diff --git a/src/cli/agent-help.ts b/src/cli/agent-help.ts
index 20ba9dc..a818d25 100644
--- a/src/cli/agent-help.ts
+++ b/src/cli/agent-help.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import {
   skillsAddMeta,
   skillsRemoveMeta,
   skillsSearchMeta,
-  skillsUpdateMeta,
 } from './metadata/plugin-skills.js';
 
 const allCommands: AgentCommandMeta[] = [
@@ -38,7 +37,6 @@ const allCommands: AgentCommandMeta[] = [
   skillsAddMeta,
   skillsRemoveMeta,
   skillsSearchMeta,
-  skillsUpdateMeta,
   updateMeta,
 ];
 
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/plugin-skills.ts b/src/cli/commands/plugin-skills.ts
index 2d4caaf..10e705a 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/plugin-skills.ts
+++ b/src/cli/commands/plugin-skills.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ import {
   skillsRemoveMeta,
   skillsAddMeta,
   skillsSearchMeta,
-  skillsUpdateMeta,
 } from '../metadata/plugin-skills.js';
 import {
   searchSkills,
@@ -41,7 +40,6 @@ import { isGitHubUrl, parseGitHubUrl, stripGitRef } from '../../utils/plugin-pat
 import { fetchPlugin, getPluginName, seedFetchCache } from '../../core/plugin.js';
 import {
   computeSkillFolderHash,
-  loadSyncState,
   upsertSyncStateSource,
   upsertSyncStateSkill,
 } from '../../core/sync-state.js';
@@ -433,10 +431,8 @@ const removeCmd = command({
         process.exit(1);
       }
 
-      // Run sync
       if (!isJsonMode()) {
         console.log(`\u2713 Disabled skill: ${skill} (${targetSkill.pluginName})`);
-        console.log('\nSyncing workspace...\n');
       }
 
       const syncResult = isUser ? await syncUserWorkspace() : await syncWorkspace(workspacePath);
@@ -457,8 +453,6 @@ const removeCmd = command({
         if (!syncResult.success) process.exit(1);
         return;
       }
-
-      console.log('Sync complete.');
     } catch (error) {
       if (error instanceof Error) {
         if (isJsonMode()) {
@@ -692,10 +686,8 @@ async function applySkillAllowlist(opts: {
     }
   }
 
-  // Sync to apply the allowlist
   if (!isJsonMode()) {
     console.log(`\u2713 Enabled skill: ${skill} (${pluginName})`);
-    console.log('\nSyncing workspace...\n');
   }
 
   const syncResult = isUser ? await syncUserWorkspace() : await syncWorkspace(workspacePath);
@@ -857,7 +849,6 @@ async function installAllSkillsFromSource(opts: {
 
   if (!isJsonMode()) {
     console.log(`✓ Enabled ${skillNames.length} skill(s) from ${pluginName}: ${skillNames.join(', ')}`);
-    console.log('\nSyncing workspace...\n');
   }
 
   const syncResult = isUser ? await syncUserWorkspace() : await syncWorkspace(workspacePath);
@@ -967,7 +958,6 @@ async function installAllViaMarketplace(opts: {
   if (!isJsonMode()) {
     const total = installed.reduce((sum, i) => sum + i.skills.length, 0);
     console.log(`✓ Enabled ${total} skill(s) across ${installed.length} plugin(s)`);
-    console.log('\nSyncing workspace...\n');
   }
 
   const syncResult = isUser ? await syncUserWorkspace() : await syncWorkspace(workspacePath);
@@ -1304,7 +1294,6 @@ const addCmd = command({
           if (pinnedRef) {
             console.log(`Pinned to ${pinnedRef}.`);
           }
-          console.log('Sync complete.');
           return;
         }
 
@@ -1375,10 +1364,8 @@ const addCmd = command({
         process.exit(1);
       }
 
-      // Run sync
       if (!isJsonMode()) {
         console.log(`\u2713 Enabled skill: ${skill} (${targetSkill.pluginName})`);
-        console.log('\nSyncing workspace...\n');
       }
 
       const syncResult = isUser ? await syncUserWorkspace() : await syncWorkspace(workspacePath);
@@ -1399,8 +1386,6 @@ const addCmd = command({
         if (!syncResult.success) process.exit(1);
         return;
       }
-
-      console.log('Sync complete.');
     } catch (error) {
       if (error instanceof Error) {
         if (isJsonMode()) {
@@ -1517,221 +1502,6 @@ const searchCmd = command({
   },
 });
 
-// =============================================================================
-// skill update
-// =============================================================================
-
-/**
- * Output row for skill update (per skill, both for human print and JSON).
- */
-type SkillUpdateRow = {
-  skill: string;
-  source: string;
-  from: string;
-  to: string;
-  status: 'up-to-date' | 'available' | 'updated' | 'pinned' | 'skipped';
-};
-
-const updateCmd = command({
-  name: 'update',
-  description: buildDescription(skillsUpdateMeta),
-  args: {
-    skill: positional({ type: optional(string), displayName: 'skill' }),
-    all: flag({ long: 'all', description: 'Apply updates without prompting (default in non-TTY).' }),
-    force: flag({ long: 'force', description: 'Re-download even when content hashes match.' }),
-    dryRun: flag({ long: 'dry-run', description: 'Report drift without writing any files.' }),
-    unpin: flag({ long: 'unpin', description: 'Clear pinnedRef before resolving (move to latest).' }),
-    scope: option({
-      type: optional(string),
-      long: 'scope',
-      short: 's',
-      description: 'Scope: "project" (default) or "user"',
-    }),
-  },
-  handler: async ({ skill: skillFilter, all, force, dryRun, unpin, scope }) => {
-    try {
-      const isUser = scope === 'user' || (!scope && resolveScope(process.cwd()) === 'user');
-      const workspacePath = isUser ? getHomeDir() : process.cwd();
-
-      const state = await loadSyncState(workspacePath);
-      const sources = state?.sources ?? {};
-
-      // Build the list of (source, skill) tuples to consider. When a skill
-      // name is supplied, only entries matching that name are processed.
-      type Candidate = {
-        sourceKey: string;
-        source: import('../../models/sync-state.js').SyncStateSource;
-        skillName: string;
-        recordedHash: string;
-      };
-      const candidates: Candidate[] = [];
-      for (const [key, source] of Object.entries(sources)) {
-        if (!source.skills) continue;
-        for (const [skillName, entry] of Object.entries(source.skills)) {
-          if (skillFilter && skillName !== skillFilter) continue;
-          candidates.push({
-            sourceKey: key,
-            source,
-            skillName,
-            recordedHash: entry.contentHash,
-          });
-        }
-      }
-
-      const updates: SkillUpdateRow[] = [];
-      const upToDate: string[] = [];
-      const pinned: string[] = [];
-
-      // Non-TTY default: skip skills that would otherwise prompt; equivalent
-      // to running with --all from the user's perspective.
-      const applyImplicitly = all || !process.stdin.isTTY;
-
-      for (const cand of candidates) {
-        const currentlyPinned = Boolean(cand.source.pinnedRef);
-        if (currentlyPinned && !unpin) {
-          pinned.push(cand.skillName);
-          continue;
-        }
-
-        // Resolve upstream (cached fetch). When --unpin, drop the pin from the
-        // spec so we resolve against the default branch.
-        const spec = cand.sourceKey;
-        const fetchOpts = unpin
-          ? {}
-          : cand.source.pinnedRef
-            ? { branch: cand.source.pinnedRef }
-            : {};
-        const fetchResult = await fetchPlugin(spec, fetchOpts);
-        if (!fetchResult.success || !fetchResult.resolvedSha) {
-          updates.push({
-            skill: cand.skillName,
-            source: cand.sourceKey,
-            from: cand.source.resolvedSha.slice(0, 7),
-            to: '?',
-            status: 'skipped',
-          });
-          continue;
-        }
-
-        const pluginRoot = fetchResult.cachePath;
-        const folder = resolveSkillFolder(pluginRoot, cand.skillName);
-        const upstreamHash = folder ? await computeSkillFolderHash(folder) : null;
-        const matches = upstreamHash !== null && upstreamHash === cand.recordedHash;
-
-        if (matches && !force) {
-          upToDate.push(cand.skillName);
-          continue;
-        }
-
-        const fromShort = cand.source.resolvedSha.slice(0, 7);
-        const toShort = fetchResult.resolvedSha.slice(0, 7);
-
-        if (dryRun) {
-          updates.push({
-            skill: cand.skillName,
-            source: cand.sourceKey,
-            from: fromShort,
-            to: toShort,
-            status: 'available',
-          });
-          continue;
-        }
-
-        // Apply: refresh the source provenance entry and re-hash the skill.
-        if (applyImplicitly) {
-          const now = new Date().toISOString();
-          await upsertSyncStateSource(workspacePath, cand.sourceKey, {
-            pluginSpec: cand.sourceKey,
-            resolvedRef: fetchResult.resolvedRef ?? cand.source.resolvedRef,
-            resolvedSha: fetchResult.resolvedSha,
-            ...(unpin
-              ? {}
-              : cand.source.pinnedRef
-                ? { pinnedRef: cand.source.pinnedRef }
-                : {}),
-          });
-          if (upstreamHash) {
-            await upsertSyncStateSkill(workspacePath, cand.sourceKey, cand.skillName, {
-              contentHash: upstreamHash,
-              installedAt: cand.source.skills?.[cand.skillName]?.installedAt ?? now,
-              updatedAt: now,
-            });
-          }
-          updates.push({
-            skill: cand.skillName,
-            source: cand.sourceKey,
-            from: fromShort,
-            to: toShort,
-            status: 'updated',
-          });
-        } else {
-          // No --all in TTY: report rather than apply, leaving the choice to a follow-up.
-          updates.push({
-            skill: cand.skillName,
-            source: cand.sourceKey,
-            from: fromShort,
-            to: toShort,
-            status: 'available',
-          });
-        }
-      }
-
-      const checked = candidates.length;
-      if (isJsonMode()) {
-        jsonOutput({
-          success: true,
-          command: 'skill update',
-          data: {
-            checked,
-            updates,
-            upToDate,
-            pinned,
-            ...(dryRun && { dryRun: true }),
-          },
-        });
-        return;
-      }
-
-      if (checked === 0) {
-        console.log('No installed skills with recorded content hashes found.');
-        return;
-      }
-
-      console.log(`Checking ${checked} skill(s)...`);
-      for (const s of upToDate) {
-        console.log(`  ${chalk.green('✓')} ${s.padEnd(28)} up to date`);
-      }
-      for (const u of updates) {
-        const marker =
-          u.status === 'updated' ? chalk.cyan('↑')
-            : u.status === 'available' ? chalk.yellow('*')
-              : chalk.dim('-');
-        const tail =
-          u.status === 'updated' ? `${u.from} → ${u.to} (updated)`
-            : u.status === 'available' ? `${u.from} → ${u.to} (would update)`
-              : u.status;
-        console.log(`  ${marker} ${u.skill.padEnd(28)} ${tail}`);
-      }
-      for (const p of pinned) {
-        console.log(`  ${chalk.dim('-')} ${p.padEnd(28)} pinned, skipping (--unpin to override)`);
-      }
-      console.log(
-        `\n${upToDate.length} up to date, ${updates.length} update${updates.length === 1 ? '' : 's'} ${dryRun ? 'available' : 'reported'}, ${pinned.length} pinned`,
-      );
-    } catch (error) {
-      if (error instanceof Error) {
-        if (isJsonMode()) {
-          jsonOutput({ success: false, command: 'skill update', error: error.message });
-          process.exit(1);
-        }
-        console.error(`Error: ${error.message}`);
-        process.exit(1);
-      }
-      throw error;
-    }
-  },
-});
-
 // =============================================================================
 // skill subcommands group (canonical singular; `skills` is a CLI alias)
 // =============================================================================
@@ -1744,6 +1514,5 @@ export const skillsCmd = conciseSubcommands({
     remove: removeCmd,
     add: addCmd,
     search: searchCmd,
-    update: updateCmd,
   },
 });
diff --git a/src/cli/metadata/plugin-skills.ts b/src/cli/metadata/plugin-skills.ts
index 7065b14..fa62736 100644
--- a/src/cli/metadata/plugin-skills.ts
+++ b/src/cli/metadata/plugin-skills.ts
@@ -71,51 +71,6 @@ export const skillsSearchMeta: AgentCommandMeta = {
   },
 };
 
-export const skillsUpdateMeta: AgentCommandMeta = {
-  command: 'skill update',
-  description: 'Refresh installed skills against their source (per-skill, separate from workspace sync)',
-  whenToUse:
-    'To check or apply updates for installed skills without re-syncing the entire workspace. Pinned skills are skipped unless --unpin is passed.',
-  examples: [
-    'allagents skill update',
-    'allagents skill update brainstorming',
-    'allagents skill update --all',
-    'allagents skill update --dry-run',
-    'allagents skill update --force --all',
-    'allagents skill update git-commit --unpin',
-  ],
-  expectedOutput: 'Per-skill report of up-to-date / updates available / pinned',
-  positionals: [
-    {
-      name: 'skill',
-      type: 'string',
-      required: false,
-      description: 'Optional skill name. Omit to update across every installed skill.',
-    },
-  ],
-  options: [
-    { flag: '--all', type: 'boolean', description: 'Apply updates without prompting (default in non-TTY).' },
-    { flag: '--force', type: 'boolean', description: 'Re-download even when content hashes match.' },
-    { flag: '--dry-run', type: 'boolean', description: 'Report drift without writing any files.' },
-    { flag: '--unpin', type: 'boolean', description: 'Clear any pinnedRef before resolving (move to latest).' },
-    { flag: '--scope', short: '-s', type: 'string', description: 'Scope: "project" (default) or "user".' },
-  ],
-  outputSchema: {
-    checked: 'number',
-    updates: [
-      {
-        skill: 'string',
-        source: 'string',
-        from: 'string',
-        to: 'string',
-        status: 'string',
-      },
-    ],
-    upToDate: ['string'],
-    pinned: ['string'],
-  },
-};
-
 export const skillsAddMeta: AgentCommandMeta = {
   command: 'skill add',
   description: 'Add a skill from a plugin, or re-enable a previously disabled skill',
diff --git a/tests/unit/cli/agent-help.test.ts b/tests/unit/cli/agent-help.test.ts
index cf76f45..a2b6c22 100644
--- a/tests/unit/cli/agent-help.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/cli/agent-help.test.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import {
   skillsAddMeta,
   skillsRemoveMeta,
   skillsSearchMeta,
-  skillsUpdateMeta,
 } from '../../../src/cli/metadata/plugin-skills.js';
 import type { AgentCommandMeta } from '../../../src/cli/help.js';
 
@@ -39,7 +38,6 @@ const allCommands: AgentCommandMeta[] = [
   skillsAddMeta,
   skillsRemoveMeta,
   skillsSearchMeta,
-  skillsUpdateMeta,
   updateMeta,
 ];
 
@@ -70,8 +68,8 @@ describe('extractAgentHelpFlag', () => {
 });
 
 describe('agent command metadata', () => {
-  test('contains exactly 18 commands', () => {
-    expect(allCommands.length).toBe(18);
+  test('contains exactly 17 commands', () => {
+    expect(allCommands.length).toBe(17);
   });
 
   test('all expected commands are present', () => {
@@ -91,7 +89,6 @@ describe('agent command metadata', () => {
       'skill list',
       'skill remove',
       'skill search',
-      'skill update',
       'update',
       'workspace init',
       'workspace status',