Learn three ways to limit, mitigate or pause Windows 10 Updates, without hacking Windows 10 Update
Episode #9-42 released on June 2, 2019
Windows 10 is going to update itself, whether we like it or not, but there are things we can do to mitigate the number of updates and their effects on us.
Metered Connections is one way of preventing many bigger updates from being installed all at once. It reduces the number of updates Windows will install and tends to limit them to urgent updates. You can activate a metered connection by going to the Windows settings, then network and internet, under status you will see a link for your current connection called change connection properties, go there. Under metered connections, you have the option to set as metered connection in either on or off.
Active hours are another way to mitigate the updates, but this time, but forcing them to occur outside specific times. From the Windows settings, go to Update and security. Then go to change active hours, set the start time and end time. They limit you to a large 18-hour period where updates should not occur. It is possible that when you come to shutdown your computer that updates will be applied then, this counts as being outside the active hours as you are done using your computer.
Advanced settings in Update and security is another possibility, but please note that these settings can pose a significant risk to the security of your Windows 10 computer. From the Windows settings, go to Update and Security, then under Windows Update, click on advanced options. You are presented with several options, but the option that will have the most impact, if it is available to you, is Pause Updates. It will prevent all updates, including emergency updates, from being installed for a period of 35-days. While, this will allow you to avoid any annoying updates, this does make your computer vulnerable, please pay attention to the news and update information made available, if there are any significant threats to your computer, disable this and install all updates before reenabling the pause.
You may see that you have other options for updates like semi-annual channel targeted and untargeted. You, also, have options for number of days before a feature or quality update is installed. You can defer those kinds of updates safely because those are not security updates. As a preference, it is better to defer those updates and continue running the Windows Update system as normal to install emergency and security updates.
Host : Steve Smith | Music : | Editor : Steve Smith | Producer : Zed Axis Dot Net