How to Disable Windows 10 Automatic Updates

In Windows 10 there is no direct option to disable or turn off updates for Windows 10. In previous version Windows 8.1, you can control updates download settings from Windows updates settings in Control Panel. By hiding this update settings Microsoft making sure everyone gets latest updates related to security patches and new Windows features. If you really want to disable Windows 10 automatic updates then you can use one of the following methods and turn off update from Local Group Policy Editor or by disabling update services.

See also: Update and Install Windows 10

Note: Windows 10 Home users should follow the second method “Disable Windows 10 Updates services” given below.

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Disable Windows 10 Auto Updates

  • First, we need to open the Windows Group Policy Editor, press windows+R keys from keyboard and type gpedit.msc in the Run window and hit Enter.
  • On the left-side in Group policy window open the following path to change the Windows Update settings
    Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update
  • On the right-hand find “Configure Automatic Updates” setting right-click on it and select Edit from the menu.
    configure automatic updates
  • In the next window, you will notice this setting is not configured yet by default. So, first select Enabled option from the top and then set the options. Set “Notify for download and notify for install” option to configure automatic updating and click Apply button to save the settings and close the window.
    configure windows 10 updates settings
  • Now, reboot your computer to let the changes applied. When you logged into your computer again and you will notice the changes in Windows Updates Settings as shown below (Updates are ready to download and click the download button if you want to download and install updates manually).
    updates ready to download
    Click the Advanced options link and on that screen, you can see update related option that you selected before in the Group Policy Window. You can’t change updates settings from “notify to download” to another setting like the auto update, if you want to change that then you have modified it from Group Policy Editor.
    notify to download updates

Disable Windows Update Service

If you are a Windows 10 Home edition user or you couldn’t find the option to disable Windows updates by following the above method then try this method to disable updates through Windows services.

  • Right-click on the Windows Start button and select “Computer Management” option from the menu.
  • On the Computer management window in left-panel, expand “Services and Applications” option and then select “Services”. All the running and disabled services will be listed in the right-side panel.
  • From the services list, find a service with the name “Windows Update”. Right-click on this service and select Stop option if this service is already running.
    windows update service
  • Now, to make sure this service will not run again on Windows startup. So, right-click again on it and select Properties option. On the Properties window select option “Disabled” from the “Startup type:” drop-down menu. Click OK button to apply changes.
    disable update service windows 10
  • Now, when you try to check for updates from Windows 10 updates settings then you will see the problem installing updates 0x80070422 error. To turn updates on again you need to start the Windows update service and set the startup settings to Manual.
    problem installing updates 0x80070422 error

We just want to stop Windows from downloading and installing updates automatically so the second method to turn off auto updates is not suitable, because it totally disables the Windows update services. If you have only one option to choose and disable Windows update service then you should consider Show or hide updates tool from Microsoft. This tool is very handy to prevent installation or unwanted drivers or updates.

Trying Metered Connection

Note: this metered connection method only works when you are using a Wi-Fi connection on your PC. You cannot apply this method while your computer is connected to the internet through Ethernet.

  1. Press Windows+I to open up the Settings. Another way to open Windows Settings is to click the Start button and click the Settings (gear shaped-icon).
  2. Click on Network & Internet icon in the settings window.
  3. Click the Wi-Fi option on the side and look for the current Wi-Fi connection name that you are using.
    setting up metered connection windows
  4. Next, scroll down and look for the option of Set as metered connection. Turn this option ON and this will stop the automatic update of Windows 10.
    turn on set metered connection windows 10

Stop Automatic App Updates

 The last option to stop the automatic updates Apps is to disable the update from windows provided an option in Microsoft store.

  1. Click on the Windows logo left-bottom corner and start menu will appear.
  2. Click the Microsoft Store icon to open it, find it in the list on right side of the open menu. If you do not see it there then after clicking the Start button,  type Store and this will search the Store app for you.
  3. Open the Store and look for this three dots icon in the top-right corner. Click on it and select Settings option from the menu.
    windows store settings
  4. Look for the option of “Update apps automatically” and turn the switch off.
    turn off store auto update windows 10

By doing this, the auto apps updates will be disabled.

If you still having any problem related to Windows 10 Updates then please reply using the form given below and we’ll happy to answer you questions.

5 comments… add one
Michael September 8, 2015, 3:03 pm

They must have fixed this because gpedit will not work on mine so there goes these crappy updates slowing my pc down causing issues

Joe December 19, 2015, 5:36 am

gpedit is only available on Professional editions of Windows

Joe AMD December 29, 2016, 12:31 am

Enabling privacy in redstone one (14393.xx) is now a real problem. It takes more than 3 hours to get a KB file. In the Home version there is no other way, you must disable Win update in services. If you are using Defender, you will have to get definitions update manually in the Defender app.

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