How to take control of Windows 10 updates and upgrades (even if you don't own a business) Thanks to a new feature in Windows 10 version 1511, you can now postpone or pause Windows 10 upgrades and updates. You don't have to be an IT pro to use Windows Update for Business (although it helps), but you'll need a business edition of Windows 10. I've got the details here.
By Ed Bott for The Ed Bott Report | November 19, 2015 -- 12:00 GMT (04:00 PST) | Topic: Microsoft
After months of talk, Microsoft has finally delivered Windows Update for Business.
This much-needed feature, which arrived in November's Windows 10 version 1511 upgrade, allows IT pros to set update policies for an organization. Using settings not available on consumer Windows editions, they can defer and delay updates and upgrades until they've been proven safe and reliable.
With the help of Windows Update for Business (a layer of configuration options that controls the free Windows Update service), a network manager can organize Windows 10 devices into "rings." These devices use the same Windows Update infrastructure that the rest of the world uses. The difference is that each ring can delay receiving Patch Tuesday updates for up to four weeks and defer major version upgrades by up to eight months.
It's all done using new Windows Group Policy settings, which can be enforced using Active Directory to ensure that every machine on the domain is updated. The good news is that you can use those same settings on your own unmanaged PC, with no domain required.
Windows Update for Business requires a PC or device that supports Group Policy, which means you need Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. The device also needs to be configured for the Current Branch for Business. Neither option is available for PCs running Windows 10 Home, where all updates are automatic.
