diff --git a/.changes/updater-mobile-install-error.md b/.changes/updater-mobile-install-error.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0ce7b0af3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/updater-mobile-install-error.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+updater: patch
+updater-js: patch
+---
+
+On Android and iOS, `Update::install` now returns `Error::UnsupportedOs` instead of reporting success without installing anything.
diff --git a/plugins/updater/src/updater.rs b/plugins/updater/src/updater.rs
index a9d1fae24..71e124b0e 100644
--- a/plugins/updater/src/updater.rs
+++ b/plugins/updater/src/updater.rs
@@ -928,9 +928,10 @@ impl Update {
         self.install_inner(&bytes)
     }
 
+    /// Updates are not supported on mobile, where apps are updated through the app stores.
     #[cfg(mobile)]
     fn install_inner(&self, _bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<()> {
-        Ok(())
+        Err(Error::UnsupportedOs)
     }
 
     /// Whether the Windows installer should restart the app after installed, default is `true`