How do I disable Automatic Update for Windows Update

Anonymous
2013-10-18T00:55:44+00:00

I just bought a Surface RT, and updated to 8.1. My PC says it's set to automatically update, and it's not providing me with any obvious way to disable automatic updates.

Automatic updates for a computer's operating system have proven irritating and problematic for me in the past, and I would like to avoid that headache if at all possible.

Please for the love of God tell me I can disable automatic updates.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2013-12-31T02:24:55+00:00

I have been reading a lot of posts on here...

Basically, Microsoft support will only post what there told to post.

This is how you turn Auto Updates on or off on Windows RT.

  1. Hit the Windows button.
  2. Type view local services and click it.
  3. Find Windows update and right click Startup Type.
  4. Go to Properties, you'll see Startup type again.

5. Click disable and apply.

Turn it on in the same way.

" I will bust my RT back to 8 "

The truth is out there....

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-04-22T13:10:29+00:00

    This sometimes works for me, but even after turning it off,  it will turn itself back on! And this doesn't help if the device is already giving you a 15-minute restart warning. It will go ahead and restart anyway. As a student,  this is the absolute WORST feature of Windows. Without fail, this will happen at the worst possible moment when trying to download or turn in something important!

    Any idea how to turn it off at that point???

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-02-27T12:46:28+00:00

    I also recently purchased a Windows RT tablet. Please add an option to windows RT 8.1 so that you can turn on and off or postpone automatic updating at least when using a lte connection.  The automatic updates are using up precious data on my data plan. Its getting too costly to keep the tablet. I don't have a WiFi connection at home so can't leave my data connection on. Minimally, a warning that updating has begun so that I have s chance to turn off the lte connection before much data gets used. Or how about updating only on wifi? What a pain!!!!

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-02-23T22:14:12+00:00
    1. Hit the Windows button.
    2. Type view local services and click it.
    3. Find Windows update and right click Startup Type.
    4. Go to Properties, you'll see Startup type again.

    5. Click disable and apply.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-11-06T22:04:20+00:00

    Reposting...

    Method 1 in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2500967 is good for Win8 & Win8.1, and possibly good for your Surface computer.

    By default, Surface hardware (also known as firmware) updates and Windows Updates install automatically as they become available.

    If yours is a Surface Pro, Surface Pro 2 or Surface Pro 3 computer, you can change your Automatic Updates settings such that no updates are downloaded or installed without your approval. See http://www.microsoft.com/surface/en-us/support/performance-and-maintenance/install-software-updates-for-surface#Change  

    You will find support for Surface updates in this forum: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfupdate

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