office. Initially popular among the Linux users, OpenOffice has now become very popular with the Windows and MacOS users as well.

Not only OpenOffice provides the same functionality as Microsoft Office, it can also open and edit all the documents produced by Microsoft Office. Just like Microsoft Office, it also provides regular online updates which are automatically downloaded and installed in your computer.

While online updates are great for regular PC users as they provide you with latest features and protection against known vulnerabilities, they could cause problems at workplaces where you are expected to run only a particular version of OpenOffice. In those circumstances, you should just disable the online updates in OpenOffice. Here is how:

  1. Launch any OpenOffice application such as Writer.
  2. From the menubar, select Tools → Options.OpenOffice Disable Online Update
  3. Select OpenOffice → Online Update from the sidebar in the Options window.
  4. Uncheck the checkbox labeled Check for updates automatically.
  5. Click on the OK button to save the settings.OpenOffice Disable Online Update
  6. Close all the OpenOffice applications window and start them again.

The restarting of the OpenOffice applications is necessary for the new settings to take effect. There is also an alternate way to disable the online updates by modifying the registrymodifications.mcu file. Here is how:

  1. Install Notepad++ in your PC for easily editing MCU files (not really necessary but it can make things easy).
  2. Press the hotkey Win+R to open the Run dialog.
  3. Type %AppData%\OpenOffice\4\user\ and press Enter.
  4. Right-click on registrymodifications.mcu file and select Edit with Notepad++.
  5. Append the following near the end of the file before </oor:items>:
    <item oor:path="/org.openoffice.Office.Jobs/Jobs/org.openoffice.Office.Jobs:Job['UpdateCheck']/Arguments"><prop oor:name="AutoCheckEnabled" oor:op="fuse" oor:type="xs:boolean"><value>false</value></prop></item>

    OpenOffice Disable Online Update

  6. Press Ctrl+S to save the file.