Windows 10 Update Disabler – disables Windows 10 Updates reliably

Windows 10 is well known for forced updates and the extremely inopportune times at which it downloads them, installs them and restarts your PC. Only Enterpprise editions of the Windows 10 operating system have the ability to control how updates are delivered and installed. Home editions and also the Pro edition of Windows 10 are locked down to get updates whenever Microsoft decides to push them out. A huge number of users are not happy with this behavior. So that is how Windows 10 Update Disabler was born.

Windows 10 Update Disabler is created by PainteR, the author of many other impressive themes and apps. Windows 10 Update Disabler is a special tool to avoid Windows 10 Updates.

Update: The tool no longer works in recent Windows 10 versions and no longer available for download. I have removed the download link.

You will find the similar option in Winaero Tweaker, which works in all Windows versions:

You may stop reading here. The below text is not actual.

What is Windows 10 Update Disabler

Windows Update Disabler is just a service which runs in the background and terminates attempts by Windows Update to install anything. Unlike other tools, it is very transparent and does not require configuration.

According to the author, it does not rely on Windows Registry values because Windows can overwrite them any time without your knowledge or consent. Instead, it uses an undocumented system call to check the current state of Windows Update and tries to terminate it immediately. Once started, it also disables all scheduled tasks related to Windows Update, including the task which automatically restarts your PC while you are in the middle of something important.

Watch the following video to see the app in action:

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Here is how to use the app if you decide to give it a chance.

Before you continue: The author claims that he developed the app for himself, to protect his PC from unwanted updates. You might not agree with him and with his vision of the problem. He has not tested it extensively. I checked the tool in my virtual machine and found no issues. It does exactly what it claims to do.

How to install Windows 10 Update Disabler

  1. Download the Windows Update Disabler app from here:

    Download Windows 10 Update Disabler

  2. Unpack the file UpdaterDisabler.exe to a folder you want. The EXE of this tool will run from this folder.
  3. Open an elevated command prompt in that folder. Tip: See the article How to open an elevated command prompt in Windows 10.
  4. Type or copy-paste the following command at the command prompt in this folder: 
    UpdaterDisabler -install

    This will install the service and activate it immediately.

How to uninstall Windows 10 Update Disabler

  1. Open an elevated command prompt in the folder you the UpdaterDisabler.exe. See the article How to open an elevated command prompt in Windows 10.
  2. Type or copy-paste the following command at the command prompt in this folder: 
    UpdaterDisabler -remove

    This will uninstall the service and deactivate it.

It's a shame that we have to use a third party app to stop Windows 10 from downloading updates. This option should be available out of the box.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

Sergey Tkachenko is a software developer who started Winaero back in 2011. On this blog, Sergey is writing about everything connected to Microsoft, Windows and popular software. Follow him on Telegram, Twitter, and YouTube.

32 thoughts on “Windows 10 Update Disabler – disables Windows 10 Updates reliably”

  1. If I’d hate updates so much then I’d rather go back to Windows 7. At least, in this case security holes would fixed.

  3. Is deactivating of “Windows Update” as a service not enough? Do I really need a third party software in order to completely shut down ALL update tasks and services?

    1. Well, I am using the service deactivation method myself (and in Winaero Tweaker as an option for interested users). Not bothered about Task Scheduler.
      I contacted the author. He said that after he disabled all the stuff manually, his PC got updates ANY WAY and somehow the OS was able to re-able the service. So, thats why he made the app.

        1. I have not tried to remove the service. Usually, I just disable it using the “Method2” button in Winaero Tweaker.

      2. > He said that after he disabled all the stuff manually, his PC got updates ANY WAY and somehow the OS was able to re-able the service. So, thats why he made the app.

        Can confirm. I tried this method and even disabled the Orchestra Service and Intelligent Background Transfer Service which are necessary for Windows update to work and yet the system still updated itself at some point. Its outrageous that the honest user has to resort to third party apps to protect his device from unwanted updates which sometimes break his system.

  4. What’s the difference between using Windows 10 Update Disabler and disabling Windows update service manually?

    1. Got it. Read the answer above.

      Did you ask the author, what exactly does his tool do inside system?

      Message: “we couldn’t install some updates because the pc was turned off” could mean it does smth to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder to prevent updates.

      1. He said:

        I use the backward reversed method to check the signal state of the WU service. This method was originally discovered by Tihiy and he share it with me.

        The English a bit broken, but you can get the idea. Also, he doesn’t want to share more details.

    2. The author said that Windows 10 re-enabled the service for him automatically.
      With his tool, this won’t be possible any more.

  5. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!! Like so many others, I am a Windows 10 Home owner who has suffered mightily due to this problem. I find it difficult to understand how Microsoft consistently pulls this kind of arrogant bullshit. Honest to Pete, they should know better.
    Microsoft, you know who bought my computer? Me. I paid for my computer. I bought the hardware. I “bought” the software. It’s MY computer!! STOP trying to force your bull**** down my throat without my consent!
    Whew. Thank you for listening to my rant, and a huge thank you for creating this valuable tool.

  7. In the compilation of windows 10 1703 it seems that it does not work, could you please update it? it’s very necessary

  9. As of January 25 2018, this app doesn’t work.
    I was so hopeful but whatever update Microsoft is pushing on us this past week, this app has not stopped it at all.
    I have turned it on and restarted my PC several times but the update assistant and download keep showing up.

    1. Feb.14/18 : 4:50am EST
      Thank you so much for posting the date and posting your post to inform of this. I was JUST about to install that thing. I am beyond disgusted with Windows10. When I purchased this laptop which i use allllll the time, I asked my IT friend what specs I should get, and he recommended Win10Pro.. so that’s what I did.. I sooooo badly regret taking his advice. So what now? Man, I work all day every day with many files open at same time, and not saving every hour – shouldn’t I be able to work how I want to work? Often files will be works in progress, and some will be discarded – so no, I don’t WANT to save some of them, but I WANT the decision to be MINE to MAKE as to whether I save a file, and where, and etc! Wow, just wow, can’t BELIEVE the intrusiveness. If I had it MY way, I’d still be using XP.. but I guess being a multi-billionaire just wasn’t enough for Mr.Gates to allow people to stick with that one.

    2. Just like user SoooAnnoyed, i also want to thank u for posting the date. Ive long ago swith to linux for work and personal stuff. But my gaming pc still relied on windows and with every update it got shittier and shittier. I resorted to install the first version of windows 10 (1507). And then it works like a charm. But then windows start updating again (against my knowledge and consent) and my pc got shit again. Its so frustrating. The stuff Microsoft is pulling on its user should considered a crime.

  10. Seems Windows 10 has a mind of its own as the I found my system doing updates again. Looked at the services and sure enough Update Disabler was stopped and Windows Updates was enabled again.

  11. 2018-dec-08: On my Win10 Pro 1607, when I install UpdaterDisabler using

    (cmd.exe as admin) d:\…(path to UpdaterDisabler)…\UpdaterDisabler -install

    , I see that wuauserv stops and that UpdateDisabler is running. So far, so good.
    Then later, I may see that wuauserv runs for a while (tens of minutes) (with UpdateDisabler still running) and then at some point wuauserv stops without my intervention.
    Is this the expected behaviour?
    Is (tens of minutes) the time it takes for UpdateDisabler to notice that wuauserv is running, and might wuauserv be doing its evil deeds for (tens of minutes)?
    Or are we to understand that even though wuauserv runs for a while, UpdateDisabler somehow prevents wuauserv from ever pushing any updates?

  12. Neat idea, basically this program is similar to ProcessBlocker in some ways. But it’s allowing Windows Update to run for a while before killing it again.

    Very simple to disable Windows Updates::
    First go to Services and shut off Windows Update and disable it. Refresh Services to make sure it isn’t running.

    Now navigate to \windows\system32\ and find files wuaueng.dll and wuauclt.exe. If you can find the former, then look for wuauserv.dll.

    For each, go to properties, security, advanced.
    Click change owner and type in your user name, Click Check Names to select your user name and Click ok. Then Click Apply or Ok on the main window and close it and reopen it.
    Now, you can change permissions for all users.
    Delete/Remove permissions from all users and Click Ok.

    If that doesn’t work, then change owner to Administrator, close the window and try again.

    That’s it.
    To re-enable, add “Read/Execute” permissions to System on wuaueng.dll or whichever dll you have. Doesn’t need it on wuauclt.exe for some reason.

  13. Neat program, sounds similar to ProcessBlocker but your program lets Windows Update run for a while before killing it each time.

    If you want to permanently kill Windows Updates, then delete all permissions to the wuauclt.exe and wuaueng.dll files in system32. To re-enable. Bring back read/execute permissions for SYSTEM for the dll.

  14. Today the 18th July, despite having Update Disabler enabled and Winaero Tweaker disabling Windows updates, on booting up Microsoft attempted to download updates and had the usual message whilst restarting. It failed in installing and proceeded to undo changes (A message i have seen before). On checking Updates history, there was no record of the update that had failed. I did note that it had re-installed the Mixed Reality app, which I promptly removed again. What caused this please?

  15. Disabler working, but not good. I need every day restart computer for windows updates ant then restart again with message “Windows cant install updates”. This is boring.

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