diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/App.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/App.java
index ee352ae4a..d92425d20 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/App.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/App.java
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ import io.reactivex.rxjava3.plugins.RxJavaPlugins;
 public class App extends Application {
     public static final String PACKAGE_NAME = BuildConfig.APPLICATION_ID;
     private static final String TAG = App.class.toString();
+
+    private boolean isFirstRun = false;
     private static App app;
 
     @NonNull
@@ -85,7 +87,13 @@ public class App extends Application {
             return;
         }
 
-        // Initialize settings first because others inits can use its values
+        // check if the last used preference version is set
+        // to determine whether this is the first app run
+        final int lastUsedPrefVersion = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(this)
+                .getInt(getString(R.string.last_used_preferences_version), -1);
+        isFirstRun = lastUsedPrefVersion == -1;
+
+        // Initialize settings first because other initializations can use its values
         NewPipeSettings.initSettings(this);
 
         NewPipe.init(getDownloader(),
@@ -255,4 +263,7 @@ public class App extends Application {
         return false;
     }
 
+    public boolean isFirstRun() {
+        return isFirstRun;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/MainActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/MainActivity.java
index a096e7eaf..346084b62 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/MainActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/MainActivity.java
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ import org.schabi.newpipe.player.Player;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.player.event.OnKeyDownListener;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.player.helper.PlayerHolder;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.player.playqueue.PlayQueue;
+import org.schabi.newpipe.settings.UpdateSettingsFragment;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.Constants;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.DeviceUtils;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.KioskTranslator;
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ import org.schabi.newpipe.util.Localization;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.NavigationHelper;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.PeertubeHelper;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.PermissionHelper;
+import org.schabi.newpipe.util.ReleaseVersionUtil;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.SerializedCache;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.ServiceHelper;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.StateSaver;
@@ -167,6 +169,11 @@ public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
             // if this is enabled by the user.
             NotificationWorker.initialize(this);
         }
+        if (!UpdateSettingsFragment.wasUserAskedForConsent(this)
+                && ReleaseVersionUtil.INSTANCE.isReleaseApk()
+                && !App.getApp().isFirstRun()) {
+            UpdateSettingsFragment.askForConsentToUpdateChecks(this);
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/NewPipeSettings.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/NewPipeSettings.java
index f280324cf..421440ea7 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/NewPipeSettings.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/NewPipeSettings.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
 import androidx.annotation.StringRes;
 import androidx.preference.PreferenceManager;
 
+import org.schabi.newpipe.App;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.R;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.util.DeviceUtils;
 
@@ -44,14 +45,8 @@ public final class NewPipeSettings {
     private NewPipeSettings() { }
 
     public static void initSettings(final Context context) {
-        // check if the last used preference version is set
-        // to determine whether this is the first app run
-        final int lastUsedPrefVersion = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context)
-                .getInt(context.getString(R.string.last_used_preferences_version), -1);
-        final boolean isFirstRun = lastUsedPrefVersion == -1;
-
         // first run migrations, then setDefaultValues, since the latter requires the correct types
-        SettingMigrations.runMigrationsIfNeeded(context, isFirstRun);
+        SettingMigrations.runMigrationsIfNeeded(context);
 
         // readAgain is true so that if new settings are added their default value is set
         PreferenceManager.setDefaultValues(context, R.xml.main_settings, true);
@@ -68,7 +63,7 @@ public final class NewPipeSettings {
         saveDefaultVideoDownloadDirectory(context);
         saveDefaultAudioDownloadDirectory(context);
 
-        disableMediaTunnelingIfNecessary(context, isFirstRun);
+        disableMediaTunnelingIfNecessary(context);
     }
 
     static void saveDefaultVideoDownloadDirectory(final Context context) {
@@ -146,8 +141,7 @@ public final class NewPipeSettings {
                 R.string.show_remote_search_suggestions_key);
     }
 
-    private static void disableMediaTunnelingIfNecessary(@NonNull final Context context,
-                                                         final boolean isFirstRun) {
+    private static void disableMediaTunnelingIfNecessary(@NonNull final Context context) {
         final SharedPreferences prefs = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
         final String disabledTunnelingKey = context.getString(R.string.disable_media_tunneling_key);
         final String disabledTunnelingAutomaticallyKey =
@@ -162,7 +156,7 @@ public final class NewPipeSettings {
                 prefs.getInt(disabledTunnelingAutomaticallyKey, -1) == 0
                         && !prefs.getBoolean(disabledTunnelingKey, false);
 
-        if (Boolean.TRUE.equals(isFirstRun)
+        if (App.getApp().isFirstRun()
                 || (wasDeviceBlacklistUpdated && !wasMediaTunnelingEnabledByUser)) {
             setMediaTunneling(context);
         }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/SettingMigrations.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/SettingMigrations.java
index b7bafde75..d731f2f5e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/SettingMigrations.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/SettingMigrations.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import android.util.Log;
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
 import androidx.preference.PreferenceManager;
 
+import org.schabi.newpipe.App;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.R;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.error.ErrorInfo;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.error.ErrorUtil;
@@ -163,15 +164,14 @@ public final class SettingMigrations {
     private static final int VERSION = 6;
 
 
-    public static void runMigrationsIfNeeded(@NonNull final Context context,
-                                             final boolean isFirstRun) {
+    public static void runMigrationsIfNeeded(@NonNull final Context context) {
         // setup migrations and check if there is something to do
         sp = PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
         final String lastPrefVersionKey = context.getString(R.string.last_used_preferences_version);
         final int lastPrefVersion = sp.getInt(lastPrefVersionKey, 0);
 
         // no migration to run, already up to date
-        if (isFirstRun) {
+        if (App.getApp().isFirstRun()) {
             sp.edit().putInt(lastPrefVersionKey, VERSION).apply();
             return;
         } else if (lastPrefVersion == VERSION) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/UpdateSettingsFragment.java b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/UpdateSettingsFragment.java
index d1a379e66..b8d0aa556 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/UpdateSettingsFragment.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/schabi/newpipe/settings/UpdateSettingsFragment.java
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 package org.schabi.newpipe.settings;
 
+import android.app.AlertDialog;
+import android.content.Context;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.widget.Toast;
 
 import androidx.preference.Preference;
+import androidx.preference.PreferenceManager;
 
 import org.schabi.newpipe.NewVersionWorker;
 import org.schabi.newpipe.R;
@@ -36,4 +39,38 @@ public class UpdateSettingsFragment extends BasePreferenceFragment {
         findPreference(getString(R.string.manual_update_key))
                 .setOnPreferenceClickListener(manualUpdateClick);
     }
+
+    public static void askForConsentToUpdateChecks(final Context context) {
+        new AlertDialog.Builder(context)
+                .setTitle(context.getString(R.string.check_for_updates))
+                .setMessage(context.getString(R.string.auto_update_check_description))
+                .setPositiveButton(context.getString(R.string.yes), (d, w) -> {
+                    d.dismiss();
+                    setAutoUpdateCheckEnabled(context, true);
+                })
+                .setNegativeButton(R.string.no, (d, w) -> {
+                    d.dismiss();
+                    // set explicitly to false, since the default is true on previous versions
+                    setAutoUpdateCheckEnabled(context, false);
+                })
+                .show();
+    }
+
+    private static void setAutoUpdateCheckEnabled(final Context context, final boolean enabled) {
+        PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context)
+                .edit()
+                .putBoolean(context.getString(R.string.update_app_key), enabled)
+                .putBoolean(context.getString(R.string.update_check_consent_key), true)
+                .apply();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Whether the user was asked for consent to automatically check for app updates.
+     * @param context
+     * @return true if the user was asked for consent, false otherwise
+     */
+    public static boolean wasUserAskedForConsent(final Context context) {
+        return PreferenceManager.getDefaultSharedPreferences(context)
+                .getBoolean(context.getString(R.string.update_check_consent_key), false);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/settings_keys.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/settings_keys.xml
index 3087d1fc2..fb68a464d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/settings_keys.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/settings_keys.xml
@@ -494,6 +494,7 @@
     </string-array>
 
     <!-- Updates -->
+    <string name="update_check_consent_key">update_check_consent_key</string>
     <string name="update_app_key">update_app_key</string>
     <string name="manual_update_key">manual_update_key</string>
     <string name="update_pref_screen_key">update_pref_screen_key</string>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 5433c88c7..c4ad8b1d9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
     <string name="install">Install</string>
     <string name="cancel">Cancel</string>
     <string name="ok">OK</string>
+    <string name="yes">Yes</string>
+    <string name="no">No</string>
     <string name="open_in_browser">Open in browser</string>
     <string name="mark_as_watched">Mark as watched</string>
     <string name="open_in_popup_mode">Open in popup mode</string>
@@ -557,8 +559,10 @@
     <string name="updates_setting_title">Updates</string>
     <string name="updates_setting_description">Show a notification to prompt app update when a new version is available</string>
     <string name="check_for_updates">Check for updates</string>
+    <string name="auto_update_check_description">NewPipe can automatically check for new versions from time to time and notify you once they are available.\nDo you want to enable this?</string>
     <string name="manual_update_title" translatable="false">@string/check_for_updates</string>
     <string name="manual_update_description">Manually check for new versions</string>
+
     <!-- Minimize to exit action -->
     <string name="minimize_on_exit_title">Minimize on app switch</string>
     <string name="minimize_on_exit_summary">Action when switching to other app from main video player — %s</string>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/xml/update_settings.xml b/app/src/main/res/xml/update_settings.xml
index a44555edf..becd5c5c9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/xml/update_settings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/xml/update_settings.xml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
     android:title="@string/settings_category_updates_title">
 
     <SwitchPreferenceCompat
-        android:defaultValue="true"
+        android:defaultValue="false"
         android:key="@string/update_app_key"
         android:summary="@string/updates_setting_description"
         android:title="@string/updates_setting_title"