One of the aspects that Windows 10 users complain most about is the little control that Microsoft offers over the updates of its operating system, especially in the Home editions. Microsoft took the drastic solution of removing Windows Update configuration options so that users always have them activated by default, and although with the new updates it has given users a little more control, they still cannot completely deactivate them. . Luckily, there are programs, like Wu10Man, that give us control over the operating system that Microsoft refuses to give us.
Wu10Man is a totally free and open source program whose main purpose is to allow users to block Windows 10 updates in the simplest possible way: with one click. This program does not make aggressive modifications to the operating system, but focuses on disabling the services responsible for these updates. Therefore, it is very easy, and totally safe, to reverse the changes if we regret it later.
Although it is always recommended to install the operating system updates, for security and stability, we cannot always do it. If we have a measured data connection, or live in an area where fiber optic connections do not reach, downloading the updates can be a real odyssey. Or simply we may not want Microsoft to control this feature and we prefer to control it ourselves, preventing a bad update from causing problems on our PC or restarting the computer just while we are using it.
Various ways to block Windows Update with Wu10Man
This program can block updates in several different ways.
Disable services
This is one of the ways that Wu10Man uses to disable Windows 10 updates. According to its developer, there are three services that control everything related to Windows Update: Windows Update Medic Service, Windows Update Service and Windows Module Installer.
We can disable Windows updates by disabling these services. In this way, the operating system will not check the system nor will it search for, download and install updates. Windows Update will not exist on our PC. At least until we reverse the changes and re-activate these services.
Block connections in HOSTS
This is another way that the program offers us to block Windows Update updates in Windows 10. Its developer has collected all IPs and Microsoft domains related to Windows Update services. It allows us to add these domains directly to the Windows HOSTS file. This redirects them to a false IP, so that Windows 10 cannot communicate with Windows Update servers.
Likewise, we can revert the changes to remove these entries from the HOSTS file and make Windows updates work again.
Warning: When this program tries to make changes to the HOSTS file, Windows Update detects it as a threat and blocks it. The program is totally safe and reliable. In addition, it is also open source (so we can review it), but the software does not like this file. Therefore, if we are going to use this method, it is recommended to temporarily disable the antivirus.
Pause (and postpone) updates
This option is included in the latest versions of Windows 10 Pro, and allows us to pause updates for the operating system for a certain number of days. This feature allows us to delay feature updates (major biannual updates) and monthly quality updates (security patches, rollups, etc).
We can say how many days we want the updates to be postponed, or delete this data so that they work normally again.
Declutter: uninstall Microsoft adware
In addition to being able to pause and postpone Windows updates, this program also allows us to uninstall the apps that are installed by default in Windows 10 and that only serve to occupy space on our hard drive.
Select the apps you want to remove, click on the “Remove checked apps” button and you’re done. The program will take care of deleting them from our PC.
This function is still in beta phase, so it may not detect well all the bloatware apps that are installed on our PC.
Download Wu10Man
This program is completely free for all users, in addition to being open source. To download it, all you have to do is access its GitHub repository and download the latest version of the available software from it.
We can choose between an installable version, to be able to always leave it installed and ready on the PC, or a portable version. Both work the same, so we can choose the one that is most comfortable for us.
Alternatives to Wu10Man
In addition to this program, we can also find other alternatives that allow us to block Windows Update updates easily, in case this program does not convince us.
- Win Updates Disabler : a program that allows us to disable Windows Update easily, and other elements of Windows 10, such as Windows Defender, the security center or the firewall.
- Windows Update Blocker : simple program with two buttons that allow us to activate or deactivate Windows updates with one click. For those who do not want complications.
- Windows 10 Update Blocker : similar to Wu10Man, this program allows us to disable services, edit HOSTS, and disable program tasks to kill Windows 10 updates.
Of course, although these programs are simple, before using them we must create a restore point. So we can recover the system in case something goes wrong.
