STOP & CONTROL WINDOWS UPDATES

Finally – YOU decide when they run (not Microsoft)

Microsoft is planning to let people postpone Windows 10 Home updates, delighting users who regularly have problems with them.

A leaked preview version of the Windows 10 Creators Update, which is expected to arrive in April, lets users ‘pause’ updates for up to 35 days. This means you can prevent automatic updates from installing at inconvenient times, such as while you’re using Skype or editing a video.

The option applies only to updates that add new tools and replace old drivers, not those that fix security flaws.

To reach the option in the leaked version, users need to click Settings, ‘Update & Security’, then select ‘Windows Update’, ‘Advanced Options’. A ‘Pause Updates’ slider can be found at the bottom of the page that appears (see screenshot).

It’s not clear what happens after 35 days. To postpone the update a second time, users may need to return to the slider and switch it back on. However, Microsoft may force you to accept the update at this point.

This feature will be widely welcomed, but it falls significantly short of the four-month delay Windows 10 Pro users can select.

Update confusion

Since they were introduced last year, automatic Windows 10 updates have caused confusion and problems. Microsoft had hoped users would appreciate not having to install updates manually, but instead many have complained about having less control over their computers. The ability to delay updates also gives users time to wait for problems to be fixed.

The leaked Creators Update preview also revealed several other new features, including Start menu folders for files, programs and desktop apps. You can add items

to a Start menu folder by dragging and dropping.

There is also a slider to reduce your screen’s blue light, which can disrupt sleep. A button in the preview’s Action Center provides access to this option.