How to Control the Automatic Updates on Windows 10

Microsoft most probably believes that the regular Windows 10 updates are a blessing for the users. Unfortunately, more and more Windows users are finding them a curse. The newest versions of Windows are less vulnerable to hacker attacks and fix some of the bugs and other issues. Sometimes, however, the newest versions can contain new bugs and errors. This can easily make the updated computer virtually unusable until another update comes out. Needless to say, this constant vicious circle of updates can get very frustrating if you’re using your computer extensively.


windows 10 updates
What really makes this an issue, however, is that on Windows 10 you cannot disable the automatic updates. At least, directly. The good news is – there are a couple of loopholes you can take advantage of.

 

Group Policy Trick

 

If you are using a corporate version of Windows 10, such as Professional, Enterprise or Education, you can use a hidden feature within the system to turn the updates off. This feature is changing the Group Policy of your system. Here’s what you need to do.

  • First, open the Windows Run application by pressing Win + R.
  • Type in gpedit.msc. This opens the Local Group Policy Editor.
  • In the panel on the left navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Defer Updates.
  • Click on Select when Feature Updates are received and select Enabled.
  • Then go the Options menu and in the first field type in for how many days you would like to delay the updates. In the second field, type in the current date.
  • Click Apply and Okay.

 

This feature will allow you to delay the Windows updates for up to a month, depending on your current Windows version. Obviously, Microsoft is not too happy about their users delaying the updates.

 

Metered Connection Trick

 

If you’re using a regular version of Windows, such as Home or Pro, you can still control your updates. To do that, you simply need to tell your system that you have a metered connection to the Internet. In other words, it means that you don’t have an unlimited Internet plan and you can only download a certain amount of data without additional charges. This might or might not be true, but Windows won’t be able to tell – and we’re not here for the ethical concerns, are we? Here’s how you enable the Metered Connection function on your Windows 10.

 

  • Open Start > Settings > Network & Internet.
  • Select the Wi-Fi or Ethernet option in the column on the left, depending on the type of your connection.
  • In the resulting window, select the name of your connection.
  • Open it and enable the Metered Connection function.

 

Make sure to do it for every Wi-Fi or Lan network that you connect your computer to. Once enabled, you Windows 10 will stop receiving the automatic updates. When you finally decide to update your Windows, simply turn the Metered Connection function off.

 

Believe it or not, but even professional computer technicians suffer from the never-ending Windows 10 updates. Don’t hesitate to contact Home Computer Tech if you’re in the same boat as us, as well as for any other kind of computer repairs