Block automatic updates on PC
Windows 10
You want to understand how block PC updates and use Windows 10? If so, if what you run on your PC is Windows 10 1903 (May 2019 Update) or a later version of the Microsoft operating system, click on the button Home (the flag icon located in the lower left corner of the screen), then select the icon of thegear present in the menu that opens and, in the window that is shown to you later, press the icon Update and security.
At this point, click on your button Suspend updates for 7 days and Windows Updates will be disabled for 7 days. You can repeat the operation up to 5 times, pausing Windows Update for 35 days.
Alternatively, by clicking on the item Advanced options and selecting a date from the drop-down menu Select date, you can choose the exact date until which to suspend Windows 10 updates (always up to 35 days). If you change your mind, you can re-enable Windows 10 updates by clicking on the button Resume updates.
If you are using a version of Windows 10 earlier than 1903, you can only disable OS updates from the menu Advanced options (as seen above) but only if you use a Pro or Enterprise edition of Windows (not on the Home edition of the same). More info here.
Windows 8 / 8.x, 7 and Vista
If you want to learn how to block automatic updates and use Windows 8 / 8.x, Vista or 7 click on the button Home attached to the taskbar, type windows Update in the search field that at this point is shown to you and presses on the first result you see.
In the window that will open at this point, click on the item Change settings located in the left sidebar and then expand the drop-down menu located in the center of the screen and select the item Never check for updates (not recommended) in such a way as to completely block the Windows update functionality.
Alternatively, you can intervene in a less "drastic" way by clicking on the option Check for updates but allow you to choose whether to download and install them in such a way as to allow the operating system to check the availability of updates, however informing the user if there are updates to be downloaded without taking and installing them automatically.
In addition to blocking Windows automatic, it is possible to interrupt the automatic download procedure of updates for other Microsoft products simply by removing the check mark from the item Download updates for other Microsoft products during the Windows update. To prevent driver updates and other updates not essential for system security from being carried out automatically, just remove the check mark next to the item Download recommended updates in the same way as important updates.
In all cases, once you have selected the desired options, save the changes by pressing the button OK.
If you then have to think again, you can always and in any case retrace your steps and enable automatic updates again. To do this, access the section again Change Windows Update settings, scegli l'opzione Install updates automatically (recommended) from the menu attached to the section Important updates and put a check mark next to all the other items attached to the window. To confirm the changes made, press the button OK.
Windows XP
Although new versions of the Microsoft operating system have been made available on the market, Windows XP is still installed on your computer and would you therefore like to understand how to proceed in order to block automatic updates? Well, I'm sorry to tell you but if I wasn't already aware of it we are talking about an OS now "old" that is no longer supported and for some no updates are released anymore (for more information take a look at the appropriate informative Web page attached to Microsoft's official website).
If you wish, you can still go to the appropriate system settings section and enable the appropriate update blocking function by following the instructions below but in any case no new ones will be downloaded to your PC, keep this in mind.
If you want to block automatic Windows updates and you are using Windows XP, click on the button Home and select the item Control Panel from the menu that appears. In the window that opens, first click on PC Security Center and then Automatic updates to open the Windows automatic updates configuration panel.
Then put the check mark next to the item Warn but do not download and do not install them to set the manual download and installation of Windows updates, or put the check mark next to the item Disable Automatic Updates (highly not recommended) click her cousin Apply and then OK to completely disable Windows Update.
To return to the default settings for Windows automatic updates, go back to the control panel Windows Update and check the original items.
Block automatic updates on Mac
Do you own a Mac and do you intend to block automatic updates? Yup? Well, then know that the procedure you have to put into practice to succeed in your intent is very easy and is identical for all versions of the operating system in use.
To be able to block automatic updates on macOS, log in to Launchpad by clicking on the appropriate icon attached to Dock and then press on System preference. Alternatively, log in to Spotlight by pressing the icon depicting a magnifying glass located in the upper right part of the menu bar or by pressing the combination of keys cmd + space bar, type "System preferences" in the search field displayed and then double-click on the first result you see, the one under the heading Il migliore.
In the window that will be shown to you at this point, click on the icon Software update, award-winning Advanced and remove the check mark from all the options in the next window.
If you don't see the icon Software update in System Preferences, it means that you are using an older version of macOS and therefore you have to act differently. Then click on the icon App Store and then remove the check mark next to the item Check for updates automatically. Note that removing the check mark from this option will automatically remove the check marks from the other selected options as well.
If you do not prefer to block automatic updates completely, you can intervene on the individual options available. Depending on what your needs and preferences are, you can only uncheck the items Download available updates in the background, Install app updates, Install macOS updates e Install system data files and security updates.
Keep in mind that after blocking automatic updates on macOS to be able to make any updates available manually you will need to log in to App Store, press on the card Updates located at the top on the right and then click on the button Update present next to each available update or on the button Update everything to download all available updates at the same time.
As an alternative to the procedure I have just indicated, after blocking automatic updates on OS X you can check the availability of any updates by pressing the icon in the shape of apple placed in the upper left part of the menu bar and moving the mouse cursor in correspondence with the item App Store…. If updates are available you will see a special badge appear on which to press to quickly access App Store.
How to block automatic updates