Pause Windows Update for up to five weeks — via Microsoft Support
Hidden settinglow riskWindows 11Windows 10
The built-in pause holds off updates until a date you pick, up to 35 days from today — useful before a trip, an exam or a big deadline. You can extend it later, but each new end date is still capped at 35 days from the day you change it.
Takes effect right away
How to do it
- Settings → Windows Update → Pause updates → Pick a date.
- To extend, pick a later date on the same calendar. To stop early, select Resume updates.
While paused, updates that need a restart aren't downloaded or installed and the PC won't restart to finish updates. Updates already in progress when you pause are cancelled. When the pause ends (or you resume), Windows checks for and installs the latest updates.
Sources
- Pause updates in Windows — by Microsoft Support
- Configure Windows Update client policies — Pause feature/quality updates — by Microsoft Learn
- Source reviewed
- 2026-11-02
- Link checked
- Not yet
- Tested hands-on
- Not by Oddbyte.Me
Oddbyte.Me hasn't tried this on every Windows build, so keep the undo handy.