It’s always good to keep your computers and devices up to date with the latest Windows 10 or Windows 11 updates. Every once in a while, however, an update may crash your computer or cause other problems. This is probably when you’d need to uninstall the Windows updates.

So, how do you go about uninstalling Windows updates manually? There are five methods to do this, so let’s look at them one by one.

1. Using the Settings App

Click on the Start Menu and look for the Settings app. Navigate to Update & Security, the last option in the Settings app.

On the next screen, click on View update history.

View Update History Windows 10

The first option at the top of the next screen is Uninstall updates. Click on it.

Uninstall Updates From Settings App

If you're running Windows 11, you'll see the same option in Settings > Windows Update > Update History. Select the Uninstall updates option.

uninstalling updates on windows 11

This will take you to the Control Panel, where you’ll see all the Installed Updates, including Windows 10 updates.

The updates listed under the section named Microsoft Windows include Windows updates. Choose the update you’d like to uninstall and click Uninstall at the top. Alternatively, you could right-click on an update and select Uninstall.

Control Panel Windows 10 Updates

A confirmation window will pop up asking if you’re sure you want to uninstall, click Yes, and the update will uninstall from your computer.

2. Using the Control Panel

We know from the previous method that we must navigate to the Installed Updates section in the Control Panel for uninstalling updates. Instead of navigating through the Settings app, we can directly go there from the Control Panel.

Open Control Panel. Click on Uninstall a program under the Programs category.

Control Panel Programs Category

At the left of the next screen, you’ll see an option to View installed updates.

Control Panel Programs and Features

This will take you to the Installed Updates screen. The remainder of the process remains the same as for the previous method.

In summary, you choose an update you’d like to uninstall and click Uninstall at the top of the window. Alternatively, you could right-click on an update and click Uninstall. You’ll see a pop-up asking for confirmation regarding the uninstallation of the update. Click Yes and the update will uninstall.

3. Using PowerShell or Command Prompt

It’s also possible to view and uninstall Windows 10 or Windows 11 updates using PowerShell or Command Prompt.

Search for Command Prompt or PowerShell in the Start Menu. Right-click and select Run as administrator.

Once the program of your choice has launched, type the following command to view all updates:

        wmic qfe list brief /format:table
    
Windows PowerShell Uninstall Updates

Executing this command will display a table of all the Windows 10 updates that have been installed on your computer. Search for the updates you’d like to uninstall.

Once you’ve identified the updates, type the following WUSA (Windows Update Standalone Installer—a built-in utility that manages Windows updates) command to begin uninstalling:

        wusa /uninstall /kb:HotFixID
    

Replace the “HotFixID” with the update’s identification number. The HotFixIDs are listed in the list of updates fetched using the previous command.

For instance, if you want to uninstall an update listed in the table with the HotFixID KB4601554, you'd use the following command:

        wusa /uninstall /kb:4601554
    

Hit Enter and you’ll see a dialog box appear on your screen asking if you’re sure about uninstalling the update. Click Yes to continue. Alternatively, press Y on your keyboard.

Your Windows 10 update will uninstall in a few moments.

4. Using a Batch File

The previous method allows you to uninstall one update at a time. If you have multiple updates you want to uninstall, create a batch script containing the WUSA commands.

You can uninstall these updates without opening any windows and skip the reboot by adding /quiet and /norestart to the command line.

Open notepad and enter the following text:

        @echo off

wusa /uninstall /kb:4601554 /quiet /norestart

wusa /uninstall /kb:4561600 /quiet /norestart

END

Click on File > Save As and save the file as a .bat file.

Uninstall Updates with a Batch File

Add command lines for all updates you want to uninstall and make appropriate adjustments to the KB number.

Run the batch file.

No windows will open and you won’t be prompted for a reboot. If you’d like to automatically reboot once all updates have been uninstalled, add shutdown -r at the end of the batch file.

5. Using Windows RE

You've probably got the answer to how to uninstall Windows updates at this point, but there's one more method that can help you uninstall updates manually when Windows won't boot.

If Windows doesn’t boot either normally or in safe mode, and you think it's an update causing the issue, don’t jump to your backup to restore the computer just yet. You have one last resort: Windows RE.

Press and hold your computer’s power button while it boots to turn it off, and then press the power button again to turn it on. You should now enter the Windows RE, much the same way as you would when you boot in safe mode.

Navigate to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options and click on Uninstall Updates.

Windows Repair Uninstall Updates

You’ll now see an option to uninstall the latest Quality Update or Feature Update. Uninstall it and this will likely allow you to boot into Windows.

Note: You won’t see a list of installed updates like in the Control Panel. So, as long as you’re able to boot into Windows, use the methods we discussed previously. Use the Windows recovery options as a last resort.

Now Steer Clear of Windows 10 Update Troubles

Now you know how to uninstall Windows updates manually. Knowing these can come in handy when a new update is causing an issue, and you want to uninstall the latest Windows 10 update.

Even if you can’t boot into Windows, the last method will help you fix the issue and allow you to boot back into Windows. If your computer continues to crash after uninstalling the updates, then it's unlikely that the updates were causing the issue.