How do I opt out of Microsoft updates?
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Windows 11 updates, which Microsoft sends to your system regularly, are meant to keep your operating system current. They are, for the most part, a good thing. But as long-time Windows users know, occasionally, an update can go wrong, and so some prefer to postpone updates for a week or two to make sure that there aren’t any problems being delivered with the update. In addition, sometimes updates come at an inconvenient time — for example, when you’re in the middle of a project with a tight deadline. Show You can’t stop updates altogether, but you can pause them. There is also a way to disable updates, but it, too, is not permanent. If you want to hold off in case of any potential glitches or would rather put them off as long as possible, here is how to adjust your settings. Pause updates
Adjust restart timesWindows will usually need to restart to finish installing updates — and since an update can take your computer out of service for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, you may want to adjust the restart times for when it’s most convenient.
Disable updatesIf you want to stop updates from happening for longer than that, there is a way to disable updates that worked — somewhat — with Windows 10 and should also work with Windows 11. However, even using Windows 10, this was not permanent; most sites reported that eventually (especially with a reboot), updates did resume. This may give you some breathing space, however.
If you change your mind, you can follow these steps to re-enable it. You may note that you can choose Manual or Automatic. (Most Windows PCs come set to Manual, which simply means that the update is triggered by an event and doesn’t happen automatically when you reboot.) On October 20, Microsoft began its controlled rollout of the Windows 10 October 2020 Update (version 20H2) to millions of compatible devices, which means that the company is gearing up to start delivering previews for the next release, as such it's now a good time to pull your device from the Windows Insider Program. The Windows Insider Program aims to provide developers and enthusiasts early access to get their hands on upcoming features and improvements of Windows 10. However, during the early days of a new development, previews are rough and may contain bugs, incomplete features, and problems that might affect the experience. Since there's not an easy way to get out of the program once new builds start shipping, when a new feature update becomes available, there's a short period where you can gracefully opt-out of the program without having to reinstall Windows 10. If you have a device enrolled in the program and want to take a break from preview builds, the time to opt-out is now. (You can also check out our full Windows 10 October 2020 Update review for details on this release.) In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to gracefully opt-out your computer from the Windows Insider Program without reinstallation. In the case that you've already applied a newer preview, we'll also outline the steps to revert to the stable release preserving your settings, apps, and files.
How to stop Insider builds before new Windows 10 development cycle startsTo gracefully opt-out of the Windows Insider Program before Microsoft starts releasing builds for the next version of Windows 10, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the computer will install the final version of Windows 10 (in this case version 20H2) and then it'll gracefully opt-out of the program. After the device is out of the program, it'll continue to receive security and non-security updates for the lifecycle of the feature update. When you're ready to start testing previews for the next feature update of Windows 10, you can re-enable the program using the same instructions, but on step No. 4, make sure to turn off the toggle switch. How to stop Insider builds after new Windows 10 development cycle startsIf you did not opt-out in time and your device already installed a new preview for the next version of Windows 10, you can still remove the device from the program, but the steps will be slightly different. Rollback to the previous versionTo uninstall a preview and rollback to the October 2020 Update, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, the computer will revert to the stable version of Windows 10, use the steps below to disable the Windows Insider Program settings to stop getting builds. Rolling back to a previous version preserves your settings, apps, and files. However, the settings configured after the installation of the last preview build will also be lost. Opt-out Windows Insider ProgramTo remove a device from the Windows Insider Program after rolling back to the Windows 10 October 2020 Update, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, Windows 10 will no longer try to download test flights on your device. In the case that it has been too long, and you don't see the option to rollback, you can still opt-out of the program, but you'll need to perform a clean installation of Windows 10. While it's possible to use the instructions outlined above to stop getting builds after a new feature update releases, you can only use these steps as long as the backup files from the previous installation are still available on your device. Since the system automatically deletes these files after ten days, it means that you won't be able to use these steps after that period. Get the best of Windows Central in in your inbox, every day! Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an IT background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP community. |
