Stopping printer driver updates

I avoid installing Apple’s drivers for my Canon printer, preferring Canon’s. I recently clicked on the wrong option in the Mac App Store, causing it to download several updates including printer drivers, but it hasn’t installed them. How can I stop them being installed?

So long as the Mac App Store or its back– end software update tool haven’t installed this driver, you should be able to prevent future installation. In the App Store, go to the Updates tab.

If that update is still listed as being not yet installed, Ctrl–click on it and select the ‘Hide update’ command in the contextual menu. Should you change your mind, choose Store > Show All Software Updates to reveal those you’ve hidden.

If the update has been installed, it’ll be listed under Software > Installations when you go to Apple Menu > About This Mac > System Report. Click the Install Date heading twice to order them in reverse chronological order. However, removing a printer driver can be a long–winded process of tracking down PostScript Printer Description (PPD) and supplementary files.

The next time you’re offered a printer software update through the Mac App Store, you should choose to hide it, so you can safely click Install All when you want to get other updates.