What Happens If You Uninstall Windows Updates?

It’s not recommended, but sometimes you might be forced to uninstall or roll back a Windows update due to bugs, compatibility problems, or because the Windows update is corrupted.

If you installed the update recently, uninstalling it shouldn’t cause any immediate problems. However, there are several things to consider when you roll back.

1. Loss of features

Windows updates often include new features and enhancements that can improve your system’s performance and change the user experience.

Uninstalling updates will revoke these, so make sure you haven’t become reliant on them if you intended to permanently go back to an older version.

2. Security risks

Updates include important security patches that address vulnerabilities and protect your system from new and emerging threats. Uninstalling updates leaves your system exposed to these threats, which can increase the chances of malware infections, data breaches, and other security issues.

When using older versions of Windows, you must be extra vigilant when browsing the web, handling email, and allowing others access to the computer.

3. Compatibility issues

Software programs and hardware drivers update over time to remain compatible with Windows. Going back to an older version will not roll back these programs and drivers, which could cause conflicts and compatibility problems.

You may be forced to uninstall software and locate older releases or manually roll back drivers to stabilize your computer.

How do I uninstall Windows Updates?

1. Click the Start button and select Settings.
2. Select Windows Update at the top of the window.
3. Choose View update history.
4. Click Uninstall updates to view a list of all the installed updates on your system.
5. Scroll to the update you want to uninstall, right-click and select Uninstall.
6. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the uninstallation and restart your PC.

Does uninstalling updates fix system errors?

Uninstalling a Windows update will only fix system errors that are directly linked to the update, such as driver incompatibility or known bugs.

It won’t fix errors that were already there or deeper problems with the system.

If you are concerned about the stability of the operating system, you should run a Windows repair tool like Fortect. This will fix any broken registry entries and replace damaged system files with clean copies.

All you have to do is:

1. Download and Install Fortect on your computer.
2. Upon launch, accept a scan to detect Windows problems.
3. Click Start Repair to repair everything or pick and choose which section to fix.
4. Wait for the process to complete and restart your PC.

Fortect also cleans away junk files and old registry keys to ensure your computer is working at optimal performance.

Does uninstalling updates stop future updates?

No, if you uninstall one or more updates, this does not prevent Windows from automatically trying to reinstall everything that’s missing. If you are not careful, you can quickly end up back where you started.

To prevent this, you can pause updates. To do this:

1. Click the Windows button and open Settings.
2. Select Update & Security, then choose Windows Update.
3. Now, click on Advanced options and scroll down to Pause updates. Choose a date from up to a month away.

The drawback is that you must remember to re-pause whenever the date approaches to ensure updates don’t start up again.

Can you uninstall updates permanently?

There is no option in Windows to disable updates permanently. The system will always try to install the latest releases. However, there are some modifications you can make to add this option at your own risk.

1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run app.
2. Type regedit and hit enter to open the Registry Editor.
3. Use the folder tree on the left and navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
4. If there is no WindowsUpdate key, right-click on the Windows folder icon and select New Key, then name it WindowsUpdate.
5. Right-click on the WindowsUpdate key and select New, and pick DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Name this value NoAutoUpdate and press Enter.
7. Double-click on NoAutoUpdate and enter the value 1 to disable automatic updates.

Note: We do not recommend editing the Registry if you are not an experienced user. Mistakes can damage the system.

If you uninstall Windows updates, you must be prepared to lose additional features and face security risks. Updates will also try to reinstall themselves if you don’t block them in the registry.

When you get system errors following an update, it is much safer to repair Windows with a tool like Fortect than rolling back to older updates.