How to Pause, Defer, or Disable Windows Updates in Windows 10 and 11

Aseem Kishore
12 min read

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How to Pause, Defer, or Disable Windows Updates in Windows 10 and 11

Windows Update always picks the worst moment to restart your PC: mid-presentation, mid-render, mid-Zoom call. You’ve got four ways to fight back, ranging from a one-click pause in Settings to a registry edit that stops updates cold.

Pause vs. Defer vs. Disable: What’s the Difference?

People use these three words interchangeably, but they do very different things:

  • Pause stops all updates, including feature, quality, and driver updates, for a set time window. It’s temporary by design. Windows starts installing again once the pause runs out.
  • Defer tells Windows to wait a set number of days after an update ships before offering it to your PC. It’s policy-based (Group Policy or Windows Update for Business). It needs Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education.
  • Disable shuts off the update mechanism entirely. You do this by stopping the Windows Update service or setting a registry value that blocks checks. It has no expiration date. That’s exactly why it’s risky if you forget to flip it back on.

Start with pausing. Only move to deferring or disabling if pausing doesn’t fit what you’re trying to do.

Before You Begin

Make sure you have:

  • A Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC with administrator access
  • Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education if you want to use Group Policy deferral (Fix #2); Home edition skips straight to the registry method instead
  • A few minutes of free time before you start (some methods require a restart to fully take effect)
  • A recent backup or restore point if you’re planning to disable updates for an extended period
RequirementDetails
DeviceWindows 10 or Windows 11 PC
OS versionWindows 10 (any supported build) or Windows 11
AccountLocal administrator or admin Microsoft account
Edition (for Fix #2 only)Windows Pro, Enterprise, or Education

Step-by-Step Guide

Fix #1: Pause Updates from Settings

This is the simplest, safest, and most reversible option here. It’s built for short-term interruptions, like a demo, a trip, or a slow internet connection, not for avoiding updates forever.

On Windows 11:

  • Open Settings > Windows Update.
  • Find the Pause updates dropdown near the top of the page and select Pause for 1 week.
Windows 11 Settings app open to the Windows Update page, showing the Pause updates dropdown and Check for updates button
  • Want an exact return date instead of a flat week? Click Advanced options, then use the Pause updates date picker to pick the day you want updates to resume.
Windows 11 Windows Update Advanced options page showing the pause-until date picker control
  • Windows shows the current pause status back on the main Windows Update page (for example, “Updates paused until 2026“). Click Resume updates any time to cancel the pause early.

On Windows 10:

  • Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
  • Click Pause updates for 7 days.
Windows 10 Update and Security page showing the Pause updates for 7 days link
  • To extend further, come back once the week is up and click Pause updates again, or use Advanced options to set a specific date, same as Windows 11.

What changed in mid-2026: Microsoft has historically capped total pause time at 35 days. Hit that ceiling, and the Pause updates control greys out until pending updates install. The July 2026 security update (KB5101650) changed this, but not by raising the cap itself: the calendar picker still won’t let you choose a date more than 35 days out in one go. Instead, pausing became renewable — once a pause period expires, you can pick a new end date up to 35 days out again, with no limit on how many times you repeat that. It’s an active choice each time, not a permanent off switch, so Windows won’t silently stay paused forever on its own. Open Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options to see the calendar picker and pick a new pause date once your current one runs out.

Tip: Pausing stops feature and quality updates, but Windows can still install Microsoft Defender security intelligence updates in the background. That’s intentional; malware definitions are one thing you don’t want to fall behind on, even with everything else paused.

If you just want to stop the restart notification, not block updates entirely, check Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Active hours. Set active hours to match when you actually use the PC. Windows won’t restart mid-task, even while updates install normally in the background.

Fix #2: Defer Feature and Quality Updates with Group Policy

Deferral sits between “install everything immediately” and “turn updates off.” It’s a policy setting, so it sticks around longer than a pause. You don’t have to remember to un-disable anything later. Updates still arrive, just later, after Microsoft has had time to catch and fix the early bugs.

Note: This method requires Windows 10/11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education. Windows Home doesn’t include the Group Policy Editor, so skip to Fix #4 for a Home-friendly alternative that does something similar.

  • Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter.
  • Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update (this folder is named Windows Update for Business on some builds).
Local Group Policy Editor showing the Windows Update folder with the list of available update policies
  • Double-click Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received. Set it to Enabled, then enter a number of days to delay feature updates (up to about 365). Click OK.
  • Double-click Select when Quality Updates are received. Set it to Enabled, then enter a number of days to delay monthly security/quality updates (up to about 30). Click OK.
Group Policy Editor with the Select when Quality Updates are received policy dialog open, showing the Enabled radio button and the day-deferral field
  • Close the Group Policy Editor. Open Command Prompt and run gpupdate /force to apply the policy right away instead of waiting for the next automatic refresh.
gpupdate /force
  • Confirm it applied by reopening Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options. You should see a note that some settings are managed by your organization, along with the deferral period you set.

Tip: A 7-day quality update deferral is a solid default for a home office, long enough for Microsoft to pull back a bad patch, without leaving you exposed for weeks.

Fix #3: Disable the Windows Update Service

This stops Windows from checking for updates at all. It kills the background service that runs the whole process. It’s more forceful than pausing or deferring. Microsoft doesn’t really support leaving it off long-term. A separate Windows Update Medic Service can quietly re-enable the main service, especially after a feature update or system repair. Don’t be surprised if this one doesn’t stick.

  • Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  • Scroll down and double-click Windows Update in the list.
Windows Services console with the Windows Update service highlighted in the list
  • In the Properties dialog, click Stop to stop the service immediately.
  • Change the Startup type dropdown from Automatic (Delayed Start) to Disabled.
Windows Update Properties dialog showing the Startup type dropdown set to Disabled and the Stop button
  • Click Apply, then OK.

Warning: This isn’t a “set and forget” fix. The update service protects itself from being permanently switched off. Windows can flip it back to Automatic after a feature update or repair operation. Check back on it now and then instead of assuming it stayed off.

Fix #4: Set the NoAutoUpdate Registry Key

This one works on Windows Home, where the Group Policy Editor doesn’t exist. It applies the same underlying policy as Fix #2, just written straight into the registry instead.

  • Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Click Yes if User Account Control prompts you.
  • Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

  • If the WindowsUpdate key doesn’t already have an AU subkey, right-click WindowsUpdate, choose New > Key, and name it AU.
  • Click the AU key, then right-click an empty area in the right-hand pane and choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it NoAutoUpdate.
Registry Editor at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Policies Microsoft Windows WindowsUpdate AU showing the NoAutoUpdate DWORD value in the right pane
  • Double-click NoAutoUpdate and set the Value data to 1 to disable automatic updates. Click OK.
  • Close Registry Editor and restart your PC for the change to take effect.

Tip: To undo this later, set the value back to 0, or delete the NoAutoUpdate value entirely, then restart.

Why You Shouldn’t Leave Updates Off Long-Term

Windows Update exists to close security holes as soon as Microsoft finds them. Every month without quality updates is a month your PC misses patches for vulnerabilities attackers are already exploiting. That’s the whole reason Patch Tuesday exists. Disabling updates via the service or the registry stops annoying restarts, but it also stops the security fixes too, zero-days included.

If your real goal is dodging surprise restarts, or giving a new update time to prove itself stable, use Fix #2’s deferral or Fix #1’s repeated pausing instead. Both get you there without leaving your PC exposed indefinitely. Save Fix #3 and Fix #4 for specific, temporary situations, like isolating whether a recent update broke a critical app. Set a reminder to turn updates back on once you’ve confirmed the problem.

If Something Goes Wrong

  • Updates start installing again even though you paused them. Pause periods expire on their own; Windows doesn’t extend them for you. Reopen Settings > Windows Update and pause again, or switch to Fix #2’s deferral policy so you’re not manually re-pausing every week.
  • The Pause updates control is greyed out. You’ve likely hit the pause ceiling (35 days under the older cap, or whatever limit applies once you verify current Settings behavior). Let pending updates install, then pause again from a fresh baseline.
  • The Windows Update service keeps turning back on after you disabled it. Expected behavior: Windows treats the service as protected and can restore it after a feature update or repair operation. Switch to the registry method (Fix #4) or Group Policy deferral (Fix #2) instead of fighting the service over and over.
  • Group Policy settings aren’t visible or gpedit.msc won’t open. You’re probably on Windows Home, which skips the Group Policy Editor entirely. Use the registry NoAutoUpdate method (Fix #4) instead.
  • Your PC has gone months without updating and now feels sluggish or incompatible with newer apps. Re-enable updates immediately: set NoAutoUpdate back to 0, switch the Windows Update service back to Automatic (Delayed Start), and clear any Group Policy deferral. Then open Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates to catch up manually. Expect several restarts while it works through the backlog.

Common Issues

Updates won’t stay paused between reboots

Why it happens: A pause period has an expiration date baked in. It’s not tied to how many times you restart, so it lapses quietly in the background even if you never touch Settings again.

Fix: Check the exact expiration date under Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options and re-pause before that date if you need more time.

“Some settings are managed by your organization” appears after a registry edit

Why it happens: The NoAutoUpdate registry value applies the same policy engine Group Policy uses, so Windows shows the managed-settings message even on a personal, non-domain PC.

Fix: This is expected, not an error; it confirms the policy took effect. If you want the message gone, remove the NoAutoUpdate value and restart.

PC keeps restarting overnight despite disabling updates

Why it happens: A scheduled restart from an update that installed before you disabled the service or set the registry key is still pending.

Fix: Open Settings > Windows Update and check for a “restart required” notice. Let the pending restart complete once, then confirm your disable method is still in place afterward.

Tips and Hidden Features

  • Set your Wi-Fi as metered: Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > click your network > toggle Metered connection on. Windows throttles most background update downloads over metered connections, a lighter touch than a full pause.
  • Check disk space before a big feature update: Feature updates can need 20GB or more of free space to install. Clear space beforehand and you’ll avoid failed installs that force Windows to retry, and retry, even while you thought updates were paused.
  • If a specific update breaks something: Pausing or deferring buys you time, but if a bad update already installed, roll it back instead of just blocking future ones.

Wrapping Up

Fix #1, pausing from Settings, covers nearly everyone who just wants the restarts to stop. It’s reversible with zero risk. Fix #2’s deferral is the smarter long-term habit if you’re tired of manually re-pausing every week. You’ll need Pro or Enterprise to use it. Save Fix #3 and Fix #4 for genuine troubleshooting. Put a reminder on your calendar to turn updates back on.

A Windows PC that hasn’t patched in three months is a bigger liability than the restart you were trying to avoid in the first place.

StepActionApplies To
Fix #1Pause updates for 1 week or a custom date in SettingsWindows 10 & 11, all editions
Fix #2Defer feature/quality updates via Group PolicyWindows 10 & 11 Pro/Enterprise/Education
Fix #3Disable the Windows Update service via services.mscWindows 10 & 11, all editions
Fix #4Set NoAutoUpdate registry key to 1Windows 10 & 11, all editions (Home-friendly)

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