How to disable Automatic Updates on Windows 10

Windows 10 is a new way that the operating system handles updates. Windows updates are installed automatically when Windows decides to do it

It can be extremely frustrating for Windows 10 users as they are often forced to restart their machine at an inopportune time.

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

Windows Update is essentially just another Windows Service and can be turned off in a similar manner to other services.

Follow these steps to stop Windows 10 updates:

1. Fire up the Run command (Win + R). Type in “services.msc” and hit Enter.

2. Select the Windows Update service from the Services list

3. Click on the “General” tab and change the “Startup Type” to “Disabled”.

4. Restart your machine

When you want to re-enable automatic updates you just follow the same procedure except you select “Automatic” when choosing the “Startup Type”.

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.