What is UsoSvc, is it really useful and how to disable it?

Microsoft has come a long way with its release of Windows 10. The latest operating system was somewhat similar to Windows 8 (or Windows 8.1) when it first got rolled out. Most of the primary differences between the new Windows version and the previous one got embedded in the feature updates, which Microsoft has been releasing for some time now.

For example, in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the Update Orchestrator Service made its debut. You might see this service referred to as UsoSvc (an acronym for Update Orchestrator Service). If you are running a build of Windows 10 older than the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, you are unlikely to see this service.

What is the Update Orchestrator Service on Windows 10?

Unfortunately, Microsoft is yet to provide detailed information about the nature of this service. The service is also relatively new, so even most system experts have not had enough time to understand and define its operations.

We can always make assumptions, though. From the name of the service, one could infer that the service has something to do with Windows Update.

What does UsoSvc do?

The service probably initializes or manages updates on Windows devices. It should be equipped with components that download, verify, and install Windows updates on behalf of users. If these postulations are correct, then the service must always be allowed to run.

Windows updates are far too important to miss out on, which means disabling the service is off the cards. In other words, if you stop the Update Orchestrator Service on your PC, your computer will struggle or fail to download and install Windows updates.

Microsoft sometimes introduces new features or functionalities through Windows updates (in Feature Updates especially). Other times, the operating system maker is busy using Windows updates to provide patches and fixes to get rid of vulnerabilities (or holes) in the Windows operating system environment.

Invariably, your computer needs Windows updates to remain secure and perform well. Unsurprisingly, Windows 10 was designed to be capable of updating itself with as limited input from users as possible. For example, the typical Windows 10 device is set up to download updates in the background without you noticing the ongoing operation.

How to disable UsoSvc?

We understand that you might have come to this page to find out how to disable or stop the Update Orchestrator Service on your computer. Like you, a good number of users were fed up with the excessive consumption of their system resources by this particular service, and they sought to do away with it.

However, given the importance of the service in ensuring Windows Update operations run smoothly, we advise you reconsider things before you move on to disable it. Perhaps, the high disk or CPU usage figure you saw in the Task Manager app has something to do with a malicious program masquerading as the Update Orchestrator Service. This event is quite unlikely, though.

The real Update Orchestrator Service, when running, has its root in this path: % WinDir% \ system32 \usocore.dll. You can test the service displayed to verify its authenticity.

In theory, the Update Orchestrator Service is not supposed to keep your CPU or disk usage as high as 100% for an extended period. If the figure is reached at all, it should not take long for it to fall.

Well, if you still want to disable the service at this point, then there is not much we can do to stop you. Your mind is made up already.

Go through the instructions below:

• First, you have to launch the Services program. Press the Windows button on your PC’s keyboard to see the Windows Start menu. Now, type in Services into the text field available to do a quick search for this keyword.

From the results displayed, you have to right-click on the first item on the list, which is usually Services (Desktop app), to see some options. Click on Run as administrator.

• On the Services screen, you will see the complete list of services operating on your device. Scroll down and locate the Update Orchestrator Service.
• Right-click on the stated service to see the options available. If the service is currently running, you should see Stop on the list. Click on this option if you want to stop the service. This operation should deliver the result you want.

• If you want to go a step further to ensure Windows does not start up the service the next time your system boots up, you have to click on Properties (from the list of options).

• Here, we believe the Properties window for the selected service is up by now. There, you have to click on the drop-down menu for Startup type to see the available parameters.

• Select Manual.

Automatic is usually the default parameter, whose setting forces Windows to start up the service when your computer boots up. When Manual is selected, you are the one that gets to start the service (if you want to).

The Service Status should also read Stopped. Otherwise, you have to click on the Stop button again to stop the service in its tracks.

• At this point, you should be done with the required operations on the Properties program window for the service. Click on the Apply button, then round up things by clicking on the Ok button. That should be all.

Other things to note

We generally advise users to wait before moving on to disable the service. If the service is using up a significant percentage of your system resources currently, then your system is probably executing intensive Windows Update operations. Your computer will eventually complete the process), which means your PC will return to normalcy soon enough.

Nevertheless, if you insist on disabling the service anyway, we recommend that you stop it (only as a temporary measure). You do not have to change its Startup type setting to Manual since the termination of the service should cause your CPU or disk usage figure to fall.

If the Startup type setting is left at Automatic, Windows will start up the service the time you boot up your computer. Your system is likely to have completed Windows Update operations by then, which means you are unlikely to experience the same problems that compelled you to stop the service in the first place.

If you find out that the Update Orchestrator Service on your device has stopped running due to an error, you have to re-start it. If you cannot get the service to start, you must try running scans using the DISM tool to repair the Windows Update components for your system. You can also try resetting the Windows Update components by executing some codes in an elevated Command Prompt window.

TIP:

If your PC getting slow due to operations involving the Update Orchestrator Service caused you to worry, we can safely infer that your system’s speed is somewhat important to you. We feel you can achieve more by installing Auslogics BoostSpeed.

Instead of going through the trouble to disable an essential service, you can use the recommended program to execute intensive optimizations, repairs, and other effective operations that should result in your computer performing better than before.