How to Disable Automatic Windows Updates in Windows 11

Method 1Set Your Internet Connection as Metered

A "metered connection" limits your internet data usage. When Windows recognizes your internet connection has a data limit, Windows downloads less data automatically. This method helps prevent large updates from consuming too much of your internet data or incurring extra charges, particularly when you use Wi-Fi 📶 or a mobile hotspot.

How to Set Wi-Fi 📶 as a Metered Connection

1. Open Settings ⚙️. Press the ⊞ Win+I on your keyboard.
2. In the Settings ⚙️ window, click on Network & internet in the menu on the left.
3. Click on Wi-Fi 📶. You will see the name of the Wi-Fi 📶 network you are currently using.
4. Click on the name of your Wi-Fi 📶 network. This will show you its settings.
5. Scroll down until you find the setting called Metered connection. Turn the switch next to it On.

Method 2Pause Updates Using the Registry Editor

This method is a bit more technical and involves changing settings in the Windows Registry. The Registry is like a central filing cabinet for Windows, holding all sorts of settings for the operating system and installed programs. Be careful, because changing the wrong things here can cause problems.

About the Registry Editor

The Registry Editor (you might see it called regedit) is a tool built into Windows that lets you see and change settings in the Windows Registry. It's organized like a set of folders. We need to navigate to a specific folder, known as a key, and modify a few settings, which are called values.

Pausing Updates for a Long Time

1. Open the Registry Editor. You can do this by typing regedit into the Windows search bar and pressing Enter. Or, press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. You might see a message asking for permission; click Yes to continue.
2. In the Registry Editor, look at the left side. Go to this path:

   🗝️Registry

   Copy

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings

3. After you are at the Settings folder, look at the right side. You need to find and change three settings:

   • PauseFeatureUpdatesEndTime (This is a text value)
   • PauseQualityUpdatesEndTime (This is a text value)
   • PauseUpdatesExpiryTime (This is a text value)
4. Double-click on PauseFeatureUpdatesEndTime. A small window will appear. In the "Value data" box, you will see a date. To stop feature updates for a very long time, change the year to something far in the future, like 2046 or later. For example, if it says "2026-06-10", change it to "2046-06-10". Click OK.
5. Do the same for PauseQualityUpdatesEndTime and PauseUpdatesExpiryTime. Change the year to the same far-future date you picked in the previous step.
6. After you have changed all three settings, you can close the Registry Editor. Your changes should work right away, or after you restart your computer.

Warning: Remember, changing things in the Registry can be risky. Always check the paths and setting names carefully. If you are not sure, it might be better to use the metered connection method. If you decide to make changes, it's a good idea to back up your Registry first.

Summary

You can stop Windows 11 from automatically downloading updates by setting your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection as "metered" in the Network settings. This tells Windows to be cautious with data usage. For a more advanced method, you can use the Registry Editor to set future dates for pausing updates, effectively disabling them for a long period. Be very careful when editing the Registry.