Disable updates for Windows 10. Increase computer performance by disabling unused services. Starting the system in safe mode

After upgrading to the latest version of Microsoft's operating system, many users faced the problem of constantly downloading system files. This process puts a heavy strain on weak laptops and computers, interfering with normal operation. For this reason, the Internet is increasingly asking questions: "How to disable automatic updates Windows 10?".
The fact is that the Windows Update Center is always enabled by default, and deactivating it will confuse an inexperienced user. The article provides detailed instructions for getting rid of annoying updates.

How to completely disable updates in Windows 10

Despite the efforts of the OS developers, who strive to automate all processes, make the system safe and easy to learn, arbitrary downloading of new drivers or improvement of installed programs causes dissatisfaction among most of the users. For this reason, we managed to find "loopholes" to disable windows 10 updates permanently.
There are several working ways to fix this problem. Let's consider them in more detail.

Deactivating the standard Windows Update service

Using this method makes it possible to permanently disable the download and installation of new software. To use this method, you must go through the following procedure:

Open a window of all OS services. To do this, open the Run window with the Win + R keyboard shortcut. In the field that appears, the services.msc command is written and the "Enter / Enter" key is pressed.

In the large list that appears, you need to find the only service that is responsible for the update. It is recommended that you sort the column alphabetically. The required command is at the very bottom - "Windows Update".

Double-clicking on it with the left mouse button will open the "Properties". The startup type is changed in the "General" tab. To completely disable the Windows 10 update, the "Disabled" line is selected.
To save the changes, you must press the "Apply" button, then "OK".

Now the system will not be able to check for updates, constantly giving an error.

Using the Group Policy Editing Feature

This method is not suitable for all versions of Windows 10, namely Home. If a different version of the operating system (Enterprise, Pro) is installed on the computer / laptop, it is recommended to use this particular shutdown method, since it is the most advanced.
To understand how to disable Windows 10 update by using the Group Policy Editor, you need to go through a certain sequence of steps:

Open the Run window by pressing the Win + R keyboard shortcut.
In the input field, write the line gpedit.msc. Press "Ok" or "Enter".
A window appears with a tree on the left side. "Computer configuration" is selected from the presented list.

A subsection "Administrative Templates" opens in the central part.

Next, you need to find the "Windows Components" folder.

The required directory is located at the bottom of the list that opens. To disable Windows 10 updates forever, go to Windows Update.

Select the line "Automatic update settings" from a large list. Right-click on it and select the "Change" option.

Another window pops up. Now you need to put the radio button in the "Disabled" position.

Changes are saved by clicking "Apply" and then "Ok".

After finishing entering user settings into the operating system registry, all open windows are closed. Now you can manually check for new system files. If they are found, it's okay. New settings can be applied with a delay of 10-20 minutes. Despite this, the automatic search for updates was disabled immediately after clicking "Apply".
Now each user has the opportunity to independently configure the Windows 10 update mode for themselves.

Cancel Windows 10 Automatic Updates: Video

Windows updates are sometimes of dubious value. In the case of the tenth version, all updates except the first after the installation of the system are very specific and controversial. Moreover, they always start unexpectedly, without notifying the user about it, and their sudden use causes a long restart of the computer. However, you can interrupt updates at absolutely any stage.

How to quickly interrupt the update

If you want to quickly interrupt the Windows 10 update, depending on its stage, the first thing to do is:

if the update has just started downloading, disconnect the Internet connection;
if the update has been downloaded and the system asks for a restart to apply it, in no case do this;
If, when turning on / off / restarting the system, the installation or application of updates begins, turn off the computer by holding down the power button on the case.

Regardless of the option that you are faced with, all further actions will look almost the same. Now you need to start canceling the update that has begun. For the latter variant of the problem, start the system in safe mode.

Starting the system in safe mode

Starting the system in safe mode is guaranteed to help start the computer without installing downloaded updates.

If you skipped downloading updates and turned off your computer, there will be some difficulties with canceling them: every time you try to log in, an attempt will be made to apply the updates. Later versions of Windows 10 have fixed this issue, but it's best to start your computer in Safe Mode just in case.

How to cancel an update

The described method is suitable for quickly interrupting a started update. Now you need to cancel the update so that you can safely turn on the Internet or restart your computer.

There are several ways to cancel an update that has started. For example, enable metered connection or Airplane mode. However, such methods will only interrupt the download of new packages and in no way prevent the installation of those already downloaded. It is guaranteed to cancel the started update only through the command line.

To resume the update, you need to repeat the above commands, replacing stop with start.

How to permanently prevent downloading updates

The method mentioned in canceling the update also includes prohibiting further updates to the system. But there are others that will be more convenient and reliable in the long term.

Through the Group Policy Editor

This method will not work for the home version of Windows and some unlicensed versions of the system, but using it, you will retain the ability to manually launch system updates.

Through services

This method is available on all versions of Windows, but it completely prohibits system updates: you will not be able to download updates even by running a manual scan (the scan will start, but it will not be able to find anything).

Through the registry editor

This method can be considered the most correct, but also the least secure: it makes edits directly to the system configuration, and you can undo it only by doing the same steps again. If you intend to use this method, save the path to the parameter to be changed somewhere so that you can roll back the changes.

Through "Windows Update"

Prohibiting updates via Windows Update is official, but also the least reliable. In this way, you mark your own Internet connection as metered: updates are not downloaded through such connections in order to save traffic.

If you connect to a different network or reset the router settings, the prohibition on downloading updates will disappear.

Video: How to Disable Updates in Windows 10

Despite the services carefully hidden from the user, it is easy to cancel an active Windows update. Just in case, copy the necessary commands somewhere or prohibit the system update in advance so that it will never again catch you by surprise.

Have become mandatory, i.e. they are downloaded and installed automatically as soon as they become available. Although the new mechanism is convenient from the point of view of keeping Windows 10 devices up to date, receiving timely security patches, fixes and improvements, not all users like this feature.

If you are using a computer running Windows 10, then depending on the edition of the system, you have the option to disable automatic updates using the local group policy editor or the system registry.

In this guide, we will show you how to block the installation of automatic updates in Windows 10.

How to turn off automatic updates using local group policies

If you're using Windows 10 Pro, you can use the Group Policy Editor to prevent updates from downloading and installing automatically.

Enter gpedit.msc
"And double click on it.

Select the "" option to disable this local policy.
Click the Apply button.
Click the OK button.

After completing these steps, Windows 10 will no longer automatically download updates. This way you can also save bandwidth when using limited connections. To install future updates, you need to go to the application Settings> Update & Security> Windows Update.

If disabling the policy did not work, you can use the Group Policy Editor to prevent the automatic installation of updates on your computer.

Press Windows Key + R to open the Run command window.
Enter gpedit.msc and click OK to open the Local Group Policy Editor.
Go to the following path: Computer Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Windows Components \ Windows Update
In the right part of the window, select the item "" and double-click on it.
Select the option " Included"To enable this local policy.
In the options section, you will find several options available:

Choose the option that best suits your needs. We recommend using Option 2 - Download Notification and Auto Install to disable automatic updates on a permanent basis.

Click the Apply button.
Click the OK button.

Settings> Update & Security> Windows Update.

At any time, you can roll back your changes using the same sequence of steps, but in step 5, you must select the Not Configured option. Then reboot your device to apply the changes.

How to disable automatic updates using the registry

In Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Home, you can turn off automatic updates using the system registry.

Note: Changing the registry incorrectly can cause serious problems. It is recommended that you back up the Windows registry before following these steps. From the Registry Editor menu, select File> Export to save the backup.

Press Windows Key + R to open the Run command window.
Enter regedit
Go to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows
Create> Section.
Name the new section WindowsUpdate and press Enter.
Create> Section.
Name the new section AU and press Enter.
New> DWORD Parameter (32 bit).
Name the new parameter and press Enter.
Double click on the created parameter and change the value from 0 to 1.
Click the OK button.

After completing these steps, Windows 10 will not automatically receive updates. To force the installation of future updates, you need to go to the application Settings> Update & Security> Windows Update.

Configuring Automatic Updates Options

If disabling Service Policy didn't work, you can use Registry Editor to prevent automatic updates from installing on your computer.

Press Windows Key + R to open the Run command window.
Enter regedit and click OK to open Registry Editor.
Navigate to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows
Right click on the Windows partition and select Create> Section.
Name the new section WindowsUpdate and press Enter.
Right-click on the created WindowsUpdate partition and select Create> Section.
Name the new section AU and press Enter.
Right-click on the created AU section and select New> DWORD Parameter (32 bit).
Name the new parameter AUOptions and press Enter.
Double click on the created parameter and set one of the following values:
- 2 - Notify before downloading and installing any updates.
- 3 - Automatically download updates and notify them when they are ready for installation.
- 4 - Automatically download updates and install them on a specified schedule.
- 5 - Allow local administrators to select notification and install configuration mode for automatic updates.

Similar to using the Group Policy Editor, you can choose the option that best suits your needs. We recommend using Option 2 - Download Notification and Auto Install to disable automatic updates on a permanent basis.

Click the OK button.

After completing these steps, Windows 10 will stop downloading updates automatically. When new updates become available, you will be notified and must manually install them by going to the app Settings> Update & Security> Windows Update.

At any time, you can roll back the changes using the same sequence of actions, but in step 4 you need to delete the WindowsUpdate partition using the right-click menu. Then reboot your device to apply the changes.

Conclusion

While we have provided instructions for disabling automatic updates in Windows 10, it is important to emphasize that skipping updates is not recommended. This is because updates are critical to keeping Windows 10 running properly and keeping your data safe.

However, there are scenarios where you might want to be able to manually apply updates or schedule an installation for a specific period of time. For example, you want to make sure that a specific cumulative update is working correctly before installing it on a workstation.

The instructions provided are for blocking only monthly cumulative updates, which typically address security vulnerabilities and improve the performance of Windows 10.

If you want to temporarily cancel the automatic installation of feature updates, such as the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, you need to configure the delay feature for major updates. And starting with Windows 10 May 2019 Update, the system will no longer automatically install feature updates twice a year.

You can also use third-party utilities to disable Windows 10 updates

How to disable Windows update - this question is asked by users who need to prevent the installation of system updates on a computer. With the default settings, the operating system automatically searches for, downloads and installs updates released for Windows in an automatic mode.

Microsoft releases service packs for the Windows operating system approximately once a month. From time to time, Microsoft makes unscheduled updates designed to solve emerging problems in the operating system, or to close the discovered gaps in the Windows security system.

The main part of the updates concerns system security. When you install updates, system fixes are applied or some new features are added.

In addition to the usual updates, so-called major updates are released in Windows 10, after the application of which, in essence, a new version of Windows 10 is installed on the computer. Such major updates are released once or twice a year.

Some users disable system updates for various reasons. The main reasons for refusing Windows updates are:

sometimes it happens that after installing updates, the regular operation of Windows and installed programs is disrupted
if the user has a limited Internet connection, downloading updates affects the amount of consumed traffic
lack of free space on the computer disk
after applying the update, the user is afraid of losing the activation of the operating system

How do I turn off automatic updates? You can solve the problem using the system tools, or using third-party software. In this article, we will look at 3 ways how to disable updates on Windows 10 using the operating system.

Just turning off Windows Update on the top ten, as in Windows 7 or Windows 8, will no longer work. The maximum that can be done in this way is to pause updates for up to 35 days.

How to disable automatic updates in Windows 10 (1 way)

Windows 10 Tools automatically detects, downloads, and installs updates to your computer.

On Win 10, you can disable updates in a way that disables the Windows Update service. This method works in all versions of Windows 10 and ensures that Windows updates are permanently disabled.

Log in to Administrative Tools from the Control Panel, or using an easier method: in the Search in Windows box, enter the expression: administration (without quotes), and then open the Administrative Tools window.

In the "Administration" window, double-click the right mouse button on the "Services" shortcut.

In the "Services" window that opens, in the "Services (local)" section, find the Windows Update service.

In the "Properties: Windows Update (Local Computer)" window, in the "General" tab, change the "Startup Type" setting to "Disabled".

In the "Status" setting, click on the "Stop" button to stop the Windows 10 update service.

After that, Windows 10 updates will stop coming to the computer.

To enable the automatic update function, in the "Properties: Windows Update (Local Computer)" window, select the preferred startup type: "Automatic (Delayed Start)", "Automatic", or "Manual".

How to disable Windows 10 updates using the Local Group Policy Editor (method 2)

Now let's see how to disable Windows 10 updates in the Local Group Policy Editor.

Please note that this method is not suitable for Windows 10 Home (Windows 10 Home) and Windows 10 Single Language (Windows 10 Home for one language). This feature is present in older versions of the operating system: Windows 10 Pro (Windows 10 Professional) and Windows 10 Enterprise (Windows 10 Enterprise).

First you need to enter the Local Group Policy Editor. In the Windows Search box, enter the expression "gpedit.msc" (without the quotes), and then start the editor.

Alternatively, you can enter the Local Group Policy Editor in the following way: press the "Win" + "R" keys, enter the expression "gpedit.msc" (without quotes) in the "Open" field, and then click on the "OK" button.

In the Local Group Policy Editor window, go to Computer Configuration => Administrative Templates => Windows Components => Windows Update.

In the "Windows Update" section, find the "Configure Automatic Updates" item, right-click on it, and select "Change" in the context menu.

In the "Automatic Updates Settings" window, activate the "Disabled" setting, and then click the "OK" button.

After that, the operating system will not search, download and install automatic Windows 10 updates.

Disable Windows 10 update in Registry Editor (method 3)

The third way to disable Windows 10 updates is by making changes to the Registry Editor. This method works in all versions of Windows 10.

In the Windows Search box, enter the expression “regedit” (without the quotes), and then run the command.

In the "Registry Editor" window follow the path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ WindowsWindowsUpdate \ AU

In the Registry Editor window, right-click on the free space. In the context menu, first select "New" and then "DWORD Value (32 bit)". Give the parameter a name: "NoAutoUpdate" (without quotes).

Click on the parameter "NoAutoUpdate" with the right mouse button, in the context menu select "Change ...".

Enter the parameter "1" (without quotes) in the "Value" field, click the "OK" button.

To enable the update in Windows 10, you need to change the value of the parameter to "0" (without quotes), or simply delete the "NoAutoUpdate" parameter from the registry.

Conclusion

If necessary, the user can disable automatic Windows 10 updates permanently using the operating system tools: by disabling the Windows Update service, in the Local Group Policy Editor, or in the Registry Editor.