How to Change Windows 7 Automatic Update Settings

In the wake of the botched up Windows 7 updates (KB3004394) and learning from the previous similar updates released by Microsoft, it is only but a cautious step to change the settings of the Windows 7 Automatic Updates so as to disable automatic installation of the updates but allow the users to choose which updates they want to install. This way, you can wait for a few days to see if the latest updates are working fine or not on other people’s computers and only then install all the updates.

Here is how you can change the Windows 7 Automatic Update settings to allow you choosing of the updates that you want to install:

  1. Click on the Start Menu near the bottom-left corner and select Control Panel from the menu.
  2. In the Control Panel, choose the section System and Security and then Windows Update.Windows 7 Update Settings
  3. On the Windows Update screen you will see the current status of your Automatic Update settings. Click on Change Settings shown on the left side panel.Windows 7 Update Settings
  4. On the settings screen, select Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them from the drop-down list box.Windows 7 Update Settings
  5. Click on the OK button to save the settings.

From now on, Windows will not automatically download and install the available updates but it would ask you whether you want to download or install them. You can open the Windows Update screen once again in the Control Panel to choose the updates that you want to install.

Conclusion: Sometimes, some rare updates can have some undesirable effects on your Windows PC. You can customize Windows 7 Automatic Updates settings to allow you to have some time to see if any of the newer updates makes to the bad updates list and take a decision accordingly.