On Windows 10, you can delay or block the installation of software updates: here's how
Microsoft periodically sends Windows 10 updates to its users. The purpose is to keep the operating system running and eliminate any bugs. In some cases, the updates cause problems and slowdowns to the system, so users prefer to postpone them with the hope that they will be improved.
In other cases, the updates arrive when you are in the middle of a job and, even in this case, you have to postpone them for a few hours or a few days. Fortunately, Microsoft lets you pause the updates and install them at another time. To do this you have to go to Settings, where you can schedule the installation by choosing the date or time, even according to the times you use the computer. Alternatively, you can change the restart options, an operation that can create problems since it requires you to suspend the use of the computer for an indefinite time.
How to pause Windows 10 updates
The first step to prevent updates from taking over the system at any moment is to set any pause requests through Settings.
First you have to click on the Start button and then on the gear icon that allows you to access the computer's Settings. From this interface we can access different sections of the computer, we are interested in "Update and Security". Any pending updates will be listed at the top of the screen. To postpone them, just scroll down and click on the "Pause updates for 7 days" button. To further delay the updates, simply access the section just before the deadline and click the button again. If you want to update Windows 10 right away, just click on "Resume updates".
In the Settings you can also choose a computer usage time, within which Windows will avoid performing updates, for example from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. During these hours the system will not stop working with any updates, but will automatically postpone them until the following hours.
How to adjust the system restart time
To take advantage of the updates you need to restart your computer. However, the user is not always willing to do this immediately and thus pause the use of the pc for several minutes, and sometimes hours. Fortunately, you can also take action to better manage the computer restart. First of all, you have to figure out if it is necessary, that is, if there is an update available. This will be seen at the bottom of the screen or by going to "Check for Updates" at the top of the Windows Update menu.
If there is an update available you can click on "Restart now" to install it and restart the computer immediately. Alternatively, you can select the "Schedule restart" option to complete the update installation later. In this case, the system will let you choose the date and time of the restart.
Accessing Advanced Settings you can then enable additional options to keep an eye on the release of updates. For example, you can receive a notification when your computer requires a reboot that will make an update active. These are some of the useful solutions for managing Windows 10 updates using the Settings commands.