diff -x '*.swp' -x '*.orig' -x '*.rej' -Naur 10.9-0/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/main_dlg.cpp 10.9-1/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/main_dlg.cpp
--- 10.9-0/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/main_dlg.cpp	2019-02-10 22:01:42.029158919 -0500
+++ 10.9-1/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/main_dlg.cpp	2019-02-10 22:01:57.435336536 -0500
@@ -5023,7 +5023,7 @@
         globalCfg_.gui.lastUpdateCheck = 0; //reset to GlobalSettings.xml default value!
 
     m_menuItemCheckVersionAuto->Check(updateCheckActive(globalCfg_.gui.lastUpdateCheck));
-
+    /*
     if (shouldRunAutomaticUpdateCheck(globalCfg_.gui.lastUpdateCheck))
     {
         flashStatusInformation(_("Searching for program updates..."));
@@ -5031,6 +5031,7 @@
         automaticUpdateCheckEval(this, globalCfg_.gui.lastUpdateCheck, globalCfg_.gui.lastOnlineVersion,
                                  automaticUpdateCheckRunAsync(automaticUpdateCheckPrepare().get()).get());
     }
+    */
 }
 
 
@@ -5038,7 +5039,7 @@
 {
     //execute just once per startup!
     Disconnect(wxEVT_IDLE, wxIdleEventHandler(MainDialog::OnRegularUpdateCheck), nullptr, this);
-
+    /*
     if (shouldRunAutomaticUpdateCheck(globalCfg_.gui.lastUpdateCheck))
     {
         flashStatusInformation(_("Searching for program updates..."));
@@ -5052,6 +5053,7 @@
                                      resultAsync.get()); //run on main thread:
         });
     }
+    */
 }
 
 
diff -x '*.swp' -x '*.orig' -x '*.rej' -Naur 10.9-0/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/version_check.cpp 10.9-1/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/version_check.cpp
--- 10.9-0/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/version_check.cpp	2019-02-10 22:01:42.126160041 -0500
+++ 10.9-1/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/version_check.cpp	2019-02-10 22:17:56.183369507 -0500
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@
 
 bool fff::shouldRunAutomaticUpdateCheck(time_t lastUpdateCheck)
 {
+    // short-circuit
+    return false;
     if (lastUpdateCheck == getVersionCheckInactiveId())
         return false;
 
@@ -236,13 +238,13 @@
         const std::string onlineVersion = getOnlineVersion(geHttpPostParameters()); //throw SysError
         lastOnlineVersion = onlineVersion;
 
-        if (haveNewerVersionOnline(onlineVersion))
-            showUpdateAvailableDialog(parent, onlineVersion);
-        else
+        //if (haveNewerVersionOnline(onlineVersion))
+        //    showUpdateAvailableDialog(parent, onlineVersion);
+        //else
             showNotificationDialog(parent, DialogInfoType::INFO, PopupDialogCfg().
                                    setIcon(getResourceImage(L"update_check")).
                                    setTitle(_("Check for Program Updates")).
-                                   setMainInstructions(_("FreeFileSync is up to date.")));
+                                   setMainInstructions(_("Use your package manager for any updates to FreeFileSync.")));
     }
     catch (const zen::SysError& e)
     {