diff --git a/modules/programs/vscode.nix b/modules/programs/vscode.nix
index dcfed07b1..443e623bc 100644
--- a/modules/programs/vscode.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/vscode.nix
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ let
   # TODO: On Darwin where are the extensions?
   extensionPath = ".${extensionDir}/extensions";
 
+  mergedUserSettings = cfg.userSettings
+    // optionalAttrs (!cfg.enableUpdateCheck) { "update.mode" = "none"; }
+    // optionalAttrs (!cfg.enableExtensionUpdateCheck) {
+      "extensions.autoCheckUpdates" = false;
+    };
 in {
   imports = [
     (mkChangedOptionModule [ "programs" "vscode" "immutableExtensionsDir" ] [
@@ -56,12 +61,28 @@ in {
         '';
       };
 
+      enableUpdateCheck = mkOption {
+        type = types.bool;
+        default = true;
+        description = ''
+          Whether to enable update checks/notifications.
+        '';
+      };
+
+      enableExtensionUpdateCheck = mkOption {
+        type = types.bool;
+        default = true;
+        description = ''
+          Whether to enable update notifications for extensions.
+        '';
+      };
+
       userSettings = mkOption {
         type = jsonFormat.type;
         default = { };
         example = literalExpression ''
           {
-            "update.channel" = "none";
+            "files.autoSave" = "off"
             "[nix]"."editor.tabSize" = 2;
           }
         '';
@@ -164,9 +185,9 @@ in {
     home.packages = [ cfg.package ];
 
     home.file = mkMerge [
-      (mkIf (cfg.userSettings != { }) {
+      (mkIf (mergedUserSettings != { }) {
         "${configFilePath}".source =
-          jsonFormat.generate "vscode-user-settings" cfg.userSettings;
+          jsonFormat.generate "vscode-user-settings" mergedUserSettings;
       })
       (mkIf (cfg.userTasks != { }) {
         "${tasksFilePath}".source =
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/vscode/default.nix b/tests/modules/programs/vscode/default.nix
index 70f6d2e70..607758269 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/vscode/default.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/vscode/default.nix
@@ -1 +1,4 @@
-{ vscode-keybindings = ./keybindings.nix; }
+{
+  vscode-keybindings = ./keybindings.nix;
+  vscode-update-checks = ./update-checks.nix;
+}
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/vscode/keybindings.nix b/tests/modules/programs/vscode/keybindings.nix
index 57931c43f..ed457a9ba 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/vscode/keybindings.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/vscode/keybindings.nix
@@ -27,12 +27,17 @@ let
     }
   ];
 
-  targetPath = if pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin then
+  keybindingsPath = if pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin then
     "Library/Application Support/Code/User/keybindings.json"
   else
     ".config/Code/User/keybindings.json";
 
-  expectedJson = pkgs.writeText "expected.json" ''
+  settingsPath = if pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin then
+    "Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json"
+  else
+    ".config/Code/User/settings.json";
+
+  expectedKeybindings = pkgs.writeText "expected.json" ''
     [
       {
         "command": "editor.action.clipboardCopyAction",
@@ -58,6 +63,7 @@ let
       }
     ]
   '';
+
 in {
   config = {
     programs.vscode = {
@@ -67,8 +73,10 @@ in {
     };
 
     nmt.script = ''
-      assertFileExists "home-files/${targetPath}"
-      assertFileContent "home-files/${targetPath}" "${expectedJson}"
+      assertFileExists "home-files/${keybindingsPath}"
+      assertFileContent "home-files/${keybindingsPath}" "${expectedKeybindings}"
+
+      assertPathNotExists "home-files/${settingsPath}"
     '';
   };
 }
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/vscode/update-checks.nix b/tests/modules/programs/vscode/update-checks.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1547bd36a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/vscode/update-checks.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+{ pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+
+  settingsPath = if pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin then
+    "Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json"
+  else
+    ".config/Code/User/settings.json";
+
+  expectedSettings = pkgs.writeText "settings-expected.json" ''
+    {
+      "extensions.autoCheckUpdates": false,
+      "update.mode": "none"
+    }
+  '';
+
+in {
+  programs.vscode = {
+    enable = true;
+    package = pkgs.writeScriptBin "vscode" "" // { pname = "vscode"; };
+    enableUpdateCheck = false;
+    enableExtensionUpdateCheck = false;
+  };
+
+  nmt.script = ''
+    assertFileExists "home-files/${settingsPath}"
+    assertFileContent "home-files/${settingsPath}" "${expectedSettings}"
+  '';
+}