How to Disable Windows 10 Updates

Automatic updates in Windows 10 can be beneficial, as Microsoft regularly releases security patches and performance enhancements. However, in certain cases, these updates may be inconvenient or unwanted—they might disrupt system stability or download at inconvenient times. In this article, we’ll look at several ways to disable Windows 10 updates so you can manage the update process yourself.

Method 1: Disabling Updates through Services

Windows Services is an internal tool that allows you to pause automatic updates. Here’s how:

  1. Press Win + R and type services.msc, then press Enter.
  2. Locate Windows Update service and double-click on it.
  3. In the properties window, set the startup type to Disabled.
  4. Click Stop to end the service’s current session, then confirm changes by clicking OK.

Method 2: Configuring Group Policy Editor

The Group Policy Editor is only available in Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise versions. If you have one of these, follow these steps:

  1. Press Win + R and type gpedit.msc, then press Enter.
  2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update.
  3. Double-click on Configure Automatic Updates.
  4. Select Disabled and confirm the changes by clicking OK.

Method 3: Changing Network Settings

This method works on any version of Windows 10. Setting your connection as metered allows you to restrict update downloads:

  1. Open Settings and go to Network & Internet.
  2. Click on your network (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and enable the Set as metered connection option.

This method prevents the download of large updates but may not fully block smaller ones.

Method 4: Using the Registry Editor

The Registry Editor is a powerful tool, so use it carefully. To disable updates, follow these steps:

  1. Press Win + R and type regedit, then press Enter.
  2. Go to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU.
  3. Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value named NoAutoUpdate.
  4. Set its value to 1 and restart your computer.