How To 

How to delay the Windows 10 Anniversary Update on your PC

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Windows 10 does like to have its wicked way with your computer, often without consent but you can take control of many aspects of Windows life. One of the things you can do is delay the Windows 10 Anniversary Update on your PC. While the process is automatic, you can interrupt it and hold off for a while.

There are many reasons why you might want to delay the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. A number of bugs have been found with it and it has brought problems to many user’s computers. Despite the millions of successful installs, it’s always the failures that grab the headlines. Whatever the reasons for wanting to delay, here is how to do it.

Delay the Windows 10 Anniversary Update on a Windows 10 Pro PC
It is surprisingly simple to delay the Windows 10 Anniversary Update if you run Windows 10 Pro.

1. Navigate to Settings, Update & security, Windows Update.
2. Click the ‘Advanced options’ text link.
3. Check the ‘Defer upgrades’ box.

That is all there is to it. You will still receive critical fixes, security updates and maintenance fixes but the Windows 10 Anniversary Update and any subsequent large updates will be deferred until you uncheck the box.

Delay the Windows 10 Anniversary Update on a Windows 10 Home PC
Things aren’t quite so straightforward if you use Windows 10 Home, but anything is possible with the correct application of creativity. Unfortunately, this trick only works for laptop or pure Wi-Fi users. If you use Ethernet, there is no practical way of setting it as metered without impacting performance.

1. Navigate to Settings, Network & internet and Wi-Fi.
2. Select the ‘Advanced options’ text link.
3. Select ‘Set as metered connection’.

Windows doesn’t download large updates over metered connections in case it uses up your data allowance.

More helpful Windows 10 tricks can be found here:
How to clear and reset the Windows Store cache in Windows 10
How to turn fast startup on or off in Windows 10
How to enable or disable the Action Center in Windows 10