Windows 10 updates have always been one of the most criticized aspects of this operating system. While always, since Windows XP, these could be stopped to prevent Windows from updating, with the arrival of W10 this possibility disappeared. Microsoft does not allow us to turn off Windows updates or disable Windows Update. The possibilities have been very limited in this regard. Luckily, there are some small tricks that we can resort to in case you want to leave your PC without updating.
It is not recommended to leave Windows without updating. Especially without installing the security updates that are released every month. Doing so runs the risk of ending up in the clutches of hackers. However, due to stability or compatibility problems, we may be forced to assume these risks and we may have to leave our PC without updating.
There are several ways to do this. The latest versions of Windows 10 , for example, have the ability to help us pause or postpone updates for a specified number of days. In addition, there are several third-party programs, free and paid, that allow us to do this in an easier way, allowing us to regain control over Windows Update, as we have always wanted.
Defer updates from Windows Update
Before starting to use third-party programs to disable these Windows functions, let’s analyze the options offered by Windows to do this. Although little control over Windows updates has been one of the most criticized aspects of the operating system, today, except for disabling updates, Microsoft allows us to control most of its aspects.
Specifically, from Windows Update we can choose the possibility to pause updates for a maximum of 35 days. And, if we are Windows 10 Pro users, we can even postpone security updates for 30 days and quality and feature updates for up to 365.
If these options are not enough for what we want to do, then we will have to resort to third-party software to stop and postpone Windows updates. We also remember that, since May 2020 Update, it is possible to shutdown and restart Windows without installing updates. Something that we must take into account so that, if we have downloaded an update and we cannot install it now, we can leave it indefinitely postponed.
Wu10Man
One of the simplest programs to carry out this task is Wu10Man. This program allows us to block Windows 10 updates in several different ways. The default, and recommended, way is through Windows services. We can stop with this software the Windows Update services, the module installer and the Medic services so that it is impossible to search, download and install patches of the operating system.
We will also be able to block updates to the operating system from the Windows HOSTS file, and use the pause or delay function with a longer time range. All changes are also reversible. Therefore, if we regret it, we can revert the changes and return to their default settings very quickly.
This program is completely free and open source. We can download it from the following link .
Windows Update Blocker
Windows Update Blocker is another program also designed to help us block Windows 10 updates very easily. This program is, if possible, even simpler and faster than the previous one. When we run it, we can see a window with two options, one to activate Windows updates and another to deactivate them.
We choose the option we want, apply the changes and that’s it. It has an option that allows us to protect the changes to prevent other processes or services from re-enabling the disabled Update services, and even the possibility of adding the services that we want to activate or deactivate them easily as well.
We can download this program for free from the following link .
Win Updates Disabler
Win Updates Disabler is another very simple program that will allow us to disable Windows 10 update services and much more. This program allows us to disable, in addition to Windows Update, Windows 10 security services, such as Security Center, Defender and Windows 10 Firewall.
We can deactivate the options that we want by checking them in the box and clicking the “Apply Now” button, or re-activating these services from the “Enable” tab of this software.
One more alternative, very simple to use, totally free and portable, that we can download from this link .
StopUpdates10
StopUpdates10 allows us to block Windows updates in two ways. The first one is through Windows 10’s own “pause updates” function. It allows us to choose the date until which we want to delay and postpone its installation and that’s it. And the second one is “by force”, blocking the processes and services in charge of this task. And best of all, if we don’t want to get complicated, we can easily do it with a single click.
We can download this tool to block Windows Update from its main website .
Win Update Stop
This tool, created by NoVirusThanks, is probably the simplest of all. It works with all versions of Windows (from XP to 10) and only shows two buttons, one to block updates and the other to unlock them. Win Update Stop shows no options, no parameters or strange explanations. The changes are reversible so that when we want to update Windows again we can resume them without problems.
We can download this program from this link .
WUB
WUB, also known as ” Windows 10 Update Blocker “, is another similar program designed to help us block and deactivate Windows 10 updates. This software works through the operating system services for updates, from scheduled tasks and from the HOSTS file. From its simple interface we can choose the blocking methods we want to use (one or more), and block, by clicking the button, these updates.
If we regret it, we can re-unlock and activate these services again. We can download this software from the following link . Of course, it is a payment program, so we will have to pay $ 3 to download it.