How to View Active Windows Update Policies in Windows 11

Checking Your Configured Update Policies in 🪟 Windows 11 Settings

The steps below only view policies. They don’t change anything. They work on Home, Pro, Enterprise and Education, though the list is usually empty on a personal PC that nobody manages.

Step 1Open the Settings App

Start by opening the Settings ⚙️ app. Use either method below.

• Keyboard shortcut: Press the Win and the I key at the same time.
• Start menu ⊞: Click the Start button, then click Settings, the gear icon. If you don’t see it in the pinned apps, click All apps and find Settings in the list.

Either way, the Settings ⚙️ window should now be open, with a list of categories on the left and the System page on the right.

Step 2Navigate to Windows Update

1. Look at the list of categories on the left side of the Settings ⚙️ window.
2. Click Windows Update 🔃. It is usually the last item in the list. If you don’t see it, scroll down the left pane.

The Windows Update 🔃 page should now open on the right. It shows the update status, a Check for updates 🔃 button, and a few more options. If a policy controls updates on your PC, you may also see a note such as “Some settings are managed by your organization”. That note is a first sign that policies are active.

On a small window the list can be longer than the screen.

Step 3Access Advanced Options

1. On the right side of the Windows Update page, scroll down until you see Advanced options.
2. Click Advanced options.

The Advanced options page should open. It holds settings such as receiving updates for other Microsoft products, delivery options, and optional updates. The policy information is further down on this same page.

Step 4Find Configured Update Policies

1. On the Advanced options page, scroll to the bottom.
2. Find the section named Configured update policies.
3. Click it to expand it. Depending on your build, it may look like a heading with an arrow or like a clickable link.

Windows should now list the update policies applied to your device. If you can't find this section, there are two common reasons. Your PC may be running an older Windows 11 build that doesn't show it. Or no update policies are configured, so Windows has nothing to list. Run Check for updates on the Windows Update page to bring the PC up to date, then look again.

Step 5Review the List of Policies

You are now looking at the active Windows Update policies on this PC. Each entry shows the name of the policy and the value it is set to. Entries often show where the policy comes from too, such as Group Policy or a device management service. Read these entries when you want to know why an option is greyed out or why updates install on a schedule you didn't choose.

To change or remove a policy, you need to change it at its source. On a work or school PC, that means asking your IT administrator. On your own PC, it usually means a Local Group Policy or registry setting that you or another program created earlier. Changes to policies can take effect after a restart or after Windows next checks for updates.

Summary

The Configured update policies section under Settings › Windows Update › Advanced options shows every update rule applied to your PC, whether an administrator or you set it. Check it first when update options are greyed out or updates behave in ways you didn't expect. It tells you whether a policy is responsible and what it is set to.