Disabling auto updates in Windows 10

[DealorNoDeal]

I'm on PAYG data, so auto updates chew through your data. The last one consumed nearly 4Gb. There are other reasons you might want to disable auto update eg. it could bugger up your machine.

In Windows 7, it was easy:

Control Panel\System and Security\Windows Update\Change settings

In Windows 10, you can do it with GPEdit.msc, but that only comes as standard in the Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions.

However, you can use the Batch Script here to make it available in other versions like Home edition.

[Windows Tip] How to Install and Enable "Group Policy Editor" (gpedit.msc) in Home Edition - AskVG

Once you can run GPEdit.msc, you can disable auto updates using Solution 2.

How to Disable Windows 10 Update in Every Way - EaseUS

Note: I also tried Solutions 1, 3 and 4 but only Solution 2 was 100% effective

[ladymuck]

Set your 4G connection as a metered connection and then updates shouldn't happen without you allowing them. There are some.reports this doesn't work as expected but it's worth a try

[DealorNoDeal]

Set your 4G connection as a metered connection and then updates shouldn't happen without you allowing them. There are some.reports this doesn't work as expected but it's worth a try

Thanks, I tried that but it's not 100%. The nearly 4Gb update was downloaded even though I had the connection set to metered.

[ladymuck]

Thanks, I tried that but it's not 100%. The nearly 4Gb update was downloaded even though I had the connection set to metered.

Hmm...that's exactly what I'd heard

[darrylmg]

Thanks, I tried that but it's not 100%. The nearly 4Gb update was downloaded even though I had the connection set to metered.

If you know the download host names, put them in your hosts file against a local ip address. That might stop it.

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[ladymuck]

Option 1sounds so suspiciously easy that I suspect it won't work...

3 Best Ways to Disable Automatic Update on Windows 10

[DealorNoDeal]

Option 1sounds so suspiciously easy that I suspect it won't work...

3 Best Ways to Disable Automatic Update on Windows 10

According to the article I found, it doesn't sound like a permanent fix.

How to Disable Windows 10 Update in Every Way - EaseUS

"Understand the limitations of this method. While disabling the automatic update service will temporarily halt any Windows 10 cumulative updates, the service will re-enable itself after a certain amount of time."

[original PM]

Last i heard Windows 10 will be the last version of windows and thus automatic updates will continue.

Whole different update method than previous versions of the oS...

so I think rather than fighting it you need to get with the program - possibly.!

[ladymuck]

Last i heard Windows 10 will be the last version of windows and thus automatic updates will continue.

Whole different update method than previous versions of the oS...

so I think rather than fighting it you need to get with the program - possibly.!

Yes, a fair point. My interpretation of the OP's request was to be able to do updates when it's convenient (i.e. not when connected to a 4G data service) rather than when Microsoft decide...

[Hobosapien]

Yes, a fair point. My interpretation of the OP's request was to be able to do updates when it's convenient (i.e. not when connected to a 4G data service) rather than when Microsoft decide...

For that scenario I would check if the 4g router or device being used as a gateway from the Windows PC/laptop to the internet allows blocking of named services (the Windows update service endpoints) or IP addresses, so Windows will attempt to download the updates but it will fail until a different connection is being used.

This targets the problem (don't allow updates when connected to mobile internet, similar to how Android allows only updates when on wifi and not when using mobile data) without having to faff about with Windows settings when using different connections, and re-check the settings in case an update has reset them.