Turning off updates in Windows 10 laptop

[JohnLM 14]

I was wondering if anyone knows how to completely turn off auto updates in windows 10.  I have the HP Stream 14" 64bit, 4GB Ram, Intel Celeron N4020 laptop from Oct/2021.

(Hint: I have removed the "S" part from Windows 10)

(link https://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-14-PC-Laptop-Intel-Celeron-N4000-4GB-RAM-64GB-HD-Windows-10S-with-1-year-Office-365-Blue-14-cb171wm/803600781?from=/search) 

 

Currently, there is an update(s) in cache waiting for me to update-and-shut down, but I keep refusing it and choose sleep.  Eventually, I will have to shut down for other reasons but I would like to turn off updates if possible, including the update in cache.

 

I would like to use this for part-time coding in Delphi 11.2 since I have that already installed since 11/2023.  TIA. 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by JohnLM

[dummzeuch 1505]

The only sure way I know to prevent windows from updating is to disconnect it from the internet. That can be easily done with a virtual machine. Alternatively it's probably possible to only block it from accessing Microsoft servers.

 

Of course there is the option to pause updates, but that only works for up to one month and has to be extended regulator after that. And it won't prevent an update to the next Windows 10 release when support runs out.

[Angus Robertson 574]

Stopping and disabling the Windows Update service worked in the past, but Microsoft may have other apps that monitor it being stopped.

 

Angus

 

[Der schöne Günther 316]

If it's Windows Professional, then you can just disable automatic updates through local group policies (run gpedit.msc). It works absolutely fine, it's just that there is no GUI for setting this with the regular windows control panel anymore.

[DelphiUdIT 176]

2 hours ago, Der schöne Günther said:

If it's Windows Professional, then you can just disable automatic updates through local group policies (run gpedit.msc). It works absolutely fine, it's just that there is no GUI for setting this with the regular windows control panel anymore.

Even if you disable Windows Update policies, the updates imposed by Microsoft will still be carried out. This is certain in the latest version of Windows 11 Pro. I have lot of PC with the policies disabled and all of them do sometimes some upgrades.

[Der schöne Günther 316]

I can only say that we have shipped a four-digit number of systems with Windows Professional during the last years which have to run constantly 24/7. With "Automatic Updates" set to "Disabled", they might still be using Windows Update to update Windows Defender signatures, but they surely do not install major OS updates that require a reboot.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Der schöne Günther

[mvanrijnen 123]

Maybe fake a WSUS installation, just put the regkeys for WSUS client into the registry (without having the WSUS server).

 

[Fr0sT.Brutal 900]

There are plenty of software that does this through both policies and settings. I have auto update disabled on my laptop but I can run it manually. Alas, specific updates could not be selected with built in Windows apps but there are 3rd party apps that do this. Awkward but that's the best we can have.