I have been using Windows 10 as my operating system for the past several months and have generally been satisfied with its performance and features. However, there is one aspect that has been bothering me – the continuous automatic download of Microsoft Teams. As someone who prefers using different collaboration tools, I find this to be quite invasive. In this article, I will discuss the measures I took to prevent Windows 10 from automatically downloading Microsoft Teams, as well as provide some personal insights and remarks throughout the process.
Why I Don’t Want Microsoft Teams
Don’t get me wrong, Microsoft Teams is a great tool for team collaboration and communication. However, in my case, I already have other preferred tools that I use for these purposes. Having Microsoft Teams constantly downloaded in the background not only takes up unnecessary disk space but also slows down my system during the download process. So, I decided it was time to take control and stop Windows 10 from automatically downloading Microsoft Teams.
Disabling Automatic Updates for Microsoft Teams
The first step I took was to disable the automatic updates for Microsoft Teams. To do this, I opened the Microsoft Teams application and clicked on my profile picture in the top right corner of the screen. From the dropdown menu, I selected “Settings”.
In the Settings window, I navigated to the “General” tab and found the “Application” section. Here, I made sure the “Auto-start application” and “On close, keep the application running” options were unchecked. By disabling these options, I prevented Microsoft Teams from automatically starting up and running in the background.
Next, I clicked on the “Notifications” tab in the Settings window. Here, I unchecked all the notification options to further minimize the intrusion of Microsoft Teams into my workflow. As I prefer to use other tools for communication and collaboration, I didn’t want to be constantly bombarded with notifications from a tool I rarely use.
Preventing Microsoft Teams from Reinstalling
Disabling automatic updates and notifications was a great start, but I wanted to take things a step further and prevent Microsoft Teams from reinstalling itself every time there was a Windows update. To do this, I had to make changes to the Windows Group Policy settings.
I opened the Group Policy Editor by typing “gpedit.msc” in the Windows search bar and pressing Enter. In the Group Policy Editor window, I navigated to “Computer Configuration” > “Administrative Templates” > “Windows Components” > “Windows Installer”.
Under the “Windows Installer” section, I found the “Prohibit User Installs” option and double-clicked on it. In the window that appeared, I selected the “Enabled” option and clicked “Apply” to save the changes. Enabling this option prevents users, including myself, from installing Microsoft Teams.
Conclusion
Taking control of my Windows 10 system and preventing it from automatically downloading Microsoft Teams was a liberating experience. By disabling automatic updates, notifications, and adjusting the Group Policy settings, I was able to reclaim control over my system’s resources and focus on the collaboration tools that work best for me.
While Microsoft Teams may be a valuable tool for many, it’s important to remember that everyone’s needs and preferences are different. Windows 10 offers the flexibility to customize your system and ensure it aligns with your workflow. So, if you find yourself in a similar situation, take the time to explore the settings and options available to you. Don’t be afraid to make the necessary adjustments to create a computing experience that truly works for you.