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To stop routine updates to an installed package, use the mechanism for your distribution: apt-mark hold on Debian or Ubuntu, DNF’s versionlock plugin on supported DNF systems, or pacman’s IgnorePkg setting on Arch Linux. APT pinning is different: it changes package-selection priorities rather than simply marking an installed package to stay unchanged.
First identify your distribution and package manager
Linux has no universal command for delaying a package update. The commands below apply to different package-management families, and using one on the wrong system will not create the intended rule.
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- Debian and Ubuntu: use APT. Ubuntu Server documentation identifies APT as the recommended command-line package tool for Debian packages on Ubuntu.
- DNF-based systems: use the DNF
versionlockplugin, if it is available for your distribution and release. - Arch Linux: use pacman’s
IgnorePkgconfiguration or a one-time--ignoreoption.
If you are unsure which system you are using, check its release information and package-management documentation before running commands. These procedures do not cover every Linux distribution or package manager.
Decide what “delay” means in your case
Before changing configuration, decide whether you need a one-time exception, a rule that keeps one installed package at its current version, or a policy that makes the package manager prefer one version or repository. Those goals are easy to confuse, but they have different consequences.
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- One-time delay: skip a package during one operation and let the next operation evaluate it normally. Pacman’s
--ignoreoption is the clearest example. - Persistent hold or lock: record a rule that remains in effect until you remove it. APT holds, DNF versionlocks, and a pacman
IgnorePkgentry belong here. - Version or repository preference: tell the resolver which candidate should have priority. APT preferences, commonly called pinning, serve this purpose rather than simply freezing an installed package.
Use the narrowest control that solves the problem. A temporary regression workaround should not automatically become a permanent repository policy. In every case, review the complete proposed transaction, including related installations, upgrades, and removals, before accepting it.
Choose a hold, a version lock, or a pin for the job
“Pinning” is often used informally to mean keeping a package from changing, but APT uses the term for a more specific mechanism. Choose based on whether you want to leave an installed package alone, constrain which versions can be selected, or skip an update just once.
| Method | What it controls | How long it applies | How to inspect or remove it | Important trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APT hold | Marks an installed package to remain at its current version and status during ordinary APT operations. | Until you remove the hold, subject to explicit overrides. | apt-mark showhold; remove with apt-mark unhold. |
It is not a guarantee against every command or administrator action; apt-get --ignore-hold can disregard holds. |
| APT preferences (pinning) | Assigns priorities to packages or repositories so APT can choose a candidate according to those priorities. | While the relevant preferences and repository configuration apply. | Review the preferences and package candidate using the documentation for the specific release; no universal preference-file example applies here. | Mixing releases can create compatibility problems, and priority choices have consequences beyond one simple hold. |
| DNF versionlock | Constrains the package versions available to DNF transaction operations. | Until you delete or clear the lock. | dnf versionlock list; remove a rule with dnf versionlock delete or clear documented rules with clear. |
Plugin packaging and exact command syntax can vary by distribution and release. |
| pacman IgnorePkg | Skips a named package during routine package operations that honor the setting. | While the package remains listed in pacman’s configuration. | Edit the IgnorePkg entry in /etc/pacman.conf. |
Arch warns that partial upgrades are unsupported; ignoring a package can leave it behind while the rest of the system changes. |
A persistent rule should be documented locally so another administrator knows why it exists and when to revisit it. Keep the package name, the reason for the delay, and the condition for removal in your normal change notes. The package managers themselves do not establish a universal maximum safe delay.
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Debian and Ubuntu: hold an installed package
Use an APT hold when your goal is straightforward: keep an installed package at its current state during ordinary APT operations. Debian’s package-management documentation describes a hold as the user’s request to keep a package at its current version and status.
Set and verify the hold
- Hold the package: replace
package_namewith the package’s actual APT name, then runsudo apt-mark hold package_name. - Confirm that APT records it: run
apt-mark showhold. Check that the package appears in the output. - Review future transactions: when installing or upgrading other software, read APT’s proposed changes before confirming. Do not assume that a hold makes every package operation behave identically.
The hold does not uninstall the package or select a different version. It records a request to keep the installed package unchanged. If the reason for the hold is a regression, treat it as a temporary exception: revisit it when a corrected update is available rather than leaving the package unattended indefinitely.
Remove the hold
When you are ready to allow routine updates again, run sudo apt-mark unhold package_name. Then review the next proposed upgrade to see what APT plans to change; removing a hold does not itself install an update.
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Know when a hold can be overridden
An APT hold should not be treated as an unbreakable lock. Debian’s apt-get manual documents the --ignore-hold option, which tells apt-get to disregard package holds. Explicit commands and other software may also have their own behavior. If a transaction proposes changing a held package, stop and check the command, options, and package-manager output instead of assuming the hold failed or that the transaction is safe.
Debian and Ubuntu: use APT pinning to influence version selection
APT preferences, commonly called pinning, are for influencing which package version or repository APT considers a candidate. A hold says, in effect, “leave this installed package as it is”; a pin assigns priorities that guide APT’s choice among available versions or sources. These are related tools, not interchangeable commands.
Pinning can be useful when selecting packages from a repository, but repository priorities must be chosen with care. Debian warns that compatibility is usually not guaranteed when packages are mixed across releases. Its guidance for adding non-stable archives alongside stable is to assign those archives lower priorities. A broad or poorly chosen preference can affect more packages than intended.
- Use a hold if you simply need to keep one installed package unchanged during ordinary APT operations.
- Use preferences when you intentionally need APT to choose among package versions or sources according to priority.
- Before adding a repository or writing preferences, consult documentation for the exact Debian or Ubuntu release and the source you intend to use. There is no safe, release-independent preference-file example for every package and repository combination.
- After changing preferences, inspect the candidate version and the proposed transaction with the tools documented for your APT release before proceeding.
Do not add a repository for another distribution or release merely to obtain one package without understanding its priority and compatibility implications. APT’s candidate-selection rules are more consequential than a simple per-package hold. If your only requirement is to stop an installed package from changing, a hold is usually the more direct and easier-to-audit control.
DNF-based systems: constrain versions with versionlock
DNF’s versionlock feature is provided by a plugin. It filters the versions available to transaction operations and supports commands to add, inspect, and remove locks. The exact plugin package name, availability, and syntax depend on the distribution and release, so check that system’s current DNF documentation before installing or relying on it.
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- Confirm plugin availability: consult the documentation for your DNF distribution. DNF documentation describes the plugin as installable through the
dnf-command(versionlock)provide, but that does not establish one universal installation command or package name for every system. - Add a lock: the conceptual command is
dnf versionlock add package_name. Verify the accepted syntax for your installed plugin before using it. - Inspect the rules: run
dnf versionlock listand check that the intended package rule is present. - Review the transaction: use DNF’s transaction preview or review its proposed changes before confirming an update or install operation.
- Remove a lock when it is no longer needed: the conceptual command is
dnf versionlock delete package_name. Confirm the exact matching syntax in your plugin documentation; the plugin also documentsclearfor clearing rules.
The documented interface also includes exclude. Treat it as a plugin operation whose exact arguments and effect should be checked in the manpage installed on your system rather than copied blindly from another release.
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By default, an add rule resolves a package specification into concrete package versions. The plugin also documents a raw mode for broader version patterns. That distinction matters: a rule tied to a concrete version can behave differently from a deliberately broad pattern. Avoid copying a versionlock command from a different DNF distribution or release without checking what rule it will create.
If a lock is no longer needed, remove the matching rule rather than adding another rule that might make later troubleshooting confusing. After deletion or clearing, inspect the list again and review the next transaction so you know which version DNF now considers available.
Arch Linux: skip a package with pacman
Arch provides two ways to tell pacman to ignore a package: a persistent IgnorePkg entry in its configuration, or a one-time --ignore option. Arch warns that partial upgrades are unsupported, so neither method should be treated as routine permission to keep the rest of the system updated while indefinitely leaving one package behind.
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- Open
/etc/pacman.confwith an editor using the appropriate administrative privileges. - In the
[options]section, add or update the entry asIgnorePkg=package_name, substituting the actual pacman package name. - Save the file, then inspect pacman’s output during the next package operation to confirm how it handles the ignored package.
- To stop ignoring it, remove its name from the
IgnorePkgentry and save the file.
Skip a package for one operation
For a one-time skip, pacman supports the --ignore option. For example, the option can be supplied to an upgrade operation as sudo pacman -Syu --ignore package_name. Omit the option on later commands if you do not want the skip to persist. Check the command’s proposed package changes, and do not turn this into a partial-upgrade routine: Arch explicitly does not support partial upgrades.
An ignored package can still be explicitly upgraded with pacman -S; ArchWiki notes that pacman prompts with a reminder in that case. An ignore rule is therefore not an absolute block against an intentional package operation. If you remove the entry after a temporary workaround, confirm that the next full upgrade evaluates the package normally.
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The package still appears in an update transaction
First verify the control in the package manager that actually owns the package: check apt-mark showhold, dnf versionlock list, or the IgnorePkg setting as applicable. Then read the exact command and transaction output. APT has an explicit option to ignore holds, and Arch documents that an ignored package may still be explicitly upgraded, so a rule does not imply that every operation is blocked.
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You need to update the package after delaying it
Remove the relevant control first: use apt-mark unhold for an APT hold, the plugin’s documented delete operation for a DNF versionlock, or edit pacman’s IgnorePkg entry. For a one-time pacman skip, simply omit --ignore from a later command. Review the package manager’s plan before proceeding.
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A dependency change appears alongside the package
Do not approve a transaction solely because the package you meant to hold or ignore is unchanged. Read the full list of proposed installations, upgrades, and removals; package managers may need to consider related packages as part of a transaction. If the result is unexpected, cancel and check the rule and the distribution’s package-management guidance before trying a broader pin or lock.
The rule was applied to the wrong package name
Package names are manager-specific. A name used by APT is not automatically the name used by DNF or pacman. Recheck the installed package’s spelling in the documentation and in the manager’s own output, then inspect the hold, lock, or configuration entry again. Avoid creating several approximate rules while troubleshooting; remove an incorrect rule once the intended one is confirmed.
You are considering a long delay
There is no universal safe maximum delay established for all packages and systems. The risk depends on the package and the changes being deferred. If you delayed an update because it caused a regression, periodically reconsider the exception and apply a corrected update when appropriate. Avoid disabling security updates across the system as a blanket response to a problem with one package.
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- One installed Debian or Ubuntu package should stay as it is: use an APT hold, then verify it with
apt-mark showhold. - APT should prefer a version or source according to repository priorities: use APT preferences only after checking release-specific guidance and compatibility.
- A DNF system should constrain versions available to transactions: use the versionlock plugin documented for that distribution and verify the resulting rule.
- One Arch package should be skipped once: use pacman’s
--ignoreoption for that operation, while respecting Arch’s warning against partial upgrades. - An Arch package should be persistently ignored: configure
IgnorePkgin/etc/pacman.conf, and revisit the setting rather than treating it as a permanent maintenance strategy.
Operational checklist
- Identify the distribution, release, and package manager.
- Define whether the exception is one-time, persistent, or a candidate-selection policy.
- Record the exact package name and the reason for delaying it.
- Apply the manager-specific hold, lock, preference, or ignore rule.
- Inspect the rule with the manager’s supported listing or status command.
- Preview the next transaction and read all dependency changes.
- Revisit the exception when a corrected package is available, then remove the rule before updating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an APT hold the same as APT pinning?
No. apt-mark hold asks APT to keep an installed package at its current version and status during ordinary operations. APT preferences, or pinning, assign priorities that influence which package version or repository becomes the candidate. Use a hold for a simple freeze and preferences only when you intentionally need priority-based selection.
How do I check which packages are held on Debian or Ubuntu?
Run apt-mark showhold. To release one package, use sudo apt-mark unhold package_name, then review the next proposed transaction. Removing a hold permits updates but does not install one automatically.
Can an APT hold ever be ignored?
Yes. The apt-get manual documents --ignore-hold, which tells apt-get to disregard package holds. Explicit commands or other software may also behave differently, so inspect the exact command and transaction output.
How do I remove a DNF versionlock?
Use the versionlock plugin’s documented delete operation, conceptually dnf versionlock delete package_name, and verify the result with dnf versionlock list. Plugin syntax and matching rules vary by distribution and release. The plugin also documents clear for clearing rules.
What is the difference between a one-time pacman ignore and IgnorePkg?
The --ignore option applies only to the command where you provide it. IgnorePkg=package_name in the [options] section of /etc/pacman.conf persists until you edit it. Both need caution because Arch does not support partial upgrades.
Can pacman still upgrade an ignored package?
Yes. ArchWiki notes that an ignored package can still be explicitly upgraded with pacman -S, with pacman prompting a reminder. An ignore rule is therefore not an absolute block against an intentional operation.
Should I add another distribution’s repository to obtain an older package?
Do not do so casually. Debian warns that compatibility is usually not guaranteed when releases are mixed and recommends lower priorities for non-stable repositories added beside stable. Check release-specific repository and preference guidance before changing sources.
How long is it safe to keep a package held or ignored?
There is no universal safe maximum. The appropriate delay depends on the package, its dependencies, and the reason for the exception. Revisit a regression workaround periodically and apply a corrected update when appropriate instead of disabling security updates broadly.
The Bottom Line
Use apt-mark hold for a straightforward Debian or Ubuntu freeze, APT preferences when you need deliberate candidate priorities, DNF versionlock to constrain transaction versions, and pacman’s --ignore or IgnorePkg for a carefully managed Arch exception. Always verify the rule, inspect the full transaction, and remove the delay when the underlying problem is resolved.
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