You cannot fully delete Windows updates, but you can uninstall recent ones and pause updates temporarily

Windows updates install automatically and cannot be removed from your system permanently — Microsoft designed it that way for security reasons. What you can do is uninstall individual updates that arrived in the last month or two, or pause Windows Update for up to five weeks while you decide what to do. If an update broke something on your computer, uninstalling it is often faster than troubleshooting the problem itself.

The catch is timing. Updates older than about 30 days cannot be uninstalled through the normal Windows interface, and some updates — particularly security patches — cannot be uninstalled at all because removing them would leave your computer vulnerable. If you need to remove an older update or one that is locked, you will need to use the command line or restore your computer to a point before the update arrived.

Key Takeaways

  • Recent updates can be uninstalled through Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced Options > Uninstall Updates, but only if they are less than about 30 days old.
  • You can pause Windows Update for up to five weeks through Settings > System > Windows Update > Pause Updates, giving you time to test an update before it installs.
  • Updates locked by Microsoft for security reasons cannot be uninstalled; if one broke your system, use System Restore to revert to a point before it arrived.
  • Disabling Windows Update entirely is not recommended because it leaves your computer open to known security flaws that attackers actively exploit.

How to uninstall a recent Windows update

Open Settings by pressing Windows key + I, then go to System > Recovery. Click Advanced Options, then Uninstall Updates. You will see two buttons: Uninstall the Latest Quality Update and Uninstall the Latest Feature Update. Quality updates are small patches that arrive monthly; feature updates are larger releases that arrive twice a year and add new features or major changes.

Click whichever one you want to remove. Windows will ask you to restart your computer. After the restart, the update will be gone, and your computer will revert to the state it was in before that update arrived. This process usually takes 10 to 20 minutes.

If you want to uninstall an update that is older than the most recent one, or if you want to see a list of all installed updates, use the older Control Panel method: open Control Panel, go to Programs > Programs and Features > View Installed Updates. You will see a list of every update installed on your computer. Right-click the one you want to remove and select Uninstall. Again, your computer will restart.

How to pause Windows Update temporarily

If an update is about to install and you want to test it first or delay it for a few weeks, you can pause Windows Update. Open Settings, go to System > Windows Update, and click Pause Updates. A menu will appear asking how long you want to pause — your options range from one week to five weeks.

During the pause period, Windows will not download or install updates automatically. When the pause expires, updates will resume installing on their normal schedule. This is useful if you know a particular update has caused problems for other users and you want to wait for a fix, or if you are about to do something critical on your computer and cannot afford downtime.

Do not rely on pausing as a permanent solution. After five weeks, updates will install whether you are ready or not, and you cannot extend the pause beyond that point.

When you cannot uninstall an update

Some updates are locked and cannot be uninstalled through the Settings interface. These are usually security updates that patch known vulnerabilities. Microsoft locks them because removing them would expose your computer to attacks. If one of these updates broke something on your system, uninstalling it through Settings will not work.

Your options are to use System Restore or to reinstall Windows. System Restore reverts your entire computer to a point in time before the problematic update arrived — this restores not just the update, but also any files you created or changed since that restore point. To use System Restore, open the Control Panel, search for "System Restore", and click Restore System Files. Choose a restore point from before the update arrived, and Windows will revert to that state.

If System Restore does not work or if you cannot find a suitable restore point, you can reinstall Windows entirely using a Windows installation USB or disk. This erases everything on your computer and installs a fresh copy of Windows, so it should be a last resort.

Why you should not disable Windows Update entirely

Some people try to turn off Windows Update completely to avoid unwanted updates. This is not recommended. Windows updates include security patches that fix flaws attackers actively exploit. Disabling updates leaves your computer vulnerable to ransomware, malware, and data theft.

If you have had bad experiences with updates, pausing them for a few weeks is a reasonable middle ground. You get time to test an update on your own terms, but you are not left permanently exposed. If a particular update consistently breaks your system, uninstall it and then pause updates for a week or two to see if Microsoft releases a fix.

Using the command line to uninstall older updates

If you need to uninstall an update older than 30 days, or if the Settings interface is not working, you can use the command line. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator) and type: wmic qfe list brief /format:table. This will show you a list of every update installed on your computer, with a column labeled HotFixID.

Find the update you want to remove and note its HotFixID — it will look something like KB5012345. Then type: wmic qfe where hotfixid="KB5012345" call uninstall /nointeractive, replacing KB5012345 with the actual ID. Windows will uninstall the update without asking for confirmation. Your computer may restart automatically.

This method works for updates that are older than 30 days, but it will still fail if Microsoft has locked the update for security reasons. If the command returns an error saying the update cannot be uninstalled, System Restore is your next option.

What happens after you uninstall an update

After you uninstall an update, Windows Update will try to reinstall it the next time it checks for updates — usually within a few days. If you want to prevent a specific update from reinstalling, you can hide it. Open Settings, go to System > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Update Options > See What's Optional. You will see a list of optional updates. Uncheck the ones you do not want, and Windows will skip them.

Note that this only works for optional updates. Quality and feature updates will still reinstall automatically. If you uninstall a quality update and want to keep it uninstalled, you will need to uninstall it again when it reinstalls, or use System Restore to revert before it arrives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I uninstall Windows 11 if I just updated from Windows 10?

Yes. Windows 11 is treated as a feature update, so you can uninstall it through Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced Options > Uninstall Updates. Click Uninstall the Latest Feature Update. Your computer will restart and revert to Windows 10. You have about 10 days to do this before Windows automatically deletes the old Windows 10 files to save space.

What if an update is causing my computer to crash?

Uninstall it immediately using Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced Options > Uninstall Updates. If that does not work, restart your computer in Safe Mode (restart, hold Shift, click Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, then Startup Settings), then try uninstalling again. If Safe Mode does not help, use System Restore to revert to before the update arrived.

Will uninstalling an update slow down my computer?

No. Uninstalling an update will not make your computer slower. Some updates improve performance, and removing those might make your computer slightly slower, but most updates have no noticeable effect on speed. If an update made your computer slower, uninstalling it will restore the original speed.

Can I stop Windows from updating automatically?

You can pause updates for up to five weeks, but you cannot stop them permanently without disabling Windows Update entirely — which is not recommended because it leaves your computer open to security flaws. After the pause expires, updates will resume. If you want more control, you can set your internet connection as metered, which slows down automatic updates but does not stop them.

Do I need to restart my computer after uninstalling an update?

Yes. Windows will prompt you to restart immediately after you uninstall an update. Do not ignore this prompt — the uninstall is not complete until the restart finishes. If you restart later, the update may partially reinstall or cause system errors.