Is there a way to disable or adjust the automatic fetch interval in Sourcetree to reduce network usage on metered connections?

Answer

Yes – you can turn off the background fetch that Sourcetree performs every ~30 minutes. There is no exposed way to change the interval, but disabling the feature stops the periodic traffic entirely.

How to Disable Automatic Fetch

1. Open Sourcetree.
   • Windows: File → Preferences.
   • macOS: Sourcetree → Preferences.
2. Navigate to the Git (or Background Tasks) section.
3. Locate the checkbox labeled Automatically fetch.
   • Uncheck it.
   • Click OK or Apply to save the change.
4. Restart Sourcetree to ensure the setting takes effect.

What About The Interval?

The default interval is hard‑coded to roughly 30 minutes. Sourcetree does not provide a UI, config file, or command‑line flag to adjust this value in any released version. If you need a longer interval, the only supported method is to leave the automatic fetch enabled and use external network controls (e.g., firewall rules or OS metered‑connection policies).

Verifying the Change

After disabling, monitor network traffic with your OS’s network utility or a packet‑capture tool. You should see no periodic git fetch or git pull requests originating from Sourcetree.

If the Toggle Is Missing

In some older or heavily customized builds the Automatically fetch checkbox may not appear. Check the following:

• Confirm the Sourcetree version (File → About or Help → About). The toggle is present in 2.x and 3.x releases.
• Consult the release notes or community forums for that version; if the feature is compiled in, disabling it without modifying the binary is not supported.
• As a last resort, use a firewall or metered‑connection policy to block Sourcetree’s background Git traffic.

Missing Diagnostic Detail

To give you the most accurate guidance, could you let me know which operating system and Sourcetree version you are using?