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I found a rather old article from 2016 which allows you to limit your Windows 10 updates to security updates only. With the current version 21H2 this option is not available any more (not for Win10 Pro). I search around a little be on the web but except for going for 2nd week Tuesday patches I didn't find any solution. Is the option gone for good or is it still accessible?

Note: found another question (Why do I need to download a 'new' version of Windows 10?), but this didn't give me any usable info either.

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  • You can use this software to control (chose) Windows updates, works for W11 also>>>>superuser.com/questions/947706/…
    – Moab
    Commented Feb 15, 2022 at 18:26
  • This answer hasn't been applicable to a supported version of Windows 10 for almost 2.5 years now.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Feb 15, 2022 at 19:26
  • @Ramhound are you sure? Tuesday patches are still referenced by the MS website here (old) or rather here (new)
    – Albin
    Commented Feb 15, 2022 at 22:19
  • @Albin - Am I positive that my own answer is outdated. Yes; It is. However, I don’t feel it’s necessary to update an answer to a question about a 3 year old version of Windows 10. Especially when it’s not applicable. What you can pause and prevent is entirely dependent on the version of Windows 10.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Feb 15, 2022 at 23:27

1 Answer 1

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I search around a little be on the web but except for going for 2nd week Tuesday patches I didn't find any solution. Is the option gone for good or is it still accessible?

If you go into Windows 10 Updates, Advanced Options and look at that list, all that is available in the newest Windows 10 versions is to Pause Updates.

You can pause for about 30 days, at which point updates will happen any way. Pretty much the same for Windows 11 as well (done via Update Policy settings).

In either case, you cannot do just Security updates and not Feature upgrades.

You can look at Long Term Service versions to help you for a period of time, but not indefinitely.

Also if in a Corporate environment with WSUS, you can have more management capabilities. But even Corporations will update at some point (more frequently than annually). Some security updates get mashed into Cumulative updates. I have seen this before.

Some people - I have seen it at customers and I have seen it here - shoot themselves in the foot by not updating.

After 6 years with Windows 10 and nearly a year with Windows 11, I do not recommend failing to update. That causes more problems than it solves.

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  • Thanks, of course I know about the pause function, but that's not really my question. Or maybe I misunderstood you?
    – Albin
    Commented Feb 15, 2022 at 18:12
  • That is all you can do for Update settings in the newest Windows 10 systems. You cannot do just Security Updates. Feature updates will now happen.
    – anon
    Commented Feb 15, 2022 at 18:13
  • so essentially the conclusion from my question is correct, you only can go by the update weeks, to have at least a little bit of control? OK, I guess you could still go for some kind of manual update (if it's worth the time).
    – Albin
    Commented Feb 15, 2022 at 18:18
  • When updates come along, you can pause them. Companies can use WSUS. Individuals (most of us) cannot avoid updating. I see the same thing in Windows 11 as well.
    – anon
    Commented Feb 15, 2022 at 18:20
  • Updating can be avoided indefinitely as long as you use at least the Pro version. WSUS might be a available work around, I will look into that, thanks.
    – Albin
    Commented Feb 15, 2022 at 18:24

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