Windows 10 Home users may not be able to turn off Windows Update

It looks like Microsoft will offer automatic updates to Windows 10 Home users. Customers on Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 had the option to defer or select whatever updates they wanted to install manually, and that option seems to have been removed in Windows 10 as Microsoft seeks to ensure that the OS automatically installs the latest security as well as feature updates.

The EULA included with build 10240 — the one that's believed to be the RTM (release to manufacturing) version that'll come pre-installed — states:

The Software periodically checks for system and app updates, and downloads and installs them for you.

You may obtain updates only from Microsoft or authorised sources, and Microsoft may need to update your system to provide you with those updates.

By accepting this agreement, you agree to receive these types of automatic updates without any additional notice.

Windows 10 comes with several tiers of licensing: Current Branch, which includes Home users, and Current Branch for Business, to which Professional or Enterprise users belong. Automatic software updates are only applicable to Current Branch, or Home users, with Windows 10 Professional customers having the ability to defer updates for up to eight months:

Customers who are embracing Current Branch for Business do need to consume that feature update within the allotted time period of approximately eight months or they will not be able to see and consume the next security update.

That's according to Microsoft's senior product marketing manager Helen Harmetz. However, the wording states that users that don't receive feature updates will not get the security updates as well. At this stage, it looks like Enterprise users on the Long Term Service Branch are the only ones that get to defer select updates indefinitely, as that branch is updated only every two to three years.

While it looks like Microsoft's intention is to ensure that updates are delivered in a timely manner, its solution does have the potential to cause incompatibility issues with other programs.

Source: The Register; Via: Neowin