diff --git a/conf/defaults.ini b/conf/defaults.ini
index 3f0a03de907..d0ab0c1a16c 100644
--- a/conf/defaults.ini
+++ b/conf/defaults.ini
@@ -193,12 +193,19 @@ reporting_enabled = true
 reporting_distributor = grafana-labs
 
 # Set to false to disable all checks to https://grafana.com
-# for new versions (grafana itself and plugins), check is used
-# in some UI views to notify that grafana or plugin update exists
+# for new versions of grafana. The check is used
+# in some UI views to notify that a grafana update exists.
 # This option does not cause any auto updates, nor send any information
-# only a GET request to https://grafana.com to get latest versions
+# only a GET request to https://raw.githubusercontent.com/grafana/grafana/main/latest.json to get the latest version.
 check_for_updates = true
 
+# Set to false to disable all checks to https://grafana.com
+# for new versions of plugins. The check is used
+# in some UI views to notify that a plugin update exists.
+# This option does not cause any auto updates, nor send any information
+# only a GET request to https://grafana.com to get the latest versions.
+check_for_plugin_updates = true
+
 # Google Analytics universal tracking code, only enabled if you specify an id here
 google_analytics_ua_id =
 
diff --git a/conf/sample.ini b/conf/sample.ini
index d56075fd037..f20d03f7461 100644
--- a/conf/sample.ini
+++ b/conf/sample.ini
@@ -198,13 +198,20 @@
 # The name of the distributor of the Grafana instance. Ex hosted-grafana, grafana-labs
 ;reporting_distributor = grafana-labs
 
-# Set to false to disable all checks to https://grafana.net
-# for new versions (grafana itself and plugins), check is used
-# in some UI views to notify that grafana or plugin update exists
+# Set to false to disable all checks to https://grafana.com
+# for new versions of grafana. The check is used
+# in some UI views to notify that a grafana update exists.
 # This option does not cause any auto updates, nor send any information
-# only a GET request to http://grafana.com to get latest versions
+# only a GET request to https://raw.githubusercontent.com/grafana/grafana/main/latest.json to get the latest version.
 ;check_for_updates = true
 
+# Set to false to disable all checks to https://grafana.com
+# for new versions of plugins. The check is used
+# in some UI views to notify that a plugin update exists.
+# This option does not cause any auto updates, nor send any information
+# only a GET request to https://grafana.com to get the latest versions.
+;check_for_plugin_updates = true
+
 # Google Analytics universal tracking code, only enabled if you specify an id here
 ;google_analytics_ua_id =
 
diff --git a/docs/sources/administration/configuration.md b/docs/sources/administration/configuration.md
index c44ce31b24a..58cdcc98e3b 100644
--- a/docs/sources/administration/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/sources/administration/configuration.md
@@ -461,7 +461,13 @@ value is `true`.
 
 ### check_for_updates
 
-Set to false to disable all checks to https://grafana.com for new versions of installed plugins and to the Grafana GitHub repository to check for a newer version of Grafana. The version information is used in some UI views to notify that a new Grafana update or a plugin update exists. This option does not cause any auto updates, nor send any sensitive information. The check is run every 10 minutes.
+Set to false, disables checking for new versions of Grafana from Grafana's GitHub repository. When enabled, the check for a new version runs every 10 minutes. It will notify, via the UI, when a new version is available. The check itself will not prompt any auto-updates of the Grafana software, nor will it send any sensitive information.
+
+### check_for_plugin_updates
+
+> **Note**: Available in Grafana v8.5.0 and later versions.
+
+Set to false disables checking for new versions of installed plugins from https://grafana.com. When enabled, the check for a new plugin runs every 10 minutes. It will notify, via the UI, when a new plugin update exists. The check itself will not prompt any auto-updates of the plugin, nor will it send any sensitive information.
 
 ### google_analytics_ua_id
 
diff --git a/pkg/services/updatechecker/grafana.go b/pkg/services/updatechecker/grafana.go
index 777fcd07a19..f66fb76e9d6 100644
--- a/pkg/services/updatechecker/grafana.go
+++ b/pkg/services/updatechecker/grafana.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ type GrafanaService struct {
 
 func ProvideGrafanaService(cfg *setting.Cfg) *GrafanaService {
 	return &GrafanaService{
-		enabled:        cfg.CheckForUpdates,
+		enabled:        cfg.CheckForGrafanaUpdates,
 		grafanaVersion: cfg.BuildVersion,
 		httpClient:     http.Client{Timeout: 10 * time.Second},
 		log:            log.New("grafana.update.checker"),
diff --git a/pkg/services/updatechecker/plugins.go b/pkg/services/updatechecker/plugins.go
index 618597acda6..967fdb9fdcb 100644
--- a/pkg/services/updatechecker/plugins.go
+++ b/pkg/services/updatechecker/plugins.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ type PluginsService struct {
 
 func ProvidePluginsService(cfg *setting.Cfg, pluginStore plugins.Store) *PluginsService {
 	return &PluginsService{
-		enabled:          cfg.CheckForUpdates,
+		enabled:          cfg.CheckForPluginUpdates,
 		grafanaVersion:   cfg.BuildVersion,
 		httpClient:       &http.Client{Timeout: 10 * time.Second},
 		log:              log.New("plugins.update.checker"),
diff --git a/pkg/setting/setting.go b/pkg/setting/setting.go
index 6d5729b731c..10834bf4556 100644
--- a/pkg/setting/setting.go
+++ b/pkg/setting/setting.go
@@ -387,7 +387,8 @@ type Cfg struct {
 	Env string
 
 	// Analytics
-	CheckForUpdates                     bool
+	CheckForGrafanaUpdates              bool
+	CheckForPluginUpdates               bool
 	ReportingDistributor                string
 	ReportingEnabled                    bool
 	ApplicationInsightsConnectionString string
@@ -929,7 +930,8 @@ func (cfg *Cfg) Load(args CommandLineArgs) error {
 	cfg.MetricsEndpointDisableTotalStats = iniFile.Section("metrics").Key("disable_total_stats").MustBool(false)
 
 	analytics := iniFile.Section("analytics")
-	cfg.CheckForUpdates = analytics.Key("check_for_updates").MustBool(true)
+	cfg.CheckForGrafanaUpdates = analytics.Key("check_for_updates").MustBool(true)
+	cfg.CheckForPluginUpdates = analytics.Key("check_for_plugin_updates").MustBool(true)
 	GoogleAnalyticsId = analytics.Key("google_analytics_ua_id").String()
 	GoogleTagManagerId = analytics.Key("google_tag_manager_id").String()
 	RudderstackWriteKey = analytics.Key("rudderstack_write_key").String()