3 Ways to Stop a Running Windows 10 Update

How to stop a Windows 10 update that is in progress? How to cancel a Windows Update that has already started? Here are three simple ways to stop an ongoing Windows update.

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Automatic downloading and installing of Windows updates keep your system up-to-date, thus making your computer more secure. This is because each update contains security patches. However, many users still want to stop or pause an ongoing Windows update. The solutions provided in this article are for Windows 10 Home, Pro, and Enterprise users who are looking for answers to the following questions.

• How to Stop a Windows 10 Update in Progress
• How to Stop a Windows Update Once It's Started
• How to Uninstall an Unwanted Windows 10 Update
• How to Interrupt a Windows 10 Update While It's Installing

As you can see, people are asking the same thing but with different expressions. Anyway, if you want to stop Windows 10 from downloading updates by default, here is a simple yet effective way for your reference. But keep in mind that you expose your computer to security risks when you disable or stop Windows 10 updates. So, think twice before you block the updates.

How to Stop Windows 10 Update Process When It Causes a Blue Screen

If your computer has already started installing the update, you'll see a blue screen telling you that the update is in progress and to not turn off your device. You **should not** turn off your device while an update is in progress, as this can severely damage the Windows operating system and brick your computer. Once the update is finished, you can uninstall it or use the rollback option in Windows 10 to revert your computer back to its previous version.

1. Stop Windows 10 Automatic Maintenance to Prevent Updates

If the update has not yet started installing – even if it's downloaded – you can stop it immediately by halting Windows' “Maintenance.” Do this correctly, and you won't have to worry about the update downloading again.

Step 1: Open the Windows 10 search bar, type "Control Panel" and press the "Enter" key.

Step 2: Click on "System and Security."

Step 3: Click on the “Security and Maintenance” option.

Step 4: Click the button to the right of Maintenance to expand the settings. Here, you will click on Stop maintenance to stop the ongoing Windows 10 update.

How do I stop a Windows 10 update that is in progress?

To permanently disable Windows 10 updates and prevent Windows 10 updates from occurring in the future, you can turn off Windows Update entirely. This will also stop any current Windows updates in progress.

Step 1. Type Services in the Windows 10 search box. When the “Services” app appears in the search results, right-click it and select “Run as administrator.”

Step 2: In the Services window, you'll see a list of all the services running in the background. Scroll down until you find the "Windows Update" service. As you can see, its status is running.

Step 3: Here, right-click on "Windows Update" and select "Stop" from the context menu. Alternatively, you can click the "Stop" link under the "Windows Update" option in the top-left corner of the window.

Step 4: A small dialog box will appear, showing you the process of ending the task. Close the window when it's done.

Since the Windows 10 update you just canceled has been downloaded to your computer, it's not necessary to keep such a large package on your computer. Luckily, you can use a partition manager to delete the canceled Windows 10 update files and free up disk space.

How do I stop an ongoing Windows Update in Windows 10 Pro?

Windows 10 Pro users also have an additional way to stop a Windows 10 update in progress using the Group Policy Editor. Some users might prefer this method to stop and undo updates. Keep in mind that this solution isn't available on Windows Home.

1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the "Run" window. Type in gpedit.msc, then click "OK".

Step 2: Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update.

Step 3: Go to "Manage automatic updates." In the window that appears, select "Disable," then click "Apply" and "OK."

Conclusion: After trying all three methods correctly, you should have successfully stopped the ongoing Windows 10 update. You can reverse these steps to allow Windows 10 to update automatically again.

People are also asking

1. How do I stop a Windows update in progress?

There are three ways to stop a Windows update in progress: through Services, stopping Windows Automatic Maintenance, or, for Windows 10 Pro users, using the Group Policy Editor.

What happens if I turn off my computer during an update?

You cannot stop an in-progress update from the Blue Screen, or you risk damaging your Windows installation and leaving your system unbootable.

What should I do if my computer is stuck while updating?

If your Windows 10 update is stuck on checking for updates, you can fix it by stopping the Windows Update service, deleting all the files in the DataStore and Download folders, or by starting the Windows Update service through Command Prompt.