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Block Windows 10 Updates for Pro and Home Users

Windows updates can be frustrating, especially when they happen at the wrong moment. Windows updates can eat away at your data, and updates may occasionally be incompatible or broken. Updates can be especially frustrating for those that like tweaking their system, as they will force you to accept any added or dropped features.

It is recommended that you upgrade Windows for important security patches; however, for those that insist, we will show you how to block, delay, and pause Windows updates for your system, drivers and applications.

Note: there are some key differences between Windows Home and Pro editions. Windows Home Users can skip the Pro section.

pause a windows 10 update

Block System Updates on Windows 10 Pro Edition

Windows 10 Pro Edition Offers substantially more update control than Windows 10 Home Edition. The pro edition allows you to pause updates until manually notified, temporarily stop updates, and defer updates for a year.

These Windows 10 Pro features are unavailable to Windows 10 Home Edition (or takes use of the Windows group policy which is also unavailable to Windows Home). Windows Home users should skip this section and continue on to our Windows Home Section.

How Do You Stop a Windows Update in Progress?

For those asking “ How do you stop a Windows update in progress?” – Windows 10 Pro allows you to be manually notified of new updates and will not update until you trigger the update. It is the ideal solution for when you suffer low bandwidth or when updating Windows would interrupt your work. Here is how to receive manual notifications:

  1. Search Start for Edit Group Policy
  2. From the right Pane navigate to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Update
  3. From Windows Update, select Configure Automatic Updates
  4. Click Configure automatic updating and select 2-Notify for download and notify for install. You will now be notified the next time updates are available.

Note: You will need to manually download and initiate all update downloads.

Temporarily Stop Windows 10 Pro Updates for 7 days

Windows 10 Pro also allows you to quickly postpone updates for 7 days, which is ideal if you’d rather wait for the weekend. Setting the option is easy:

  1. From the Start menu search for Settings -> Click Settings
  2. Select Update & Security
  3. Select Advanced options
  4. Set Pause updates to on

Note: after 7 days are up, Windows will not allow you to pause updates until pending updates are installed.

Defer Windows 10 Updates up to 365 Days

If 7 days are not enough, the group policy editor allows you to opt out of Windows 10 updates for periods of up to 365 days. The grace period delays the update to ensure that your network is safe from any issues that occurred during the rollout. Keep in mind, that the group policy editor is a feature reserved for Windows Pro users. Windows Home has additional ways to block updates in the next section. Here’s how to update the group policy editor for Windows Pro:

  1. Search Start for Edit Group Policy
  2. From the right pane navigate to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business
  3. From Select When Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received, select any number of days for which you want your Updates deferred (up to 365 days).

Block Updates for Windows Home & Windows Pro

Windows Home Edition may not carry as many features as Windows Pro, but still provides ample options to blocking, postponing, and pausing system updates. Windows Home Edition allows you to block updates during specific hours, restrict updates to limited bandwidth, and permanently stop Windows updates.

How to Block Updates at Specific Hours

In the most recent version of Windows 10, Windows Updates can be blocked during active computer usage. This solution is helpful for frustrating system updates that interrupt your daily workflows. Here is how to set your updates to specific hours:

  1. At the Start menu search for Windows Update -> Click Windows Update
  2. Click Change active hours
  3. Select hours to be designated as active.

Note: the selection limits you to 18 hours

How to Restrict Updates for Limited Bandwidth

Another option that can work for you comes from the limited bandwidth menus. Windows will go easy on the updates if you designate that your connection is metered; however, this will not prevent critical updates from being downloaded. The settings will only apply to the network you are currently connected to. Here’s how:

  1. Search Start for Settings -> Click Settings
  2. Click Network & Internet
  3. Select Wi-Fi
  4. Select your Connected Network
  5. Then Set as Metered connection

How to Permanently Stop Windows 10 System Updates

Finally, for those that rather stop system updates altogether, Windows allows you to disable updates on all versions (at a future date, be sure to turn Windows updates back on to get critical updates). Here is how to permanently stop Windows updates:

  1. Go to the Start menu and search for Administrative Tool
  2. From the list of items, select Services
  3. Click Windows Update, which should be in the Standard Tab
  4. Change the Startup type to Disabled and click Apply

More Windows Updates to Stop

The last section discussed ways to block System Updates, which tend to be the most resource intensive updates; however, disabling System updates will not necessarily stop Windows Store and driver updates. Specific steps must be followed to stop store and driver updates.

Stop Windows Store Updates

Window Store Updates can be turned off to prevent updates from bogging down system resources.  These applications conveniently run in a sandbox, so there is little need to upgrade your Windows store apps in regards to security. Here’s how you stop Windows store upgrades from slowing you down:

  1. From the Start menu, search for the Microsoft Store -> select the Microsoft store
  2. From the three-dot menu, select settings
  3. Slide the Update apps automatically toggle to Off

Stop Windows 10 Driver Updates

Like Windows system updates, Windows tends to automatically update drivers.  On rare occasions, those pesky updates can cause issues with your device drivers, especially if you’re running custom drivers. We recommend an automatic driver solution that works. Here is how to stop Windows driver updates:

  1. At the Start menu search for Control Panel -> Select Control Panel
  2. Select System and Security
  3. Select System
  4. Select Advanced system settings
  5. On the Hardware tab select Device Installation Settings
  6. From the pop-up select No

Choose Windows Update Solution That Works

Windows system updates can occur at the wrong moment and sometimes even destabilize your system.  Likewise, driver updates and Windows store updates can eat away at your data or install incorrectly. Luckily, Windows provides a means to blocking or delaying system, app and driver updates. Keep caution, security updates can leave your system vulnerable to attack, so it would be wise to turn on updates eventually.

To save you additional time and frustration, we recommend using Driver Support for updating your device drivers. Our automatic driver updates will keep the most finicky of drivers up to date.