How to disable automatic updates while using a limited Internet connection on a laptop?

If you use WiFi as the channel to access the Internet, you can mark it as metered connection. After that, you will be asked every time if available OS updates can be downloaded and installed. To do it: Go to 'Settings' > 'Network & Internet' > 'WiFi' > 'Properties'; Set the slider to 'Set as metered connection.'

Why would I disable Windows 10 automatic updates?

There are a few reasons for that: From time to time, Windows authentication process is performed while receiving automatic updates, and sometimes a properly licensed Windows may be mistaken for a pirated one. It’s quite easy to solve this problem, but if it appears regularly, people tend to disable automatic updates. However, you can just exclude Windows authentication, and things will be fine. Updates can be quite big, and if a mobile Internet connection with a per-megabyte charge is used, a single patch may easily consume all of prepaid traffic. In such case, an optimal choice would be to choose smaller and most crucial updates and install them manually. Of course, when a pirated version of Windows is used, automatic updates are turned off immediately.

What is Windows Update Blocker?

Windows Update Blocker is free software that will help you to completely lock or unlock automatic updates for your Windows with a single click.

Software tools to turn off Windows updates.

TOP tools for disabling Windows updates: Win Updates Disabler; Windows Update Blocker; Windows 10 Update Disabler; Show hidden updates; Winaero Tweaker.

What are the consequences of stopping Windows updates?

When you turn automatic updates off, be ready for the following: Security patches include updates for the integrated antivirus database. Without them, your operating system will overlook new viruses, and your computer will be infested by a range of malware types - which will require professional help; Every patch is meant to eliminate this or another system issue; These patches also fix system vulnerabilities. For example, some recent vulnerabilities revealed in Windows 10 let strangers get access to the computer and have administrator rights. So before you turn off updates for Windows 10, think about the security of your computer.

Disable or Remove Automatic Updates in Windows 10: Guide

Author: Vladimir Artiukh
Editor: Oleg Afonin
Updated: 2.05.2024 10:36

Learn how to disable or remove automatic updates in Windows 10 with our essential guide. Automatic updates can be convenient, but they can also disrupt your workflow and consume bandwidth at inconvenient times. In this comprehensive tutorial, we’ll walk you through step-by-step instructions and expert techniques to help you take control of your update settings in Windows 10. Whether you want to temporarily disable updates or remove them entirely, we’ll cover all the essential methods to suit your needs. Don’t let automatic updates dictate your system’s behavior—watch our guide and regain control over your update settings today.

Disable or Remove Automatic Updates in Windows 10: Guide

Contents

Do it with the Services tool

The first method works for Windows 10 Home, Professional and Enterprise.

Type Services in the search field (the magnifying glass icon on the taskbar) and run this system tool.

Find Windows Update service and open its properties.

Click on Stop and select Startup Type – Disabled

After these changes are applied and the computer restarts, Windows Update will not work anymore, so updates won’t be downloaded and installed automatically.

Try Local Group Policy Editor

The second method is only good for Windows 10 Professional and Enterprise. As other versions of Windows lack such component as Local Group Policy Editor.

To start the Local Group Policy Editor, type gpedit.msc in the search field and press Enter.

When in the Editor, go to Computer Configuration – Administrative Templates – Windows Components – Windows Update.

Find the policy Configure Automatic Updates, open it and set it to Disabled. Click Apply/Ok.

Free utilities to disable automatic updates in Windows 10

Also, you can use free utilities to prevent Windows 10 from updating automatically.

As an example, we’ll show you Win Updates Disabler, but there are other tools as well.

Run the program, jump to the tab Disable to check the box next to Disable Windows Updates. After that, click Apply Now for the changes to take effect.

As seen from the screenshot, this program can also disable Windows Firewall and Windows Defender. If necessary, you can turn everything on again in the tab Enable.

How to remove the updates that have already been installed?

If some updates were installed incorrectly, or you want to remove only particular Windows 10 updates, this is also possible.

To do it:

Go to Control Panel and select Programs & Features.
Jump to the tab View Installed Updates.
Sort them by installation date by clicking on Installed On.
Right-click on one of the updates which you want to delete from the system and click Uninstall.
Confirm your decision and changes will take effect after the system restart.

System updates in Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903)

Beginning with May 2019 Update (version 1903), Windows 10 will not install large system updates without user’s consent. You will only receive notifications that a new version of Windows 10 is available and then you will have to decide if you want to install the update or ignore it.

That is, you may choose to use your current version of Windows 10 and receive security updates during its entire lifecycle. This seems to be much more convenient than having to install large updates every six months without your actually knowing it beforehand.

Also, beginning with Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903), Microsoft allowed Windows 10 Home users to postpone updates for as long as 35 days. All you need to do is to suspend installation of an update within 7 days. You can postpone updates this way up to 5 times. When checking for available options in Windows Update, the operating system will not run any automatic installation as updates can now be suspended.