How to stop automatic updates on Windows 10

While Windows 10’s automatic updates are designed to improve security and performance, many users find them disruptive and intrusive. From unexpected restarts to software incompatibilities, automatic updates can interfere with your workflow. Fortunately, Windows 10 includes multiple options to pause or permanently disable these updates, depending on your system edition and needs.

Pause updates using the Settings app

If you want to temporarily prevent updates without turning off Windows Update permanently, the Settings app offers a simple solution. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and select “Pause updates for 7 days”. This will delay updates for one week. Once the pause period expires, you’ll need to install the latest updates before pausing again.

Disable updates with Group Policy (Windows 10 Pro)

For users on Windows 10 Pro, the Group Policy Editor provides more advanced control. Open the Start menu, search for gpedit.msc, and go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update. Then, double-click “Configure Automatic Updates”, set it to “Disabled,” and apply the changes. This will stop automatic downloads and installations, though manual updates will still be possible.

Use the Registry to block updates

If you’re using Windows 10 Home or prefer Registry tweaks, you can disable updates through the Registry Editor. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows, create keys named WindowsUpdate and AU, and add a DWORD (32-bit) value called NoAutoUpdate with the value set to 1. After a reboot, Windows will no longer download updates automatically.

Disabling automatic updates should be done with caution, as updates are critical for system protection. However, in certain scenarios, manual control over updates provides greater stability and peace of mind.