diff -aur 11.2-0/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/main_dlg.cpp 11.2-1/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/main_dlg.cpp
--- 11.2-0/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/main_dlg.cpp	2020-10-02 14:39:05.333463811 -0400
+++ 11.2-1/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/main_dlg.cpp	2020-10-02 14:52:01.515034696 -0400
@@ -5621,7 +5621,7 @@
         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..."));
@@ -5629,6 +5629,7 @@
         automaticUpdateCheckEval(this, globalCfg_.gui.lastUpdateCheck, globalCfg_.gui.lastOnlineVersion,
                                  automaticUpdateCheckRunAsync(automaticUpdateCheckPrepare(*this).get()).get());
     }
+    */
 }
 
 
@@ -5653,6 +5654,7 @@
         }
     };
 
+    /*
     if (shouldRunAutomaticUpdateCheck(globalCfg_.gui.lastUpdateCheck))
     {
         flashStatusInformation(_("Searching for program updates..."));
@@ -5669,6 +5671,7 @@
     }
     else
         showNewVersionReminder();
+   */
 }
 
 
diff -aur 11.2-0/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/version_check.cpp 11.2-1/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/version_check.cpp
--- 11.2-0/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/version_check.cpp	2020-10-02 14:39:05.297463367 -0400
+++ 11.2-1/FreeFileSync/Source/ui/version_check.cpp	2020-10-02 14:55:17.857457477 -0400
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@
 
 bool fff::shouldRunAutomaticUpdateCheck(time_t lastUpdateCheck)
 {
+    // short-circuit
+    return false;
     if (lastUpdateCheck == getVersionCheckInactiveId())
         return false;
 
@@ -156,8 +158,7 @@
     std::wstring updateDetailsMsg;
     try
     {
-        updateDetailsMsg = utfTo<std::wstring>(sendHttpGet(utfTo<Zstring>("https://api.freefilesync.org/latest_changes?" + xWwwFormUrlEncode({ { "since", ffsVersion } })),
-        ffsUpdateCheckUserAgent, nullptr /*caCertFilePath*/, nullptr /*notifyUnbufferedIO*/).readAll()); //throw SysError
+        updateDetailsMsg = utfTo<std::wstring>("");
     }
     catch (const SysError& e) { updateDetailsMsg = _("Failed to retrieve update information.") + + L"\n\n" + e.toString(); }
 
@@ -178,8 +179,7 @@
 
 std::string getOnlineVersion(const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>>& postParams) //throw SysError
 {
-    const std::string response = sendHttpPost(Zstr("https://api.freefilesync.org/latest_version"), postParams,
-                                              ffsUpdateCheckUserAgent, nullptr /*caCertFilePath*/, nullptr /*notifyUnbufferedIO*/).readAll(); //throw SysError
+    const std::string response = "";
     return trimCpy(response);
 }
 
@@ -226,13 +226,13 @@
         const std::string onlineVersion = getOnlineVersion(geHttpPostParameters(parent)); //throw SysError
         lastOnlineVersion = onlineVersion;
 
-        if (haveNewerVersionOnline(onlineVersion))
-            showUpdateAvailableDialog(&parent, onlineVersion);
-        else
+        //if (haveNewerVersionOnline(onlineVersion))
+        //    showUpdateAvailableDialog(&parent, onlineVersion);
+        //else
             showNotificationDialog(&parent, DialogInfoType::info, PopupDialogCfg().
                                    setIcon(loadImage("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 SysError& e)
     {