After two months of issues and bugs, Microsoft has now made Windows 10 October 2018 Update available to everyone who is interested in the latest Windows 10 version. Hitting on the “check for updates” button in Windows Update will begin the installation process. In the coming days, the company will begin the automatic installation process.
Considering there are still a few issues to be ironed out, it is highly recommended to avoid the installation process for a few more weeks. If you want to block Windows 10 1809 and avoid the latest update from surprising you with new features and new bugs, there are a few ways to block Windows 10 1809 on your machines – at least to some extent.
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How to block Windows 10 1809 temporarily on Home and Pro/Enterprise machines
Bringing the excitement back to the Windows world, Microsoft took a major decision back in 2015 and completely overhauled how and when it delivered new updates to its desktop operating system. Introducing the world to the Windows as a Service (WaaS) system, the Redmond software giant continues to improve how it delivers frequent updates to keep Windows devices secure.
However, this frequent onslaught of both the feature and the security updates has resulted in many users hating this new system. While we highly recommend everyone to install security updates as soon as they are released, it has to be admitted that the feature updates do bring their fair share of compatibility issues with them. If you aren’t up for going through the installation process and the subsequent compatibility issues, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to delay the installation process.
Dreading the imminent installation of Windows 10 October 2018 Update on your devices and don’t feel too excited about it? You can easily delay Windows 10 1809 for a few days and wait for it to get more stable.
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1. How to postpone Windows 10 October 2018 Update (Home)
Here’s how you can delay Windows 10 October 2018 Update while still getting security updates to make sure you aren’t putting your machine at risk.
- Open Settings Update security Windows Update.
- Click on Change active hours to avoid surprise restarts during your work hours.
Change active hours helps you delay the update for just a few hours to make sure the installation process doesn’t start while you are at work. You can also delay the update for up to 6 days by clicking on “Schedule the restart” after version 1809 has finished downloading but hasn’t yet been installed. This button allows you to delay the restart and installation process for up to 6 days.
2. How to delay Windows 10 October 2018 Update for a little longer (Home)
Opting for a metered connection helps in deferring new updates for until you are ready. BUT, this strategy also poses you to security threats as you won’t receive Patch Tuesday cumulative updates. If you are comfortable with manually installing cumulative updates every Patch Tuesday, then you can use this option to block Windows 10 October 2018 Update for a longer time. (Microsoft says it will still download critical updates while you are on a metered connection.)
Here’s how to set your Wi-Fi network as a metered connection:
- Open Settings Network internet Wi-Fi.
- Change your Wi-Fi connection as a metered connection: click on the network you use to connect to the internet and toggle on Set as metered connection in the next screen.
Do note the severity of this option as most of the security updates will stay blocked. While Microsoft will continue installing priority updates, most of the cumulative updates will remain blocked. You will need to install cumulative updates manually until you toggle off the metered connection. Every time Microsoft sends a security patch, you will need to manually download and install it from Microsoft Update website.
When you are ready to upgrade to Windows 10 October 2018 Update, you can simply go through the same steps to toggle off metered connection; until then the update will remain blocked.
3. Use the Pro or Enterprise version and want to block Windows 10 1809? Easy.
Unlike the mere mortals who use Windows 10 Home, those who use Windows 10 Pro, Education and Windows 10 Enterprise do get the ability to postpone updates without going through any workarounds or risking the security of their machines. Things are fairly easy for you as you can delay Windows 10 1809 for up to 365 days and that too “legitimately.”
- Go to Settings Update security.
- Under Update settings, click on Advanced options.
- In here, you can simply choose to defer updates for as many as 365 days OR choose to delay the process until a certain update is more stable. For the latter, under “Choose when updates are installed” select “Semi-Annual Channel.”
The first option lets you defer a feature upgrade for up to 365 days and the second one for up to a year after it’s made available for corporate consumers, which usually happens four months after the public release.
You can always go back to these settings to get the Windows 10 October 2018 Update earlier than you have selected. Microsoft has been trying to resolve all the bugs affecting the latest version. Let’s hope the Redmond software maker manages to iron out these annoying troubles before the end of this year. We will update this space with new information as we continue to monitor the adoption rate and user feedback to see how the OS performs on different devices.
