How to Delete Windows 10 Updates: A Comprehensive Guide with Detailed Steps

Windows 10 updates are essential for maintaining system security, stability, and performance. However, sometimes these updates can cause issues, like driver conflicts, software incompatibility, or even introduce bugs. In such cases, rolling back or deleting a problematic update can be a necessary troubleshooting step. This comprehensive guide provides you with multiple detailed methods to delete Windows 10 updates, ensuring you can regain control of your system’s stability.

Understanding Windows 10 Updates

Before we dive into the deletion process, it’s crucial to understand how Windows 10 updates work. Microsoft releases various types of updates, including:

• Feature Updates: These are major upgrades that introduce new features and functionalities (e.g., moving from version 20H2 to 21H1).
• Quality Updates: These are smaller updates that include bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements.
• Driver Updates: These updates ensure your hardware components work correctly with the operating system.

While automatic updates are beneficial for most users, they aren’t always seamless. A problematic update might lead to a variety of issues, making it essential to know how to remove it. It’s important to remember that uninstalling updates should be done as a last resort after other potential solutions have been exhausted.

Methods to Delete Windows 10 Updates

There are several methods to remove Windows 10 updates. We’ll explore each one in detail, providing step-by-step instructions.

Method 1: Uninstalling Updates Through the Settings App

The simplest and most common way to remove an update is through the Settings app. This method allows you to uninstall recently installed quality updates and sometimes even feature updates (within a limited rollback window).

Steps:

1. Open the Settings App: Click on the Start button, then click on the gear icon to open the Settings app. Alternatively, you can press the Windows key + I.
2. Navigate to Update & Security: In the Settings window, click on “Update & Security”.
3. Go to Windows Update: In the left-hand menu, select “Windows Update”.
4. View Update History: Click on “View update history”.
5. Uninstall Updates: Click on the “Uninstall updates” link at the top of the window. This will open the “Installed Updates” control panel window.
6. Select the Update to Uninstall: Locate the update you want to remove. It is usually sorted by the installation date. Look for KB numbers that represent the specific updates. Click on the update to select it.
7. Click Uninstall: Once the update is selected, click the “Uninstall” button at the top of the list.
8. Confirm the Uninstall: A confirmation dialog will appear, prompting you to confirm that you want to uninstall the selected update. Click “Yes” or “Uninstall”.
9. Restart Your Computer: After the uninstall process is complete, you will likely be prompted to restart your computer. Click “Restart Now” or “Restart Later”. It is recommended to restart immediately for the changes to take effect completely.

Important Considerations:

• This method primarily works for quality updates. Uninstalling feature updates is possible within a short window (typically 10 days) after installation, but after that period, you’ll need to use other methods like system restore if you didn’t create a system image previously.
• Uninstalling updates can sometimes cause compatibility issues. Always make sure you have backups of your important files before uninstalling any updates.

Method 2: Using Command Prompt to Uninstall Updates

The Command Prompt provides a more advanced method for uninstalling updates using command-line tools. This is particularly useful if the Settings app fails to remove the update or if you prefer command-line interfaces.

Steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Press the Windows key, type “cmd”, right-click on “Command Prompt” in the search results, and select “Run as administrator”.
2. List Installed Updates: In the Command Prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:
   wmic qfe list brief /format:table
   This command will display a list of installed updates, including their Hotfix ID (KB number).
3. Identify the Update to Uninstall: Locate the KB number of the update you want to remove from the displayed list. For example, it might look like “KB5001234”.
4. Uninstall the Update: Type the following command, replacing “KBNumber” with the actual KB number of the update, and press Enter:
   wusa /uninstall /kb:KBNumber
   For instance, if you wanted to uninstall KB5001234, you’d type: wusa /uninstall /kb:5001234
5. Confirm the Uninstall: A window will appear prompting you to confirm the uninstallation. Click “Yes”.
6. Restart Your Computer: After the uninstallation process is complete, you may be prompted to restart. It is recommended to restart immediately for the changes to take effect completely.

Important Considerations:

• This method requires you to know the specific KB number of the update you wish to remove.
• Always double-check the KB number to avoid uninstalling the wrong update.

Method 3: Using System Restore to Revert to a Previous State

System Restore is a built-in Windows feature that allows you to revert your computer’s system files and settings to a previous point in time. This can be helpful if a recent update caused severe issues and you didn’t know which specific update was the culprit.

Note: System Restore will not affect your personal documents or files. However, it can remove software programs installed after the selected restore point.

Steps:

1. Open System Restore: Press the Windows key, type “system restore”, and click on “Create a restore point” in the search results.
2. Open System Protection Tab: In the System Properties window that opens, make sure the “System Protection” tab is selected.
3. Click on System Restore: Click on the “System Restore…” button.
4. Choose a Restore Point: The System Restore window will open. Click on the “Next” button. You will see a list of available restore points. Select a restore point that was created before the problematic update was installed. If you don’t see any, make sure to check the “Show more restore points” checkbox on the bottom left.
5. Scan for Affected Programs (Optional): Click the “Scan for affected programs” button. This will give you an idea of which programs and drivers might be affected by the restore process. This step is optional but recommended.
6. Confirm the Restore Point: Click “Next”. A confirmation screen will show the selected restore point and a summary of what will happen. Confirm you are ready to proceed and click “Finish”.
7. Confirm the Restore and Wait: Click “Yes” in the confirmation dialog that appears. System Restore will begin the restore process. This might take a while, so be patient and do not interrupt the process.
8. Restart Your Computer: Once the restore is complete, your computer will restart automatically. After the computer has restarted, it will be restored to the state it was in at the chosen restore point. Log back in.

Important Considerations:

• System Restore relies on restore points being created previously. If you don’t have restore points enabled, this method won’t work.
• System Restore can undo program installations that were made after the selected restore point. Be sure to note which software you might have to re-install after the restore is complete.
• If you haven’t enabled System Restore, you should strongly consider enabling it now to be prepared for future issues. You can enable it in the “System Protection” tab in the same window where you start the system restore process. You will have to select your drive and click on configure then turn on system protection.

Method 4: Using the Recovery Environment for Major Issues

If your computer is experiencing severe issues that prevent it from booting normally after an update, you may need to use the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). This environment provides a set of tools to diagnose and fix startup problems, including the ability to perform a system restore or even uninstall feature updates.

Steps to Access WinRE:

There are several ways to get into the Windows Recovery Environment. If your computer can still somewhat boot then:

• Restart with Shift Key: Click on the Start button, then the power icon. Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard while clicking on Restart. This will boot into WinRE.

If your computer has failed to boot to windows then:

• Automatic Repair Trigger: If windows fails to start more than once it will automatically boot into WinRE.
• Forced Shutdown: If all else fails and you can’t get into WinRE any other way, while your computer is booting, force it to shut down by holding down the power button for about 5 seconds. Do this twice and on the third boot it will load WinRE.

Steps to Remove Updates in WinRE:

1. Access Troubleshooting Options: Once WinRE is loaded, you will see a blue screen with several options. Click on “Troubleshoot”.
2. Go to Advanced Options: In the Troubleshoot menu, click on “Advanced options”.
3. System Restore in WinRE: If you have a recent restore point to use then choose “System Restore” and follow the method previously described.
4. Uninstall Updates in WinRE: To directly remove updates, in the Advanced Options menu choose “Uninstall updates”.
5. Choose Update Type: You will be presented with two options “Uninstall latest quality update” and “Uninstall latest feature update”. Choose the one that you want to uninstall. Follow the prompts and allow the process to complete.
6. Restart Your Computer: After the update has been uninstalled, click on “Continue” and allow it to restart your computer.

Important Considerations:

• Using the recovery environment is typically necessary when you cannot boot normally into Windows.
• Be sure to back up any important data before performing any recovery operations in WinRE.

Method 5: Using Third-Party Uninstallers (Use with Caution)

There are third-party tools that claim to remove Windows updates more effectively than built-in methods. However, using third-party tools should be approached with caution, as some of them might be unreliable or even contain malware. If you choose to use such tools, make sure to download them from trusted sources and check user reviews.

Steps:

1. Research and Select a Tool: Look for reputable third-party uninstallers specifically designed for Windows updates. Download and install it from the official source.
2. Scan for Updates: After installing the tool, run it and have it scan for installed updates.
3. Select the Update to Remove: Select the update you want to remove from the list.
4. Uninstall the Update: Start the uninstall process and wait for it to complete.
5. Restart Your Computer: Restart your computer as prompted.

Important Considerations:

• Always exercise caution when using third-party tools.
• Make sure the tool is from a trusted source and has good reviews.
• Avoid downloading tools from untrusted websites, as they could be malicious.

Preventing Problematic Updates

While deleting updates can be a solution, it’s better to prevent issues from happening in the first place. Here are some tips for managing Windows updates:

• Delay Updates: In the Settings app (Update & Security > Windows Update), you can choose to delay updates for a specified period. This will allow the updates to be tested by others before being applied to your computer.
• Pause Updates: You can also temporarily pause updates to prevent them from installing automatically. This can be useful to avoid installing them before you have the time to research them and make sure they are not problematic.
• Configure Active Hours: In the settings menu you can configure active hours. This will prevent your computer from installing updates while you are typically using it and will instead install updates when you are less likely to need the computer.
• Monitor Update History: Regularly check your update history to see which updates have been installed.
• Backup Regularly: Back up your important data regularly so you can recover if an update causes serious issues. Consider creating system images for quick restoration.
• Research Updates: Before installing updates, you can search the KB number online to see if there are any known issues with the update.
• Update Drivers Manually: Download driver updates from the manufacturer’s website rather than rely on automatic updates if you suspect driver issues.

Conclusion

Deleting Windows 10 updates should be a last resort after other troubleshooting methods have been exhausted. By understanding the various ways to uninstall updates—through the Settings app, Command Prompt, System Restore, WinRE, or third-party tools—you can address issues caused by problematic updates. Always proceed with caution and remember to back up your data before making any significant changes to your system. By following the advice in this article, you will be able to manage Windows updates more efficiently and regain control of your computer. Remember, staying proactive in maintaining your system can help prevent issues in the long run. Keeping backups of your system and regularly checking for updates while researching them, will greatly reduce the chances of any future updates causing an issue with your computer.