WuMgr (Update Manager for Windows) is a free, open-source third-party utility designed to give you total control over how Windows updates are installed on your computer. It was created by developer DavidXanatos to bring back the fine-tuned update management capabilities that users originally had in Windows 7 and 8.1, which Microsoft largely automated and stripped away in Windows 10 and 11.
The utility is a lightweight, portable .exe file that uses the official Windows Update Agent API to interact directly with Microsoft’s servers, eliminating the need for a complex installation. Key Capabilities & Features
Disable Automatic Updates: It can entirely halt background Windows updates so your computer never restarts or downloads huge files without your explicit permission.
Selective Installation: You can manually search for updates, view a complete list of what is available (including drivers and cumulative patches), and selectively pick which ones to download and install.
Hide Updates: If a specific driver or update is causing system instability or crashes, WuMgr allows you to “hide” it, preventing Windows from ever trying to install it again.
Uninstall Patches: It provides a direct interface to quickly review and remove previously installed updates that might be causing issues.
Offline Management: It supports downloading the official Microsoft update catalog database (wsusscn2.cab) to scan for missing security updates completely offline. How to Use the WuMgr Interface
The application features a clean sidebar layout with intuitive icon shortcuts. The primary guide to managing updates relies on six main action buttons:
Circle (Search): Scans Microsoft servers to see what updates are currently pending for your hardware and OS configuration.
Down Arrow (Download): Downloads the chosen updates into your local cache without executing them immediately.
Down Arrow with Box (Install): Installs the selected packages directly to your operating system.
Trash Can (Uninstall): Removes older or broken updates from your machine.
Crossed-out Eye (Hide): Conceals selected packages from future scans so they are bypassed completely.
Chain Link (Links): Provides direct download paths to manually download the independent .msu or .cab update files through your browser. Step-by-Step Guide to Taking Control
To completely shift Windows update operations over to WuMgr, advanced users typically follow this process: 1. Turn Off Automated Windows Updates Open WuMgr and click on the Auto Update tab. Click the radio button labeled Disable Automatic Update.
Check the box to Disable Update Facilitators (this stops Windows from silently overriding your blocks).
(Optional) Select Hide WUSettings Page. This completely removes the Windows Update menu from your standard Windows Settings app so nothing accidentally triggers a background scan. 2. Manual Update Routine
Once or twice a month, open the WuMgr tool on GitHub and open the executable. Click the Search (Circle) icon to find pending packages.
Look through the list. If you see a buggy driver or an unnecessary feature update, select it and click the Hide (Eye) icon.
Check the boxes next to the security and cumulative updates you actually want, then click Install. Reboot your system when prompted to finalize the changes.
Note: Because WuMgr leverages the underlying Windows Update Service infrastructure, you should avoid using the native “Pause Updates” feature in Windows while using this app, as pausing it can freeze the system services WuMgr needs to execute its scans.
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