6 Ways to Permanently Stop Windows 11 Updates

Take charge of Windows update installs using these methods

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Key notes

  • Windows 11, like all major updates, has the potential to cause problems with your computer. These issues can range from annoying to dangerous.
  • If problems with Windows updates happen frequently enough, there are many things you can do to mitigate the damage, but some may be more effective than others.
  • Disabling the updates permanently is one of them, and we show you various ways to do it.

Windows 11 has a lot of great features, but it also comes with one major drawback: it’s constantly trying to update itself. Whenever you open your computer and restart it, Windows will check for updates and install them if necessary. 

While this is great for security reasons, it can be annoying if you don’t want to see pop-up notifications every few minutes. Windows allows you to pause updates for one week, but if you’re looking for a more permanent method, this article is for you.

Why should I disable Windows 11 updates permanently?

Windows Update is one of the most important features of Windows, and as such, it has become a key component for many users. This feature aims to ensure that all patches are applied to your system. 

However, in some cases, you may want to permanently stop Windows Update so that you can customize certain settings. Some of these reasons include:

  • New updates are intrusive – Some updates change the UI completely. This can interfere with organizing your desktop and interrupt your regular schedule.
  • Performance issues – If your computer is constantly crashing or freezing up, there could be a problem with Windows Update or one of the updates. 
  • It takes time – The updates take some time to install. Sometimes, the updates get stuck. By disabling, you’ll get rid of the wait time when you can be doing other things.
  • Limited storage space – Some updates can be very large and take up much hard drive space, which could slow down your computer’s performance if these updates are installed on a regular basis.
  • Software compatibility issues – Another problem with Windows updates is that they often break software compatibility with older programs or hardware devices.
  • Buggy update – Not all updates bring improvements to your PC. Some can cause your computer to stop working. Stopping Windows updates can help you examine the updates first before installation.

Preventing the automatic download of updates will not affect your ability to receive updates in the future. You can still manually download and install them on your own time. But, if you don’t want Windows to update itself, below are a few methods.

How do I permanently stop Windows 11 updates?

1. Use Windows Services 

  1. Hit the Windows + R keys to open the Run command.
  2. Type services.msc in the dialog box and hit Enter.run services.msc command
  3. Locate Windows Update, right-click on it, and select Properties.
  4. Navigate to the Startup type section, and in the drop-down menu, select Disabled.
  5. Click on Apply, then OK to save changes.

2. Use the Group Policy Editor 

  1. Hit the Windows + R keys to open the Run command.
  2. Type gpedit.msc in the dialog box, then hit Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.GPEDiT.msc -Windows Remediation Service Failed to Start?
  3. Navigate to the following location: Administrative Templates/Windows components/ Windows Updates/Manage end user experience
  4. Double-click on Configure Automatic Updates on the right pane.
  5. Check the Disabled checkbox, then click Apply and OK to save the changes.

3. Use the Registry Editor 

  1. Hit the Windows + R keys to open the Run command.
  2. Type regedit in the dialog box, then hit Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  3. Navigate to the following location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
  4. Right-click on Windows, select New Key and rename it as WindowsUpdate.WindowsUpdate
  5. On the newly created WindowsUpdate key, right-click on it again, select New Key and rename it as AU.AU
  6. Now, click on AU,  right-click on an empty space on the right-pane, select New DWORD (32-bit) Value and rename it as NoAutoUpdate.NoAutoUpdate
  7. Double-click on it, and under Value data, set it as 1. If you’d like to revert these changes, set the Value data to 0.

4. Use the Command Prompt 

  1. Hit the Windows key, type cmd in the search bar, and click Run as administrator.cmd-run-admin-w11 unexpected kernel mode trap windows 11
  2. Type the following command and hit Enter: reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update" /v AUOptions /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
  3. If you’d like to re-enable the update, Enter the following command: reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Auto Update" /v AUOptions /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

5. Use bandwidth limits 

  1. Hit the Windows key and click on Settings.settings windows 11
  2. Navigate to Network & internet and select Properties for your current connection.
  3. Toggle Metered connection on.setting connection as metered
  4. Also remember to switch off the option to download updates over metered connections.
  5. Still under Settings, select Windows Update, then click on Advanced options.Advanced options
  6. Toggle off the Download updates over metered connections option.Download over metered connections option

One of the requirements for automatic Windows updates is a stable and fast internet connection. If you’re using a metered connection, the updates will not be able to download successfully.

6. Use third-party tools

If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of disabling updates manually, a third-party tool can do it for you. You can use third-party tools to disable Windows 11 updates, but you must ensure those tools are safe.

And that’s how to disable Windows 11 updates permanently. These steps will apply if you were also looking for a way to stop Windows 10 from upgrading to Windows 11. 

We also must emphasize that Windows updates ensure your PC is up-to-date with all the security measures to keep your system malware-free. As such, we encourage you to regularly check for updates from the Microsoft site and download them manually when needed.

Additionally, a third-party antivirus will go a long way in securing your system, so ensure you also equip your PC with one.

Do let us know of any additional thoughts on this topic in the comment section below.

More about the topics: Windows 11, windows updates