If you’re not ready, you can pause updates in Windows 10 and let them automatically install them on your computer at a later time.
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Pause updates on Windows 10
As you may have noticed, Windows 10 automatically downloads and installs updates on your computer as soon as they become available.
Although it’s good practice to install updates as soon as they become available, there are some users who want to be the first to install updates on their computer.
In general, the most common reason for delaying updates is to prevent the possibility that an update will cause problems or become incompatible with apps and programs that are installed on their computers.
For both Windows 10 Home and Pro versions, Windows quality updates can be delayed or deferred for up to a period of 35 days.
1. Pause Windows updates for up to 35 days
Windows 10 offers the option to pause updates for 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days.
1. Go to settings > click Updates & Security.
2. Choose windows update in the left pane. In the right pane, scroll down and click Pause updates for 7 days Possibility.
This will pause Windows updates on your computer for 7 days, after which your computer will automatically download and install available updates.
If you want more time, click Pause updates for 7 more days option and this extends the pause time by another 7 days.
Likewise, you can keep clicking the Pause updates for 7 more days option until you reach 35 days and the Pause updates option becomes greyed out.
2. Pause updates until the selected date
Instead of delaying updates in 7-day increments, you can pause updates until a specific date by following the steps below.
1. Go to settings > click Updates & Security.
2. Click on windows update in the left pane. In the right pane, click Expanded options.
3. On the next screen, click break until Drop down and select the date up to which you want to stop automatic Windows updates.
This will delay Windows updates on your computer until the specific date you selected in the drop-down menu.
When the selected date arrives, Windows will automatically download and install available updates on your computer.
3. Pause updates for more than 35 days
Setting your WiFi or Ethernet network to be metered will prevent Windows 10 from installing updates on your computer.
1. Go to settings > Network & Internet.
2. On the next screen, click Wireless Internet access in the left pane. In the right pane, click Your WiFi network name.
3. On the next screen, scroll down and enable it Set as clocked connection Possibility.
After that, Windows should no longer automatically download and install updates on your computer.
4. Disable automatic updates using management tools
If you are using an older version of Windows 10, you can turn off automatic updates by logging into your administrator account and following the steps below.
1. Right click on the Start button and click To run.
2. In the Run Command window, type services.msc and click OK.
3. On the Services screen, right-click windows update and click Characteristics.
4. On the Windows Update properties screen, click Launch type down arrow and select Disabled Possibility.
5. Click on Apply and OK to save the changes on your computer.
Note: The disadvantage of this method is that it can prevent your computer from being up to date with Windows updates.
Make sure to check for updates regularly by going to settings > Updates & Security > Check for updates.
If your computer has missed several updates, you may need to click Check for updates several times until your computer says it’s up to date with updates.
