Homebrew records anonymous aggregate analytics for package and command usage after its first-run notice. Disabling analytics fits managed computers, privacy-sensitive shells, or build accounts where package commands should not send usage events.
The saved opt-out is controlled by brew analytics off and checked with brew analytics state. Homebrew also honors the HOMEBREW_NO_ANALYTICS environment variable for a shell profile, CI job, or one command where the saved Homebrew preference should stay untouched.
Turning analytics off does not make Homebrew offline. Package installs, updates, searches, and bottle downloads can still contact Homebrew or upstream package endpoints when those commands need metadata or files.
Steps to disable Homebrew analytics:
- Check the current Homebrew analytics state.
$ brew analytics state InfluxDB analytics are enabled. Google Analytics were destroyed.
If the output already says InfluxDB analytics are disabled, the saved Homebrew preference is already off.
- Disable Homebrew analytics for the current Homebrew installation.
$ brew analytics off
The command normally returns no output when it completes. For a shell-scoped opt-out instead of a saved Homebrew preference, set HOMEBREW_NO_ANALYTICS=1 before running brew, or add export HOMEBREW_NO_ANALYTICS=1 to the shell startup file that manages Homebrew policy.
Related: How to configure Homebrew shell environment - Verify Homebrew reports analytics disabled.
$ brew analytics state InfluxDB analytics are disabled. Google Analytics were destroyed.
Mohd Shakir Zakaria is a cloud architect with deep roots in software development and open-source advocacy. Certified in AWS, Red Hat, VMware, ITIL, and Linux, he specializes in designing and managing robust cloud and on-premises infrastructures.
