Microsoft has rolled out the Windows 11 preview build to the Insiders with a myriad of cool new features and upgrades over its predecessor. However, the OS retains some of its old quirks from Windows 10. One of those is automatic updates that irk power users to no end. What’s worse is that just like Windows 10, Microsoft doesn’t even provide a straightforward way to stop or turn off the automatic updates in Windows 11. So if you are looking to put an end to this nuisance, we will teach you how to prevent Windows 11 updates from downloading and installing automatically.
Microsoft may not offer a one-click solution to stop auto-updates in Windows 11, but you can disable automatic updates using a few nifty tricks. So today, we will tackle the auto-update issue in Windows 11 and check out all the ways you can stop automatic updates on Microsoft’s latest desktop OS.
- Pause Auto-updates in Windows 11
- Set Up Metered Connection
- Disable Windows 11 Update Service
- Stop Windows 11 Automatic Updates Using Registry Editor
- Disable Windows 11 Automatic Updates Using Group Policy
- Use Windows Update Blocker Utility
Note: This article details the process of disabling auto-updates in Windows 11. If you are a Windows 10 user, check out our guide on how to stop automatic updates on Windows 10.
One of the easiest ways to prevent automatic Windows updates is to use the “Pause updates” option. However, as you can tell from the name, this is not a permanent solution as it will only pause auto-updates for 7 days and not stop it altogether. Still, it can come in handy in certain situations, so here’s how to pause Windows 11 updates for a week:
Your computer will no longer download updates automatically for the next seven days. You can, of course, manually update your PC any time during this period.
Another nifty trick to disable automatic Windows 11 updates is to designate your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection as metered. Windows 11 does not automatically download updates over metered connections, meaning you can restrict automatic updates on your system this way. Here’s how you do it:
You can set multiple connections in Windows 11 as metered, thereby making it possible to stop automatic updates for all practical purposes. Of course, you can manually download and install updates over metered connections any time you want.
One way to stop Windows 11 automatic updates over any type of internet connection is by disabling the Windows Update service. To do that, follow the steps below:
That’s it. Your Windows 11 device will no longer update automatically. And if you ever want to re-enable automatic updates on your Windows 11 PC, retrace your path and select “Automatic” from the “Startup type” drop-down menu.
Note: Making changes to the Registry could mess up your Windows installation, so pay attention to what you’re doing. You should also enable and create a System Restore point before proceeding any further. The linked article uses Windows 10 for the demo, but the method remains the same on Windows 11.
- If the WindowsUpdate key was already present, you might find a key called “AU” in that folder. If it’s not there, create a new key under WindowsUpdate and call it AU. In either case, create a new DWORD (32-bit value) under the AU key.
- To do that, right-click on AU on the left sidebar and select “New > DWORD (32-bit value)“. Name this entry “NoAutoUpdate” (without quotes).
Note: Group Policy Editor is not officially available in Windows 11 Home. However, you can still enable Group Policy Editor on Windows 11 Home by following this guide. The method described in the linked article was originally devised for Windows 10, but it works perfectly well in Windows 11.
- In the Group Policy Editor window, move to the following path using the left sidebar: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage end user experience.
- Next, in the right pane, double-click on the entry that says “Configure Windows Updates“.
Alongside the built-in tools, you can also use a third-party freeware called Windows Update Blocker to stop automatic Windows updates on Windows 11. Originally coded for Windows 10, the portable program works perfectly for Windows 11 as well. It offers a one-click solution to block Windows updates and is, by far, the most convenient option. Here’s how you can use the Windows Update Blocker utility to disable or turn off automatic updates on Windows 11:
Note: You will need a file archiver tool like WinRAR, WinZip, or 7Zip to extract the WUB file. These are all free-to-use, and the last one is also an open-source program (FOSS).
Automatic updates are a massive pain for Windows users. That’s not only because the update consumes huge amounts of data on connections not meant for excessive data consumption, but also because it takes away choice from users. Hopefully, our detailed guide here helped you disable or stop automatic updates on your Windows 11 computer for good. Once you are done tackling auto-updates, check out some of our other Windows 11 tutorials. You can learn how to switch back to a Windows 10-style Start Menu design on your Win 11 installation and how to change the default browser in Windows 11.
