How to Defer Windows 11 Updates? Step by Step

Microsoft clearly stated that the Windows 11 update will not be forced on Windows 10 users at the launch. In case you wish to check for Windows 11 update, then you can follow this path:

Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update

A situation may arise in which some users have enabled the Windows automatic updates, and they now wish to block that feature to free up some Windows 11 disk space.

The following article discusses some methods to defer Windows 11 update:

Method-1: Turn off Windows Update Services:

One of the most effective methods to stop automatic Windows updates is to disable the Windows update services. Here are the steps:

• Press ‘Window + R’ to open the Run window.
• Now open the ‘Services Window’ by typing ‘services.msc’ and press the ‘Enter’ key.
• Find out and select the ‘Windows Update’ option from the “Services” list.
• Click the “Stop” button.
• Transform the “Startup Type” to “Disabled” after clicking on the “General” tab.

Method-2: Block Windows 11 Update with Registry Editor:

• Press ‘Win + R’ and type regedit.exe to start the Registry Editor.
• Navigate to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsWindowsUpdate
• Set the value of ‘DWORD (32-bit)’ to 1.
• If this value does not exist, then right-click on the Windows Update. Now choose New > Dword (32-bit) Value.
• Finally, set the value of TargetReleaseVersionInfo to ’21H1′.

Method-3: Stop Windows 11 Update with Group Policy Editor:

If you are fine with the delay during the Windows 11 installation, then you can disable Windows 11 update through Group Policy Editor. Follow these steps:

• Press ‘Win + R’ and type ‘gpedit.msc’ to launch the Group Policy Editor.
• Navigate to this path: Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business.
• Now double-click the “Select the target feature update version.”
• Set the corresponding policy to “Enabled” and enter ’21H1′ in the field.
• Shut down the Group Policy Editor.

Method-4: Pause Windows 11 updates for each week:

To pause the automatic Windows 11 updates, here are the steps:

• Click the start icon and select ‘Settings.’
• Choose “Update & Security” and then click on ‘Pause updates for 7 days’.

Method-5: Disable Windows 11 Update using the third-party tool:

To quickly stop these updates, you can use a third-party software, i.e., EaseUS Clean Genius. Using this tool, permanent disabling of Windows 11 automatic updates is possible to save you time. This tool lets you disable the updates with a single click. Moreover, it automatically detects the status of the Windows Update service. Follow these steps:

• Visit the below link to download EaseUS CleanGenius and install it on your Windows 11 system.
• https://down.easeus.com/product/win_cleangenius_trial
• Start the EaseUS CleanGenius and go to ‘Optimization.’
• If the Windows Update is enabled currently, you can click the switch to end the service.
• To check whether the service is automatically disabled or not, click on Start and type ‘Services.’
• Now right-click on ‘Services’ and select ‘Run as administrator.’
• From the list of services, locate and right-click on ‘Windows Update.’ Now click on ‘Properties.’
• You can check in the ‘Service status’ section that the service has been stopped.

Another third-party tool you can use is Windows Update Blocker. This tool is known to be compatible with Windows 11 and not just Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP.

Download the portable and free tool from the below link:

https://www.sordum.org/9470/windows-update-blocker-v1-6/

(If you don’t want to use a third-party tool, then the built-in methods discussed above can be used. Though the built-in processes are a bit time-consuming, they are effective.)