Imagine my surprise when my Win10 computer restarted itself during my active hours. After it came back online, I noticed a new icon on my desktop - LO 7.2. I have been using LibreOffice 6.0.7.3 for the last few years, because I hate the browser-based Help. LO is/was set to NOT update automatically. What gives?
3 unchecked boxes.
No, I don’t.
Apart from your update curiosity (whatever made your Windows think that would be a good idea I don’t know), you really should not use such an old version. Meanwhile many bugs got fixed, including security fixes (see list), and you should keep your software up-to-date. The now browser based help is not a valid reason to keep outdated vulnerable software running.
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LibreOffice simply has no code to update itself. There is longstanding request to implement automatic updates (e.g., tdf#68274); for now, it only can check that there’s a new version reported by the website, and provide the link to user to allow them download it and update manually.
No, it’s not LibreOffice. Check which other software (package managers?) you have on your system. Even some antiviruses today have such a misfeature.
Use download archive if you need to return to an older version.
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Thanks, Hrbrgr. Good tip. But I can no longer trust LO. None of my other software packages have automatic updaters or managers. The restart happened with no warning, after my hands had been off the keyboard and mouse for at least two minutes. And LO wasn’t loaded - in fact, I hadn’t used it for nearly a week. When I later saw the new LO icon on my desktop, Windows Update said no other software had been updated. I have no interest in LO’s new bells and whistles - they’re simply busywork for the code drones. I can say that, because I used to be a code drone. 
I just want a word processor that works reliably, won’t fire up a browser for Help, and doesn’t surprise me with unwelcome updates and restarts. In my mind, LO has become a dangerous entity.
It looks like I added that edit, but that’s not the case. I wish I could blame it on a cat, but my only pet today is an annoying mosquito.
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Check your mind:
- All you have seen is a reboot and afterwards you found a new icon on your desktop. (Actually you didn’t even tell us LO was updated - but I assume your question is based on something - otherwise it could be just a download, saved to the desktop.) The promblem is: If something happened on your computer where you have no clue, the question is, what was active BEFORE you rebooted. Very rarely a virus etc. announces itself by a icon on the desktop. A program you didn’t use for a week is an unlikely source for the problem. So I suggest an offline Malware-Scan.
- On my system any update needs an admin-password, so you should have been asked before any update? If you were not asked, was there an update or is your system open to everything, then I suggest backup of personal data and complete reinstall, without sources from your current system.
- As LibreOffice don’t have the possibility to update itself, try to check, if a possible download is actually LibreOffice by checking Checksum etc. You wouldn’t be the first to miss a reboot before it happens (I warned several people.), but the “update” is suspicious. But for the cause, don’t waste your time with a rant a LibreOffice.
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That’s nonsense. As Mike already said, LibreOffice can not update itself:
Well, I didn’t update LO, but when I clicked my old 6.0.7.3 icon, this is what loaded, with no install delay: LO 7.2.6.2, build b0ec3a565991f7569a5a7f5d24fed7f52653d754 My new LO 7.2 icon loads the same version.
My computer scans clean, but maybe the Rooskies have been infiltrating our McAfees and Nortons, and installing LO updates/reboots on random hard drives. Stay vigilant, you might be next.
Hi, as a reader of your blog, I stumbled upon LibreOffice restarted my computer, and forced an update. Twice!
First, I’ve been using LibreOffice for years and it simply does not provide automatic updates. It only provides a link where you can download the update. Do you use a 3rd party software updater. Or did you click on the link yourself. Then again, your browser would simply download the installation package.
Honestly, it’s the first time I heard that LO forces reboots. That’s a Windows thing, not LO’s.
Also, you say you hate the browser-based Help and therefore stopped updates. That’s not a smart move as outdated software is a security risk. What is so bad about using your browser. MS Edge opens PDF files, too, so why not LO Help?
Also, I disagree with that you said in your blog post: “Once again, they said I was crazy, and tried to shut me up. These guys are very predictable. And obnoxious. It’s like they wanna out-Microsoft Microsoft. And it looks like they’re succeeding. Congrats, guys!” The Snoozeletter @ snzltr.blogspot.com
I couldn’t see any reply calling you crazy or else.
I hope you could resolve your issue in the meantime.