How to Disable Windows 10 Update Using Registry/Regedit

Microsoft regularly releases updates to address specific issues with Windows, provide protection against malicious attacks, and even add new features to the operating system. The latest Windows 10 version is version 22H2. If you are using Windows 11, you may have received Windows 11 23H2 update.

If you want to stop Windows automatic updates, this page offers different Windows 10 update disable tools to help you.

Important: backup before disabling Windows Update via Regedit

Registry is an effective Windows 10 update disable tool. You can use it to make Windows work the way you want, but you can also seriously mess things up by mistake. Therefore, it’s important to backup the system before major operations, such as disabling Windows 10 update via Registry.

What's more, many users encounter problems after Windows 10 update. We cannot predict what the consequences will be after the next update. In order to protect your system and data, it is strongly recommended that you perform a system backup or important file backup before the update!

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2 solutions to disable Windows 10 update via Registry

After you have created system backup, you can feel free to disable Windows 10 update via Registry. There are two solutions you can choose from.

✎ Note: Although the Registry Editor is present in Windows 10 Home edition, following solutions are not applicable to Home edition.

Solution 1: Turn off automatic updates with Registry

If you turn off automatic updates with Registry, Windows will never check for updates. Follow the instructions below:

1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialogue. Type regedit and press Enter or click “OK” to open the Registry Editor.

2. Expand the entries on the left-hand pane to navigate to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

3. Right click the Windows (folder) key, select New, and click on Key. Name the new key WindowsUpdate (no space between Windows and Update).

4. Right click the WindowsUpdate key, select New and then Key. Set the new key’s name as AU.

5. Click on the AU key, and right click on the empty space at the right-hand pane. Select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new DWORD NoAutoUpdate.

6. Double click on NoAutoUpdate and set its value data as 1. Click “OK” to apply the change.

✍ Tips: You can set two numbers here: 0 – to enable automatic updates, 1 – to turn off automatic updates.

7. Close Registry Editor and restart your computer.

Solution 2: Configure automatic updates using Registry

If you don’t want to completely turn off automatic updates but want to control how the updates are installed, then learn how to stop Windows 10 auto update using below directions:

1. Create WindowsUpdate and AU keys as in Solution 1.

2. Click on the AU key, and right click on the empty space at the right-hand pane. Select New, and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new DWORD AUOptions.

3. Double click on AUOptions and set its value data as 2. Click “OK” to apply the change.

✍ Tips: You can set four numbers here: 2 – notify before downloading and installing updates, 3 – auto download updates and notify for install, 4 – auto download updates and schedule the install, 5 – allow local admin to choose setting.

4. Close Registry Editor and restart your computer.

2 extra solutions to disable Windows Update on Windows 10

Besides Registry, there are other Windows built-in tools that can help you disable Windows Update: Windows Settings and Windows Update service. Read on to get details.

Solution 1: Disable Windows Update by Windows Settings

1. Use Windows + I to open Windows Settings, and click the Update & Security option.

2. After jumping to the default Windows Update tab, click Advanced options in the bottom.

3. Find the Pause updates section, and click the option to select a date. In the expanded menu, the duration of the pause update can be up to 35 days.

Solution 2: Disable Windows 10 Update service

1. Use Windows + R to open the Run window, enter services.msc and press Enter.

2. Find the Windows Update service in the list of services window, and double-click to open this service.

3. On the General tab, change the Startup type to Disabled and click the OK button.

Need to stop Windows 10 automatic updates

In general, Windows 10 automatically downloads and installs updates to make sure your device is secure and up to date. Auto update is typically a good thing. However, some users are confronted with problems during/after Windows 10 updates, such as:

• Windows 10 version 1809 update causes file missing in the Documents directory. People endeavor to recover lost files in Windows 10 after the auto update.
• Fail to install KB5034441 update. Error message: 0x80070643 – ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE.
• Other issues like broken file associations, mouse and keyboard not working after Windows 10 updates are also reported.

To avoid possible issues, there are users who would like to stay with their current stable operating system. They refuse to update Windows 10 even just because they are used to everything they are using now.

Bonus: What is the Windows Registry?

Windows Registry refers to a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options for both the operating system and installed software. It serves as a central repository for system configuration data, user preferences, and application settings. The Registry is divided into different hives. The main hives include:

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR): Contains file extension associations and OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) information.
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU): Stores configuration settings and preferences for the currently logged-in user.
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM): Contains hardware and software configuration data for all users on the computer.
• HKEY_USERS (HKU): Stores user profiles and settings for all user accounts on the system.
• HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG (HKCC): Contains hardware configuration information used during system startup.

Verdict

That’s all about how to disable Windows 10 update permanently via Registry. Besides Registry, you can also disable Windows Update from Windows Settings and Windows Update service. To get prepared for possible errors, you should backup system via AOMEI Backupper before editing Registry.

Actually, AOMEI Backupper owns many other practical features, such as clone SSD to another SSD, clean a hard drive and sync local folders to OneDrive. If you are looking for portable backup software that can help you create backups on any computer, pick AOMEI Backupper Technician or Technician Plus edition. Get this tool right now to discover more!