Why is Windows 10 always updating on my computer?

Don’t you just hate it when you try to switch off your laptop and Windows starts to install its updates? What’s even more annoying is that you can’t turn off the laptop because you have to allow Microsoft to round up things. This can be infuriating, especially if you were just about to set off to an important meeting with your laptop.

While it’s understandable that you need to install updates, sometimes Microsoft sneaks in the updates when you’re in the middle of something important, and you may be forced to restart your PC. Sometimes, updates are known to cause a myriad of issues on your machine and also potentially slow down the system.

What if we told you that it’s possible to stop this intrusive Windows behavior and use your machine in peace?

Why Does Windows 10 Keep Updating?

A nagging question from Windows users across multiple forums is, “What if Windows always needs to update?” Well, for starters, Microsoft updates are extremely important as they address security issues, deliver system improvements, improve the stability of your operating system, and add malware definitions to Windows Defender, among other essential issues.

Previous Windows versions allowed users to choose not to install updates at all. However, with Windows 10, updates are mandatory and always recommended in order to plug security holes that could give hackers access to your computer.

In a nutshell, Windows updates are absolutely necessary if you want to stay safe in the computer world. The good news is that it’s possible to change a few settings to prevent these frequent updates even though there is no way to keep the updates from installing. In today’s Windows 10 guide, we show you the various tricks to block Windows updates from downloading and installing without notice.

How Do I Permanently Turn Off Windows 10 Update?

1. Set Your Internet Connection as Metered

If you use Wi-Fi to access the Internet, you can change the settings to prevent Windows 10 from automatically installing updates. To do that:

1. Run the “Settings” app by pressing the Windows Key+I simultaneously.
2. Select “Network & Internet”.
3. Open “Wi-Fi” on the left pane and click on the name of the Wi-Fi connection you are currently using.
4. Scroll down and toggle button to enable “Set as metered connection” under “Metered connection”.

With this option, Microsoft realizes that you’re using a limited data plan and will stop pushing automatic updates until that time you connect to an unlimited data plan.

2. Using Group Policy Editor

Users who have installed Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise or Education versions can tweak a few things in Group Policy Editor to prevent automatic Windows updates. After making the changes, the Group Policy will be notifying you of available updates instead of automatically downloading and installing them.

To stop automatic Windows updates:

1. Press the Windows Key+R, and then type gpedit.msc in the “Run” dialog box.
2. Click “OK” or press “Enter”.
3. Follow this path: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components.
4. Select “Windows Update” on the right pane.
5. Double-click “Configure Automatic Updates”.
6. Next, select “Disabled”.
7. Click “Apply” followed by “OK”.

With this setting, you will have to download and install Windows updates manually. Alternatively, you can limit the availability and installation of updates on your device using the following steps:

1. Repeat Step 1 through to 5 above.
2. Now, select “Enabled”. You will notice that the “Options” section is no longer grayed out.
3. When you click the drop-down menu, you’ll see the following options:

• 2 – Notify for download and auto install
• 3 – Auto download and notify for install
• 4 – Auto download and schedule the install
• 5 – Allow local admin to choose setting

4. Selecting option 2 allows you to choose whether or not to download the updates.

However, you can choose an option that best befits you.

3. Disable Windows Update Service

The Windows Update service is responsible for the automatic updates, and disabling the service will temporarily stop the Windows 10 cumulative updates. However, the service will re-enable itself after some time.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Invoke the “Run” utility by pressing the Windows Key+R simultaneously.
2. Input services.msc, and then hit “Enter”.
3. Look for and double-click “Windows Update”.
4. Click “Startup type” and select “Disabled”.
5. Click the “Apply” button, followed by “OK”.

4. Modify Windows Registry

Making modifications to your registry is risky and can cause irreversible damage if done the wrong way. Therefore, we do not recommend modifying the Registry, especially if you are not an advanced user.

But if you have to, make sure you create a full backup of your computer before applying this fix. To modify the Registry:

1. Launch the “Run” dialog box (press the Windows Key+R on your keyboard), and then type regedit.
2. Press “Enter” and follow this path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
3. Right-click the “Windows” folder, and then select New > Key.
4. Assign the new key a name like WindowsUpdate, and then hit “Enter”.
5. Right-click the newly created key and click New > Key.
6. Name the new key AU and hit “Enter”.
7. Right-click on an empty space on the right pane, and select “DWORD (32-bit) Value”.
8. Assign the new key a name like NoAutoUpdate, and then hit “Enter”.
9. Next, double-click the newly created key and change the “Value data” from “0” to “1”.
10. Click “OK” and then restart your PC.

This option allows you to permanently turn off Windows 10 updates, and you can install them whenever you want. To manually check for updates, simply run Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and then click “Check for updates”.

As a Windows user, you may have noticed some programs take too long to load or there is a general slowdown of your machine’s performance. If that’s the case, then some of your device drivers may be outdated. For optimal performance, your device drivers need to be up to date.

Manually updating your drivers is tedious, and you can mistakenly install the wrong driver version, causing hardware conflicts. To prevent this, we recommend installing Auslogics Driver Updater, a tool that automatically detects all your device drivers and updates them with one click.

The program will first create a backup before installing the drivers so that you can revert the changes if you’re not satisfied with how the new driver version is behaving. On the other hand, Auslogics Driver Updater only installs the latest official drivers the moment they are released by the manufacturers.

This way, your PC will always be stable and function at an optimal level.