This tutorial will show you how to pause and resume updates for Windows 11.
Windows Update keeps Windows 11 updated by automatically downloading and installing the latest updates, drivers, and hotfixes released by Microsoft.
If you have a Windows Insider build of Windows 11 installed, you can only pause updates for a maximum of 1 week (7 days) by default until updates automatically resume.
If you do not have a Windows Insider build of Windows 11 installed, you can pause updates for a maximum of up to 5 weeks (35 days) by default until updates automatically resume.
Some updates, like Microsoft Defender definition updates, will continue to be installed.
When updates resume, your device will need to get the latest updates before it can be paused again.
You must be signed in as an administrator to pause and resume updates.
You can manually change the maximum days you have available to pause Windows Update for however long you want instead of the default.
Contents
- Option One: Pause Updates for Windows 11 in Settings
- Option Two: Resume Updates for Windows 11 in Settings
- Option Three: Resume Updates for Windows 11 using REG file
EXAMPLE: Updates paused
1 Open Settings (WIn+I).
2 Click/tap on Windows Update on the left side. (see screenshots below)
Open Windows Update Settings
3 Perform one of the following available actions you want in Pause updates on the right side:
- Click/tap on the Pause for 1 week button.
- Click/tap on the drop menu arrow button, and click/tap on an Pause for # weeks option you want.
- Click/tap on the Extend for 1 week button.
- Click/tap on the drop menu arrow button, and click/tap on an Extend for # weeks option you want.
1 Open Settings (WIn+I).
2 Click/tap on Windows Update on the left side. (see screenshot below step 3)
Open Windows Update Settings
3 Click/tap on the Resume updates button on the right side. (see screenshot below)
4 Windows Update will now automatically start Checking for updates. (see screenshot below)
5 When finished, you can close Settings if you like.
1 Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below.
Resume_Updates.reg
(Contents of .reg file)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UpdatePolicy\Settings]
"PausedFeatureStatus"=dword:00000001
"PausedQualityStatus"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings]
"PauseFeatureUpdatesStartTime"=-
"PauseFeatureUpdatesEndTime"=-
"PauseQualityUpdatesStartTime"=-
"PauseQualityUpdatesEndTime"=-
"PauseUpdatesStartTime"=-
"PauseUpdatesExpiryTime"=-2 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
3 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
4 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
5 If the Windows Update page is open in Settings, then close and reopen it to apply.
6 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
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