How to turn off windows update in windows 10

There is no option to stop or turn off Windows Updates using the Control Panel or Settings app in Windows 10, as it used to be with earlier versions of Windows. But there is a workaround to disable or turn off Windows Update in Windows 10, that we’ll talk about in this post.

First, let us take a look at why people may want to turn off Windows updates.

With Windows 8.1 and earlier versions, we had Windows Update giving us options to:

Install updates automatically (Recommended)
Download Updates but choose when to install them
Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them
Never check for updates (Not Recommended)

These options provided a way to defer updates until we had enough time to download and install them or to have them downloaded automatically and then install them at a time we wish. These options are not present in Windows 10 Update & Security Settings.

Now in Settings app > Update and Security > Windows Update > Advanced Options, you will see the following settings:

Microsoft has explained that it will provide updates in two distinct methods for its two distinct types of clients.

The Home users now have the option to pause Windows Updates. Earlier they did not have this option. Windows 10 will also let you defer restart, but that is not enough because a download in the background might slow down your browsing in some cases.

The other ring of users are Enterprise users who will have the option to delay updates so that they can hold it to the time when they are free. Microsoft said it would push updates to such users less frequently so that they are faced with minimum downtime. These are the corporates and real-time users such as hospitals and ATMs etc.

Coming back to Home users and Professional users, there is not even the option to delay the updates. They will be downloaded as soon as they are available. The availability of Windows Updates for normal users means that the updates have already been tested by Windows Insiders. If you are a Windows Insider, running Windows 10 Home or Pro, you will be in priority to receive updates. After a few days of you testing the updates and if it doesn’t pose any problems, it will be released to the normal ring of users.

Thus, you are stuck. Windows 10 will keep on downloading updates as soon as they are available and will occupy your computer resources, when you may not want it too. Some of us will want to keep the automatic downloads to be stopped so that we can install the updates manually when free – when we are not working on something urgent. That is to say; some users would want the liberty and option to download and install updates when they want and not when Microsoft provides it.

Since there is no option to turn off Windows updates from Control Panel or PC Settings, here is a workaround.

Turn off Windows Updates in Windows 10

To stop automatic Windows Updates in Windows 10, you will have to:

Disable Windows Update & Windows Update Medic Services
Change WU settings using the Group Policy Editor
Set your network connection to ‘Metered’
Use a free tool that lets you disable automatic updates.

Now let us see each of these suggestions in detail.

1] Disable Windows Update & Windows Update Medic Services

You can disable the Windows Update Service via Windows Services Manager. In the Services window, scroll down to Windows Update and turn off the Service. To turn it off, right-click on the process, click on Properties and select Disabled. That will take care of Windows Updates not being installed on your machine.

But since Windows is a Service now onwards, you have to keep your computer updated. To be able to install the next set of features or a newer build, you will require the earlier updates to be installed. That’s why if you use the above workaround, you will have to go to the Windows Services Manager and turn it on once in a while to download and update your copy of Windows.

You need to also disable the Windows Update Medic Service or WaaSMedicSVC. The Windows Update Medic Service is a new Windows Service introduced in recent versions of Windows 10. This Service has been introduced to repair Windows Update components from damage so that the computer can continue to receive updates. We recommend you try this method first.

After you turn on the Windows Update Service, when you open Windows Update in PC Settings, you will see a message that updates were not installed because the computer was stopped. You will have to click on Retry so that all the available updates are downloaded and installed. This may take two or three “Check for Updates” tries. You will have to keep on clicking “Check for updates” until it says your computer is up to date. Then you can go back and turn off the Windows Update service until next time you feel you are free enough to spend time updating your copy of Windows 10.

2] Change WU settings using the Group Policy Editor

If your version of Windows 10 has Group Policy, you can also change some settings using the Group Policy Editor. Run gpedit and navigate to the following policy setting:

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update.

On the right side, double-click on Configure Automatic Updates and change its settings to suit your requirements.

Once you configure the settings, you will see the result in the Settings app as follows:

We do not recommend that you disable automatic Windows Update in Windows 10. If your computer is fine with downloads in the background and doesn’t affect your work, it is not advisable to do it. But if you face slowdown of computer due to updates downloading and installing in the background, the above tip to turn off Windows updates in Windows 10 will be of some help.

3] Set your network connection to ‘Metered’

Setting your network connection to ‘Metered’, can also stop Windows 10 from automatically downloading the Updates. You can do it as follows – Settings app > Network & Internet > WiFi > Advanced options. Move the slider to On position for Set as metered connection. See how to set Metered Connection in Windows 10.

4] Tools that help you block automatic Windows 10 Updates

Here is a list of some free Windows Update Blocker tools to Stop Automatic Windows 10 Updates. You might want to take a look at them as they allow you to control Widows 10 Updates with a click.

Windows Update Blocker
StopUpdates10
Wu10Man
Kill-Update
WuMgr
Win Update Stop
Win Updates Disabler
WAU Manager.

Incidentally, Microsoft has released a tool called Show or Hide Updates that allows users to hide or block specific unwanted Windows Updates in Windows 10. Using it, you can stop Windows 10 from downloading specific updates.

Источник

How To Turn Off Windows 10 Updates Permanently.

Last updated on November 22nd, 2018

This tutorial contains detailed instructions to turn off Windows 10 updates permanently. As you may already know, in Windows 10 you cannot prevent the Updates download and installation, by disabling the Windows Update service, because Windows 10 overrides this setting

and forces the service to start and install the updates.

To avoid security risks and Windows problems it is not recommended to disable the Windows 10 update, but in some cases there is the need to do that, especially if you have problems during installing an update to your system or if you face stability issues or other problems after installing an update.

How to STOP Windows 10 Automatic Updates.

Part 1. How to Disable Updates in Windows 10 (All Versions).

Part 2. How to Stop Updates using Group Policy Editor in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, Education version(s).

Part 3. How to Temporarily Pause Updates in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise or Education version(s).

Part 1. How to Permanently Disable Updates in Windows 10 (All Versions).

To permanently prevent Windows 10 to install updates, use one of the following methods.

Method 1. Rename the Windows Update Service file.

The first method to disable the Automatic Update in Windows 10, is to rename to Windows Update Service file «wuaueng.dll». To do that:

1. Open Windows Explorer and go to «C:\Windows\System32\».
2. Locate the wuaueng.dll file, right click on it and choose Properties.

3. Select the Security tab and then click Advanced.

4. Click Change Owner.

5. Type your account name and click OK.

6. Then, click Apply and OK at ‘Windows Security’ information message.

7. Now, click OK two (2) to close the Properties window.
8. Then re-re-open the properties of the wuaueng.dll file and go again to Security tab > Advanced.
9. Select the Administrators entry and click Edit.

10. Check the Full Control checkbox and click OK twice.

11. Click Yes as ‘Windows Security’ warning and then click OK.

12. Now, rename the wuaueng.dll file to wuaueng.dll.BAK
13. Click Continue at ‘File Access Denied’ message and then click Yes.

14. Restart your machine.
15. From now on, you ‘ll receive the following message in Windows Update: «There were problems installing some updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help: Error 0x80080005» *

* Note: To re-enable updates, just delete the «.BAK» extension from the «wuaueng.dll.BAK» file.

Method 2. Disable all Windows Update Services and Tasks.

The second method to prevent Windows 10 automatic update, is more complicated because you have modify the Windows Update service’s properties and to change several settings in Registry and in the Task Scheduler. But if you want to try that method, follow the steps below:

Step 1. Disable the Windows Update Service.

1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open run command box.
2. In run command box, type: services.msc and press Enter.

3. Right click on Windows Update service and select Properties.

4. At General tab:

1. Press Stop to stop the Windows Update Service.
2. Set the Startup type to Disabled.

5. Then select the Log On tab.
6. Select This Account and then click Browse.

7. Type your account name and then click Check Names.

8. Then click OK.

9. Now type a wrong password (twice), and click Apply.

10. Then select the Recovery tab and set the computer’s response if the service fails to Take No Action. Then, click OK to close the Windows Update Properties.

12. Proceed to step-2 below.

Step 2. Disable the Windows Update Medic & the Update Orchestrator Services through Registry.

Proceed and disable the following two (2) Update services using registry:

Windows Update Medic Service (WaaSMedicSvc)
Update Orchestrator Service (UsoSvc)

1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open run command box.
2. Type regedit and press Enter.

3. At the left pane, navigate to this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsoSvc

4. At the right pane double-click at Start value

5. Set the value data (from «3») to 4 and click OK.

6. Then at the left pane, navigate to this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WaaSMedicSvc

7. At the right pane double-click at Start value

8. Type 4 at Value data box and click OK.

9. From now on, you will receive the following error message whenever you try to download or install updates: «There were some problems installing updates,but we’ll try again later. (0x80070437) or, you’ll see a blank window (without any options) when going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
10. Proceed to step-3 below.

Step 3. Disable Windows Update Tasks.

1. Open Task Scheduler. To do that open Cortana search and type task. Then click to open Task Scheduler.

2. In Task Scheduler (left pane), navigate to the following location:

Task Scheduler Library ->Microsoft ->Windows ->Windows Update.

3. Right click at Scheduled Start and click Disable.

4. Then right click at sih and click Disable again.

5. Close Task Scheduler.
6. You ‘re done! *

* Note: If you change your decision and you want to install the available Windows updates in the future, then just undo the above changes and then reboot your computer.

Method 3. Block Updates in Windows 10 by using a program.

The easiest way to block Windows 10 updates, is to use one the following third-party programs.

Part 2. How to Stop Updates in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise or Education version(s).

If you own Windows 10 Professional, Enterprise or Education version, then you can prevent Windows to download and install updates, from Group Policy Editor. To do that:

1. Simultaneously press the Windows + R keys to open the run command box.
2. Type gpedit.msc & Press Enter.

4. In Group Policy Editor navigate to the following path:

5. At the right pane, open the Specify Intranet Microsoft update service location policy.

6. Click Enabled and then type «http:\\neverupdatewindows10.com» at the 2 fields below («intranet update service address» & «intranet statistics server») and click OK.

7. Restart your computer.

From now on, you ‘ll receive the following message in Windows Update:: «We couldn’t connect to the update service. We’ll try again later, or you can check now. If it still doesn’t work, make sure you’re connected to the Internet.» *

* Note: To re-enable updates, just set the «Specify Intranet Microsoft update service location’ policy to «Not Configured» .

Part 3. How to Temporarily Pause Updates in Windows 10 Professional, Enterprise or Education version(s).

If you have problems when installing updates in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise or Education version(s), then you can temporarily pause the Update(s) installation for 35 days. To do that:

1. Go to Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update -> Advanced options –> and set the Pause Updates* option to ON.

* Note: This option is only available in Windows 10 Version 1709 and later. In previous Windows 10 versions, check the «Defer feature Updates» (or «Defer Upgrades») option to prevent Windows 10 to download and install new updates.

That’s it! Which method worked for you?
Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others..

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20 Comments

Gihan kalhara
November 9, 2019 @ 2:52 am

Regedit Hkey_local_machine /service/windows update /start 3 change 4 disable it. Try this method

PcOverkill
December 15, 2019 @ 4:52 pm

Listen to danwat1234. «You have to kill all permissions to wuauclt.exe and wuaueng.dll so the system can’t launch Windows Update, EVER.» This is the only 100% solution.

Diogo
October 27, 2019 @ 7:55 pm

Thank you so much. My Windows 10 every time got stuck when updating to 1903.

Pupkin
October 24, 2019 @ 10:57 am

Doesn’t work now.
MS found a way to sneak up new updates of their malware.

Paul Hudson
September 22, 2019 @ 2:44 am

Just did it works great so far… till I read the comments..
win 10 biggest virus on the planet… like a cheeky woman you cant live with but also you also cant live without… alas wee’s all doomed to put up with her UPDATES forever.

Faissal
July 15, 2019 @ 10:01 am

Well composed solution. However, it stopped working. I am using windows 10. I am my own admin, have full privileges. I Followed every step of this. Worked perfectly well for quite some time, until 2 days ago, I noticed the ‘Update/Restart’ entry in the Shutdown section, but I didn’t pay attention. Last night my machine restarted – without warning – outside ‘Active Hours’ :(((

When I checked, I found that ‘Windows Updates’ have been applied. And more:
– wuaueng.dll file reappeared – next to the renamed ‘Bak’ file.
– services.msc shows ‘Windows Update’ task properties set to ‘Manual’ instead of ‘Disabled’. under its ‘Logon’ tab it has been reverted to ‘Local System account’ instead of ‘This account’ as advised.
– registry modifications back to the way they were
– ‘Task Scheduler’ enabled again.

danwat1234
June 18, 2019 @ 2:07 pm

You have to kill all permissions to wuauclt.exe and wuaueng.dll so the system can’t launch Windows Update, EVER. That works. All the other methods are maybes.

Stefan Bodle
June 13, 2019 @ 1:19 pm

Thank you very much for this info. I really appreciate it. Maybe one day Windows will come up with a quick and non-invasive form of updating. Until then I’ll take my chances with the Russian and Chinese hackers! 🙂

dogpile
April 9, 2019 @ 11:26 am

After a week all updates will be back up ‘n running ! To Stop Windows 10 updates is NOT an option anymore in 2019 !

Joe Nartca
March 3, 2019 @ 1:43 pm

Thanks a ton for your detailed leading steps. Joe

Stefan
February 17, 2019 @ 8:06 pm

Doesn’t work unfortunately. Win10 1803 Buld 17134.532. Just a few days after I did everything step by step I just heard the the CPU fan making a lot of noise for no reason. Opened task manager and saw Windows Modules Install Worker eating CPU along with the orchestrator and update services. Looks like something is missing in this guide for that version of Win10. I am starting to really hate this OS. Does anyone have any idea what might be missing in this guide?

danwat1234
June 18, 2019 @ 2:06 pm

You have to kill all permissions to wuauclt.exe and wuaueng.dll so the system can’t launch Windows Update, EVER. That works.

chong kok
January 21, 2019 @ 10:55 pm

I got to say you have ended my nightmare that have to go to windows service and stop the update manually everytime i restart my pc. Thank you sir, its REALLY brilliant.

Ken
December 27, 2018 @ 2:57 am

I added one step to the directions in «Part 2. How to Stop Updates in Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise or Education version(s).» I enabled «Do not connect to any Windows Update Internet Locations» because in the description it says «Even when Windows Update is configured to receive updates from an intranet update service, it will periodically retrieve information from the public Windows Update service…». So far, 24 hours later, no updates, which in my case were causing a complete system freeze. Prior to this fix, I had let it run for 24 hours but it still froze. This seems to be the solution. Thanks for the post!

Michael
November 12, 2018 @ 2:26 am

I have also seen a 4th Windows Update related service
Windows Remediation service sedsvc
Remediates Windows Update Components
Not sure if it needs to be disabled too.

Great trick about a bad userid/password for the WU service!

For task scheduling, consider the free and portable Task Scheduler View from Nirsoft.net. Much better interface.
https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/task_scheduler_view.html

Delicieuxz
October 3, 2018 @ 6:17 pm

Thanks for the guide!

I’ve added it to this post featuring a bunch of different ways to disable Windows Update in Windows 10:

You might find some of those methods useful to add to your site, as well!

lakonst
November 2, 2018 @ 3:59 pm

Erwin Wertwijn
September 3, 2018 @ 11:44 pm

Thank you so much, I’m on pay as you go and Windows 10 was the bane of my life, not anymore. I followed the instructions until I got to Task Scheduler and there were no more tasks to disable.

Shawn Simmons
August 20, 2018 @ 1:13 pm

WORKS SO FAR,
GENIUS! THANKS!!

Nick Gizelis
May 23, 2018 @ 11:37 am

I followed the steps on the article and no more updates for me. Great work sir, very well done!

Источник

How to turn off windows update in windows 10