How to Disable Windows 10 Automatic Updates by Group Policy

Using Group Policy Editor

 
In Windows 10, the option to disable automatic updates is invisible by default. You can tweak a setting in Group Policy Editor to make this option show up and prevent your Windows 10 computer from downloading automatic updates. To open Group Policy Editor, go to Start Menu or Cortana and search for gpedit.msc and press enter. Then follow these steps:

(Note: This option is available in the preview builds of Windows 10)
1) Click on Computer Configuration, and select Administrative Templates on the following page.

2) Now select All Settings and scroll down the list to find the entry that says Configure Automatic Updates.

3) Double click on it and select Enabled radio button from the left upper side.

4) Once you have done that, you should be able to edit the Options pane at the bottom. Click the drop bar and select the fifth option that says Allow local admin to choose setting.


Now that the option to disable automatic downloads is available again, you need to go and select it.

1) Go to Control Panel (desktop app), and select System and Security.

2) Under that, click on Windows Update, and select Change settings on the following page. You will now see the option that says Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them. Select it and now your computer will check for updates, but never download or install them without your permission.

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If you want your Windows 10 computer to not even check for updates, there's a way for that as well, though we don't recommend you do this. With that being said, this is the way:

1) Go back to Group Policy Editor as mentioned above.

2) Now select All Settings and scroll down the list to find the entry that says Configure Automatic Updates.

3) Double click on it and select Disabled.


That's it, now your computer will not even check to see what Windows 10 updates are available.