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Disable automatic updates

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Works with Windows 10 and 11Works with Windows Vista, XP, 7, 8, 10, 11, and Windows Server 2008 or newer.
  • Windows onlyThis script improves your privacy on Windows
  • Multiple actionsThis page belongs to a category, containing some changes with similar goal.
  • Impact: Medium

    System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: Moderate

    This action improves privacy with minimal impact when you run the recommended script.

    This action improves privacy with some impact when you run the recommended script.
  • Batch (batchfile)These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.
  • 40 scripts
  • 4 categories
  • Administrator rights requiredThis script requires privilege access to do the system changes
  • Fully reversible

    You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using this website.

    The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.

Overview​

Disabling automatic updates is often considered counterintuitive when it comes to securing your system. However, there are substantial arguments to consider this option if you're privacy-centric:

  1. Patching and Pre-Approval: Manual control over update deployment allows for pre-emptive approval of patches. This strategy is useful in environments requiring the highest level of security. For instance, military agencies frequently employ air-gapped systems that mandate careful review of each update to mitigate risks such as potential backdoors or data leaks. Similarly, financial institutions often resort to staged rollouts of updates, subjecting them to an in-depth analysis of their implications on security and privacy before broad implementation.

  2. Telemetry and Data Transmission: Automatic updates often come embedded with telemetry data collection mechanisms. Disabling these updates facilitates granular control over the data transmitted back to Microsoft servers. Thus, the decision to disable automatic updates allows you to control the timing and nature of information relayed to these servers.

  3. Peer-to-Peer Data Exposure: Windows employs a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) approach to facilitate update distribution, which can reveal your IP address and some system details to peer systems 1.

  4. Configurational integrity: Updates have the capacity to change pre-configured settings without explicit user consent. This could result in unintended alteration of your privacy settings, leaving you exposed until you realize the change.

Caution

While controlling updates enhances your privacy, it can leave your system vulnerable to unpatched exploits. Ensure that you manually review and apply updates on a regular basis. You're essentially trading off some security for a heightened level of Ensure that you manually review and apply updates on a regular basis. You're essentially trading off some security for a heightened level of privacy. privacy.

  1. Security Trade-off

    This action prioritizes privacy over certain security features. It's not recommended and should only be used by advanced users after understanding its implications.

    Increased Privacy

    Enhanced privacy through reduced data collection and tracking

    Decreased Security

    Some security features will be disabled or limited

    This script can be reversed, this action allows you to can restore the system security.

  2. Use with Caution

    This script is only recommended if you understand its implications.

    Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.

    This script can be fully reversed to restore changes if something goes wrong.

Sources
PrivacyLearn.com maintains strict sourcing standards for accuracy, integrity and up-to-date content. Our content relies on authoritative sources including vendor documentation, industry standards, and verified research. Learn more about our verification process and quality standards in our editorial standards page.

Apply Now​

Choose one of two ways to apply:

Download script​

Download and run the script directly
  • No app needed
  • Offline usage
  • Easy-to-apply
  • Free
  • Open-source

High — Advanced Privacy​

  • For advanced privacy-conscious users
  • May affect some features

Read more about High and other protection levels

Help

How to apply or restore "Disable automatic updates" using script​

  • ≈ 2 min to complete
  • Tools: Web Browser
  • Difficulty: Simple
  • ≈ 6 instructions
  1. 1

    Choose protection

    Choose one of the options with different impact levels:

    • High

      Some potentially impactful changes with moderate system impact.

    • Maximum

      Some impactful changes with high system impact.
  2. 2

    Download

    Download the script file by clicking on the   Apply protection  button above.
    Use   Undo protection button above to restore changes.
  3. 3

    Keep the file

    If warned by your browser, keep the file.
  4. 4

    Open

    Open the downloaded file.
  5. 5

    Exit

    Once it's done, press any key to exit the window.
  6. 6

    Restart

    Restart your computer for all changes to take effect.

Apply with privacy.sexy​

Guided, automated application with safety checks
  • Recommended for most users
  • Includes safety checks
  • Shows the code
  • Free
  • Open-source
  • Popular
  • Offline/Online usage
Open privacy.sexy
Help

How to apply or restore "Disable automatic updates" using privacy.sexy​

  • ≈ 3 min to complete
  • Tools: privacy.sexy
  • Difficulty: Simple
  • ≈ 4 instructions
privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily with more advanced options.
  1. 1

    Open or download

    Open or download the desktop application
  2. 2

    Choose script

    1. Search for the category name: Disable automatic updates
    2. Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.

    Applying High to limit the impact.

  3. 3

    Run

    Click on ▶️ Run button at the bottom of the page.

    This button only appears on desktop version (recommended). On browser, use 💾 Save button.

Explore This Guide​

  • 40 Privacy settings
  • 4 Main categories
    • These settings are organized into 4 main categories for easy navigation.
    • Each main category contains subcategories, helping you find specific settings you might want to adjust.
  • 4 Total categories

Choose what to protect based on your needs:

Click any option to learn more about what it does.

Each change can be applied and reversed individually.

Some settings and commands may require technical knowledge to apply correctly.

Disable Windows Update automatic driver updates

This category prevents Windows Update from automatically downloading and installing device drivers. A device driver is essential software that enables Windows to communicate with your computer's hardware components. For example: Graphics cards need drivers to display images properly • Printers need drivers to print documents • Mice and keyboards need drivers to function correctly By default, Windows downloads two types of updates for your devices automatically: Device drivers: Software that ...

Disable Windows update services

The scripts in this category offer users the ability to control Windows services related to system updates. These services manage how and when your system receives updates from Microsoft. By limiting or disabling these services, users can decide when to update their system, reducing unexpected changes. Moreover, a system with fewer running services uses fewer resources, which can improve overall performance. Disabling these update services is also a privacy measure. Some updates can change priva...

Disable Windows update scheduled tasks

This category includes scripts to disable scheduled tasks that are associated with the automatic functioning of the Windows Update service. These tasks are responsible for various background update-related activities such as checking for updates, downloading, and installing them in the background without user intervention. Disabling these tasks grants users more control over when and how updates are applied. This approach is often preferred by those wishing to manually manage updates or avoid un...

Maximize auto-update duration

This category includes scripts designed to extend the intervals between automatic updates. These scripts provide users with greater control over the timing of system updates. By adjusting the schedule of these updates, users can minimize interruptions and potential system instability associated with frequent updates.

Disable Automatic Updates (AU) feature

This script disables the Automatic Updates feature on Windows. Automatic Updates downloads and installs updates without requiring explicit user permission. When enabled, it automatically checks for updates from the Windows Update website whenever you are online. By default, Automatic Updates is enabled. Disabling Automatic Updates provides users control over when and how updates are installed. This enhances privacy by minimizing automatic data transfers to Microsoft servers. However, disabling A...

Disable automatic installation of Windows updates without user consent

This script changes how your Windows computer handles automatic updates by modifying the "AUOptions" registry key. After running this script, your computer will notify you before downloading any updates. In the default setup, your Windows system is configured to download and install updates automatically without notifying you. This means that new updates could be installed on your system without your explicit approval. By forcing Windows to notify you before downloading updates, this script hand...

Disable automatic daily installation of Windows updates

This script stops Windows from automatically installing updates every day. By doing so, you gain control over when update happen on your computer. By default, Windows is set to automatically update every day. Having control over the update timing allows you to review what is being changed, thereby protecting your privacy and enhancing your system's security. Technically, what the script does is remove a specific setting in the computer's system registry, the "ScheduledInstallDay" key from `HKLM\\...

Disable scheduled automatic updates

This script turns off the automatic installation of Windows updates that are set to occur at a specific time. By doing this, you take back control over when your computer updates itself. The default behavior is to install updates at 3 AM. Windows updates can be important for system security, but automatic installation could occur at inconvenient times and may even restart your computer without prior warning. This could interrupt your tasks and may send data about your system to external servers....

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Wider Goal​

The guide below includes this guide to achieve a wider goal.

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Same Goal​

Other guides in Privacy over security 

See settings that are in the same category as this guide.

Using other actions in the same category may help you achieve your goal better.

Disable Defender
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About the Creators​

These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:

  • Avatar of undergroundwires. The creator of PrivacyLearn and privacy.sexy. Black and white portrait showing a person wearing a polka dot tie and suit jacket, reflecting the professional expertise behind the privacy protection tools.
    • Certified security professional
    • 7+ years experience securing banks
    • Open-source developer since 2005
    • EU advisor, Public Speaker, Moderator
    • Hundreds across the globe
    • Testers, reviewers, developers
    • Companies, military agencies
    • Community since 2017
About Us

Reviewed By​

This guide has undergone comprehensive auditing and peer review:

  • Expert review by undergroundwires​

    • Verified technical accuracy and editorial standards
    • Assessed system impact and user privacy risks

  • Public review by large community​

    • Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
    • Millions of end-users tested across different environments

History​

We continually monitor our guides, their impact and all other privacy options. We update our guides when new information becomes available. On every update, we publicly store who made the change, what has been changed, why the change was made and when the change was made.

Review Change History Our Change Process