Microsoft is rolling out changes to Windows Update that allow users to pause automatic updates indefinitely by resetting a 35-day pause window as many times as needed, with no limits on how often they can do so.
The updates are currently available to users on Microsoft’s Dev and Experimental Windows Insider channels, announced in April 2026. If a user does not re-pause updates at the end of a 35-day period, updates will resume running as usual.
The changes follow a March 2026 announcement in which Microsoft outlined a series of planned improvements to Windows 11 aimed at addressing common user complaints, with reducing update disruption listed as a primary goal.
Beyond the extended pause option, Microsoft is also adding more descriptive labels to driver updates, which will now display the device class they apply to — such as display, audio, or battery. Windows 11 will also always show options in the power menu to restart or shut down without installing updates, and users setting up a new Windows device will have the option to skip updates during the setup process.
Microsoft is additionally consolidating how updates are delivered. Rather than applying updates individually and requiring multiple reboots, updates will download in the background and wait for a single coordinated installation and restart, which may reduce the frequency of required reboots for users.
Source: The Verge