Stop Windows 10 from automatically downloading (promoted) apps

Question

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.

Answer 1

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!

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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

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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!