How do I stop Windows 10 from automatically downloading apps?

A newly installed Windows 10 [since ver 1511] has some non-installed, promoted apps pinned to Start Menu, and as soon as you connect to internet Windows starts downloading and installing them [from Windows Store]. This procedure runs every time a new user is created and I have to uninstall them one by one. So is there a way to stop this?

I also installed some apps manually from Windows Store, and I enjoy Windows' auto-update feature. So it would be better if this feature can be preserved while disabling auto-installation.

asked Jun 20, 2017 at 12:01

iBugiBug

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7

A Google Search gives quite a lot of solutions. Here are some of them. Categorized.

Settings Changes

• Metro Settings App

  • Navigate to Personalization > Start
  • Turn off Occasionally show suggestions in Start

    This method has limited functionality - it doesn't stop the apps who already have a tile on the start screen from downloading, but only stop new promotional tiles from appearing.

• Windows Store App

  • Click your avatar on top right, to the left of the search box. In the drop-down menu, click Settings
  • Find Update apps automatically, turn that off

    This will disable auto-update for installed apps!

Group Policy Changes

Note: Local Group Policy Editor is not available in Windows 10 Home Edition and Windows 10 S. The following methods are available only in Windows 10 Professional, Enterprise and Education editions.

Note: This will disable auto-update for installed apps!

1. Open Local Group Policy Editor by pressing Win+R and typing gpedit.msc in the dialog, then hit "OK"

2. In the left pane, navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Store

3. In the right pane of Store in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates policy to edit it.

4. Click on Not configured. In the drop-down menu, select Always

Registry Tweaks

Note: Applying only one tweak is enough. You can, however, apply multiple tweaks at the same time, unnecessarily.

1. Open Registry Editor by pressing Win+R and typing regedit.exe in the dialog, then hit "OK"

2. Select an option from below. Navigate to the key and add/change the value

   • Key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent
     If this key does not exist, create it.
     Create a new DWORD value named DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures and set to 1

     This will also disable Windows Spotlight setting for lockscreen!

   • Key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ContentDeliveryManager
     Find the value SilentInstalledAppsEnabled and set to 0
     This is the recommended solution. However you need to do this once for each user.
     

   • Key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore
     Find the value AutoDownload and set to 2

     This will disable auto-update for installed apps!

answered Jun 20, 2017 at 13:02

iBugiBug

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Help! Windows 10 keeps installing strange apps, can’t stop it!

"Do you guys know how to stop newly updated Windows 10 from installing new app updates? Quite a lot space in my PC has been taken by these app updates. And it even installed some unwanted apps. If you have method to solve this problem, please help me. Thanks very much."

"My computer keeps download and installing new app updates without asking me for permission. I don’t really want to install those strange apps such as Candy Crush. Do you know how to stop it? Please help me."

Windows system will automatically download and install driver updates and app updates after updating Windows system into new version so to avoid compatible issue. And it’s quite normal for Windows 10 to install new app updates after the Windows 10 anniversary update. However, unwanted apps may also be installed in your PC. Here in the following passages, you’ll find effective method to stop Windows 10 installing unwanted apps without losing any data.

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Step 1. Turn off automatic app updates in Windows 10

• Open Store > Click user icon at the top of the screen;
• Click Settings and turn off Update apps automatically in App updates section.

Step 2. Block Candy Crush or other unwanted app in Windows 10

Here you have two access to block app update from Registry tweak or block unwanted apps in Windows 10 update. You can either choose one method to block apps in Windows 10 now.

#1. Block app updates from Registry tweak

Press Windows + R, type: regedit and hit Enter;
Registry Editor file will show up in C:\Windows directory and you can navigate to the folder and run regedit.exe directly;
Then open Registry Editor and go to: 
 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsStore

Create a new 32-bit DWORD value named AutoDownload and set it to 2 to disable app auto-update;
After this, restart Windows 10.

#2. Block unwanted apps including Candy Crush from Windows 10 update

• Press Win + R and open Run dialog;
• Type: secpol.msc and hit Enter;
• Local Security Policy app will appear and select Application Control Policies in the letf, then click Applocker;
• Click Packaged app Rules, right click the right pane and select Create new rule;
• Click Next when the Create new rule wizard shows up;
• On the Permissions page, set Action to Deny, leave User or Group as Everyone;
• Click Next, click Use an installed packaged app as reference > Select;
• Select Windows Spotlight[Microsoft.Windows.ContentDeliveryManager] and click OK in the app list;
• Move the slider to the Package Name option as shown below, then click Create.

After these steps, your PC won’t install automatic updates or apps without permission anymore. If you want to install new updates or apps, you’ll need to manually download and install in your PC. What about those already existed apps? You can removed them! How? Follow Step 3 to do it now.

Step 3. Clean-up junk files including unwanted apps from Windows 10

Those unwanted apps which have already been downloaded and installed in PC won’t be removed by blocking Windows 10 from installing app updates. Therefore, you may have one more step to clean up and remove unwanted apps on PC.

EaseUS CleanGenius will make it simple and easy for you to clean up all junk files including unwanted files by simple clicks:

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