How to Disable Windows 10 Updates

Windows 10 updates can cause quite a lot of frustration. Indeed, there are plenty of cases where users have lost hours of valuable work due to a Windows update that decided to start right at that moment. Not to mention, that major updates can introduce critical glitches or bugs that could result in the whole Windows system becoming unstable. Fortunately, Windows users can exercise a degree of control over the way updates are being delivered or disable them outright. The specific available options differ between the various editions of Windows such as Windows Pro and Windows Home. Some are available to all users and we will outline them in the guide below.

Windows 10 allows users to set active hours during which no updates will be initiated. To adjust the active hours on your system, type windows update in the search box on the Taskbar. Open the top result. Select Windows Update among the options available in the left panel of the window. Click on 'Change active hours.' Click change next to the current active hours and make your selection. From the Windows Update section, users can also decide to block all updates for 7 days.

To stop all Windows updates permanently, type administrative tools in the search box on the Taskbar and open the top result. From the list of available items, open 'Services.' Now, locate 'Windows update' and double-click on it. In the window that appears, select the 'Standard' tab, and change the Startup type to 'Disabled' from the drop-down menu. Click on 'Apply' to save the changes and then 'Ok' to close the window.