Before proceeding, remember that some of the automatic updates will be security updates or important stability improvements that you will want to have installed on your system. Keep this in mind if you choose to keep automatic updates turned off for an extended period of time.
One option which we will not look at in depth is to make registry changes to your Windows operating system to disable automatic updates. This is a dangerous procedure and should only be taken by experienced users who have taken a full backup of their machine before attempting the registry changes. Mistakes during this process can have serious negative effects on your computer and its performance.
Option 1. Disable the Windows Update Service
Follow these steps to stop Windows 10 updates:
1.Fire up the Run command (Win + R). Type in “services.msc” and hit Enter.
2. Right Click On Windows Update service from the Services list And Go To Properites.
3.Click on the “General” tab and change the “Startup Type” to “Disabled”.
Restart your machine.
Option 2. Group Policy Editor
You can make changes to the Group Policy Editor if you are using Windows 10 Education, Pro or Enterprise editions. Users of Windows 10 Home edition are out of luck regarding this way of disabling Windows 10 updates.
If you choose this solution, security updates will still be installed automatically. For all other updates, you will be notified that they are available and can install them at your convenience.
This is the way Windows update worked in the past. Today, Microsoft wants to eliminate the need for novice users to engage in updates, but it has enforced this at the cost of flexibility for more experienced users.
Follow This Steps
- Launch the Run command (Win + R). Type in “gpedit.msc” and hit Enter to open the group policy editor.
2. Go to “Administrative Templates”.
3. Select “Windows Components” and then “Windows Update”
4. Choose the option on the right to “Configure Automatic Updates.”
5.Select the option that indicates “Notify for download and auto install”.
Click “Apply” and “OK”.
Restart your computer to finish updating the group policy editor.
Why Would I Need to Know How to Disable Windows 10 Updates?
Operating system, driver, and application updates can often lead to unexpected behavior on the computer on which they are installed. One way to protect yourself and your machine from unanticipated problems is to perform a backup before installing updates to your system.
Unfortunately, when automatic updates are being installed without your approval, you cannot take this precautionary step and face the possibility of having to resort to an older backup if you need to go back past the update.
Many updates need to reboot your machine when complete and certainly take up bandwidth while downloading. This can lead to slower response time and unforeseen reboots that can cause havoc with your work life. So there are indeed valid reasons to turn off automatic updates in Windows 10. Just be careful not to turn the service off
