Windows Updates
Hide or Block
How to hide or block a problematic Windows Update in Windows 10 and Windows 11. Protect your hardware and stability from failing updates or broken drivers.
Introduction & Important Status
Sometimes a specific Windows Update, cumulative update or driver update can cause problems on a particular hardware configuration. The update may fail repeatedly, install too slowly, break a driver, overwrite a working OEM driver, cause boot problems or return an error code such as 0x80070020.
In such cases, it can be useful to temporarily hide or block the problematic update until Microsoft, the hardware vendor or the software vendor releases a corrected version.
This should be used carefully. Security updates are important. Hiding updates permanently is not a good long-term security strategy.
Important current status
The old Microsoft tool wushowhide.diagcab, also known as Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter, was created to hide or show individual Windows updates.
However, it is an older troubleshooting package based on the legacy Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool model. On newer Windows 11 systems it may not always work correctly, and Microsoft now points users toward the Windows Update troubleshooter in the Settings app or Get Help app for general update repair.
For Windows 10, the tool may still work in many cases. For Windows 11, especially newer releases, PowerShell or policy-based methods are often more reliable.
When this method makes sense
printer driver replaced by Windows Update
GPU driver overwritten by Windows Update
audio interface driver broken after update
specific KB repeatedly fails to install
specific update causes boot or stability problems
specific update breaks older hardware
temporary block until fixed update is released
When this method is not enough
If Windows Update components are damaged
If the update is already installed
If the update has been replaced by a newer cumulative update
If the problem is caused by disk errors
If the problem is caused by malware or broken system files
If Windows 10 is already out of support without ESU or LTSC support
Important note about cumulative updates
Modern Windows cumulative updates replace older cumulative updates. If you hide one old KB update, a newer cumulative update may appear later and replace it.
This means hiding a KB is usually a temporary workaround, not a permanent maintenance strategy.
Methods 1 & 2: Pause and wushowhide
Method 1: Pause Windows Update temporarily
For a quick temporary stop, use the built-in pause function.
Windows 11:
Windows Update
Pause updates
Windows 10:
Update & Security
Windows Update
Pause updates
This only delays updates. It does not permanently block one selected update.
Method 2: Use wushowhide.diagcab
The old Microsoft tool wushowhide.diagcab can hide available updates before Windows installs them.
Basic procedure:
2. Restart the computer.
3. Run wushowhide.diagcab.
4. Choose Hide updates.
5. Select the problematic update.
6. Finish the wizard.
7. Restart the computer if needed.
8. Check Windows Update again.
To show a hidden update again:
2. Choose Show hidden updates.
3. Select the update you want to unhide.
4. Finish the wizard.
5. Run Windows Update again.
Also use caution when downloading this tool. Prefer Microsoft-hosted links if available. Avoid random repacked downloads from unknown websites.
Method 3: PowerShell (PSWindowsUpdate)
Hide an update with PowerShell using PSWindowsUpdate
For newer Windows systems, especially Windows 11, the PowerShell module PSWindowsUpdate is often a practical method for listing, installing, hiding and unhiding updates.
Open PowerShell as Administrator.
Install the module:
If needed, allow the repository:
Import the module:
List available updates:
Hide a specific update by KB number:
Hide a driver update by title match:
Hide multiple KB updates:
Show hidden updates:
Unhide a specific update:
If Show-WindowsUpdate is not available in your module version, check available commands:
Always verify the update title and KB number before hiding it.
Method 4: Prevent Driver Updates
Prevent driver updates through Windows Update
If Windows Update keeps replacing a working hardware driver with a problematic driver, the better solution is often to disable driver delivery through Windows Update.
On Windows Pro, Enterprise and Education:
Go to:
Administrative Templates
Windows Components
Windows Update
Manage updates offered from Windows Update
Do not include drivers with Windows Updates
Set the policy to:
Then apply policy:
Restart the computer. This prevents Windows Update from including driver-classified updates with normal quality updates.
Registry alternative for driver update blocking
On editions without Group Policy Editor, a registry setting can be used.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
Restart the computer.
To undo the change:
Methods 5, 6 & 7: Uninstall, Repair & Reset
Method 5: Uninstall a problematic update
Before hiding an update, you may need to uninstall it.
Settings method:
Windows Update
Update history
Uninstall updates
Command-line method:
# Silent example:
wusa /uninstall /kb:5053606 /quiet /norestart
After uninstalling, restart the computer and then hide the update before Windows installs it again.
Method 6: Repair Windows Update first
If the problem is not one specific update but Windows Update itself, repair the system first.
Run Windows Update troubleshooter:
System
Troubleshoot
Other troubleshooters
Windows Update
Run
Repair system files & component store:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Restart the computer and try Windows Update again.
Method 7: Reset Windows Update cache
If Windows Update is stuck, reset its cache.
Open Command Prompt as Administrator:
net stop bits
net stop cryptsvc
net stop msiserver
Rename update cache folders:
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
Start services again:
net start cryptsvc
net start bits
net start wuauserv
Restart the computer. Then run: Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates.
Error 0x80070020 & Manual Downloads
About error 0x80070020
Error 0x80070020 often means that another process is using a file that Windows Update needs. This can happen because of antivirus software, backup software, pending restart, locked update files, damaged cache or another service holding update files.
Possible steps:
Temporarily disable third-party antivirus only if trusted and necessary.
Run Windows Update troubleshooter.
Run sfc /scannow.
Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
Reset Windows Update cache.
Try again in clean boot mode.
Install the update manually from Microsoft Update Catalog if appropriate.
Manual update download
If Windows Update fails but the update itself is valid, you can try downloading it manually from Microsoft Update Catalog.
Official catalog: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/
Search by KB number, for example:
Download only the package matching your Windows version, architecture and edition.
Windows 10/11 Status & Recommended Workflow
Windows 10 status
For normal Windows 10 Home and Pro systems, official support ended on October 14, 2025. Windows 10 can still run, but without Extended Security Updates or an LTSC/IoT LTSC edition, it should not be treated as a fully supported internet-facing operating system.
If you keep Windows 10 in use, consider:
Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC / IoT LTSC lifecycle if applicable
upgrade to Windows 11 if hardware is supported
migration to Linux for suitable workloads
isolating the machine from the internet if it is used only for legacy software
Windows 11 note
Windows 11 has stronger integration with Windows Update, driver delivery and cloud-based servicing. The old wushowhide tool may not always behave reliably on the newest Windows 11 releases.
For Windows 11, prefer:
Group Policy for driver update blocking
PowerShell PSWindowsUpdate for hiding selected updates
Microsoft Update Catalog for manual installs
Windows Update troubleshooter for repair
vendor driver packages for GPU, chipset, audio and special hardware
Recommended practical workflow
2. Confirm the issue from logs or symptoms.
3. Uninstall the problematic update if already installed.
4. Restart the computer.
5. Hide the update with wushowhide or PSWindowsUpdate.
6. For driver issues, enable “Do not include drivers with Windows Updates”.
7. Install the correct vendor driver manually if needed.
8. Wait for a corrected update.
9. Unhide the update later and test again.
10. Keep backups before major update changes.
Quick Commands & Final Summary
Useful commands
winver
System file check:
sfc /scannow
Repair component store:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
Uninstall update:
wusa /uninstall /kb:5053606
Install PSWindowsUpdate:
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate
Get-WindowsUpdate
Hide update:
Hide-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KB5053606 -Confirm:$false
Show hidden updates:
Get-WindowsUpdate -IsHidden
Apply Group Policy:
gpupdate /force
Block driver updates by registry:
reg add “HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate” /v ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
Final summary
The old wushowhide.diagcab tool can still be useful for hiding a specific problematic Windows update, especially on Windows 10. However, on modern Windows 11 systems it should not be treated as the only solution.
For driver problems, the best fix is usually to disable driver delivery through Windows Update and install the correct driver from the hardware vendor.
For specific KB problems, uninstall the bad update, restart, hide it temporarily, repair Windows Update if needed, and test again when Microsoft releases a corrected cumulative update.