Microsoft Is Testing a Way to Defer Windows Updates Indefinitely.
Windows users face a huge number of updates. A new update is released every month in the Stable Channel and every week in the Windows Insider Channel . But not all updates are created equal. Some are critical, containing important security fixes you won’t want to miss . On the other hand, some can be problematic , introducing bugs or new features you don’t want.
Until now, when an update was released, there was little you could do. You could try to postpone it, but then you’d have to install it a week later, sometimes in the middle of important work. However, with the latest update for Insiders, Microsoft is trying to fix this. The company is now testing a workaround that allows you to permanently postpone updates (though this shouldn’t be done for security reasons), as well as a process for installing updates that won’t disrupt your workflow.
How to permanently defer Windows updates
As part of the Windows Insider Update rolling out this week, you can pause updates for up to 35 days. However, this doesn’t mean you have to update your PC after those 35 days. You can do this manually indefinitely. There’s no limit. If you have the option, go to Settings > Windows Update > Pause Updates . Here you’ll see a new date picker for extending the update. Here, you can choose a date for Windows to install the update—for example, after an important project deadline—to ensure the update won’t interfere with your work.
However, to try out this new feature, you’ll need to enroll your PC in the Windows Insider Program . Microsoft hasn’t officially released it in a public Windows update, so if you don’t want to participate in Microsoft’s beta program, you’ll have to wait and see if the company decides to release this feature in the near future.
Why you shouldn’t put off updates forever
There are a few caveats here. First, you’ll have to do this manually each time to extend the pause period. Second, there’s no option to choose which updates are deferred. This is just one option for pausing updates, which can include multiple pending updates on your PC, even drivers or security updates. When you pause updates, you lose all updates.
The monthly Windows update isn’t just about new features you may or may not need: it also includes critical security updates that fix vulnerabilities and help protect your PC from attacks. It also fixes long-standing bugs and issues, as well as firmware and driver updates that help improve the performance of your GPUs, memory, and peripherals. You can use the new “Pause Updates” feature to decide when to install the monthly update (perhaps after a week or two), but from a security standpoint, it’s not a good idea to defer updates indefinitely just because you can.
Other changes in Windows 11 updates
You’ll also be able to skip new updates when you first set up your Windows PC. During setup, you’ll see a new “Update later” button that will let you get to the desktop faster. When you do install an update, the experience should be better than before. To reduce update fatigue, Microsoft is now coordinating security, driver, and feature updates so they arrive together once a month. You’ll also get a detailed overview of all available updates in the Windows Update section. Furthermore, the “Shut down” and “Restart” features will soon be available permanently—even if you have a pending update. You won’t be forced into an “Update and restart” cycle just because you’ve been deferring updates.