Using WUMT: Does Defender automatically update signatures...?

Hey all! I've recently switched to WUMT, and I have this little bug in my head.

Basically, I've set it so automatic updates are disabled, and I search for them manually, but, I wonder if Windows Defender will update signatures automatically if I do this.

If it doesn't... Is there some custom task I can create or something so Defender keeps itself with updated signatures automatically?

Thanks in advance for your help, guys!

1 WUMT does not disable anything, it is just a means of listing & downloading updates.
Perhaps you used a thing called WUMT WrapperScript / SledgeHammer to disable WU and set up WUMT in its place? - Download Sledgehammer (formerly WUMT Wrapper Script) - MajorGeeks

Personally, I avoid automatic updates by just setting my network connections to metered and almost all Windows updates are prevented [there's one small & inconsequential one, KB4023057, that slips through once or sometimes twice a year] so I don't bother with any fancy measures such as disabling WU. Because of the metered setting, WU simply does not download or install anything.
Set Wireless Network Metered Connection - TenForumsTutorials
Set Ethernet Connection as Metered or Unmetered - TenForumsTutorials
This is my Registry key after applying these changes. All network connections are metered including the Default i.e. all future WiFi networks that I might connect to.



2 If you have used SledgeHammer to disable WU then you have indeed disabled Defender malware definition updates & platform updates. My metered settings also have this effect.
Setting them up yourself to run automatically [outside of WU] is fairly straightforward.
See Option 3 of Update ... Microsoft Defender - TenForumsTutorials
Whilst that tutorial & many other articles refer to malware definition updates, updating them will also include updating the Defender platform [the utility itself].


3 Windows Store app updates run outside of WU. So do updates for MSOffice 2016 & later versions. I don't know about language packs.


4 I update my Windows by running WUMT itself [i.e. not SledgeHammer], WUMgr or an equivalent to list available updates then I search TenForums News for threads with their KB numbers in the titles. There's a News article for practically every update & almost all of them have a direct download link for the update.



All the best,
Denis

I think that setting just controls WUMT.
I have rechecked all my old info about WUMT and nothing suggests that that setting has any effect on WU itself.
You say you conducted experiments that said otherwise. I am amazed.
Are you sure that you did not inhibit WU with your Group policy settings instead?


All the best,
Denis

I just set that WUMT Automatic updates - Disabled on my Windows 10 Home whilst monitoring Registry changes with RegShot.
No Registry Keys associated with WU were changed.
No messages are shown in my WU page.
My WU Check for updates button continues to be active. I just used it and it found a driver update that had not been listed before.


All the best,
Denis

I do not have the Sub-Key ...../AU shown in your diagram.
I would have recognised the Sub-Key ...../AU name. Nothing there was altered when I set WUMT to Automatic updates - Disabled.
I think I've seen that Sub-Key in one of the threads suggesting how to disable WU [which I have never done].

Your Group Policy Editor should not change as you alter anything in the Registry or using applications. Its "not configured" means that Group Policy Editor has not been used to change the parameters.

Your WU warnings "My organization is handling some settings" and the one with * says "My organization disabled Automatic windows updates." mean that GPE or manual changes have affected WU.
- If it wasn't GPE then it was something else.
- I don't see how it could have been WUMT since it didn't do so on my computer.

I still urge you to check that you did not use 'WUMT WrapperScript' / 'SledgeHammer' or some equivalent.


All the best,
Denis