TURN OFF WINDOWS 10 AUTOMATIC UPDATES

After using windows 10, you may have already known that windows 10 automatically downloads and installs updates without giving you any option to turn off the automatic updates. Microsoft says Windows 10 will always be “up-to-date” and there’s no any way to turn them off.

Here’s the official line:

“The software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you. You may obtain updates only from Microsoft or authorized sources, and Microsoft may need to update your system to provide you with those updates. By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice.”

Windows 10’s forced automatic updates don’t simply cover security patches, they cover anything and everything Microsoft wants to put on your PC as part of Windows 10. This can range from new software and services to changes to core features and functionality.

Furthermore, Windows 10 is not just forcing feature, driver and security updates on users anymore, it is removing user control over Windows Store app updates as well.

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

First are the home users who will not have the options to defer upgrades and the other ring of users are the enterprise users who will have the option to delay updates, so that they can hold it to the time when they are free.

In a way, automatic updates are most important as it frequently updates security patches to the system thus helping the system to fall out of reach of vulnerabilities, but downloading updates as soon as they are available will occupy your computer resource and may result to slowing down of the internet or the computer itself.

Since, there is no any way to turn those automatic updates from control panel or settings, here is a workaround.

1] SIMPLE WAY

Microsoft have said that they won’t do any updates when you are using the internet over metered connection. So, simply making the connection metered connection do the trick of turning of the windows update.

You can do this, by simply rolling mouse over the network system tray on the right bottom of the desktop and clicking the Network Settings. Then the following picture may appear. Follow the steps as shown in the screenshots.





Thus, simply turning on the metered connection stops your automatic updates process.

2] NEXT PROCESS

You can do this using the Windows Update service. Via Control Panel >System and Security > Administrative Tools, you can access Services. In the Services window, scroll down to Windows Update and turn off the process. 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 Services and turn it on once in a while to download and update your copy of Windows.

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 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”. 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.

If your version of Windows 10 has Group Policy, you can also change some settings using the Group Policy Editor. Rungpedit 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.