How to really defer updates in Windows 10 and 11 (step by step)

Learn how to defer updates in Windows 10 and 11 Home and Pro.

Windows 10 or 11 Pro (Local Group Policy Editor)

1. Right-click on the start menu button > Run.

Open the Run window in Windows 10

A Run window will appear.

2. Type gpedit.msc.

3. Click on OK or press the Enter on your keyboard.

Open the Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 10

A “Local Group Policy Editor” window will appear.

4. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business or Manage updates offered from Windows Update (Windows 11).

Open Windows Update for Business in Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 10

5. In the right section, you double-click on Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received.

Open the Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received settings in Windows 10

6. Check the Enabled option.

7. Select Semi-Annual Channel.

8. For days, you enter 365.

Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received settings in Windows 10

9. Click on the Apply button in the bottom right corner of the window.

10. Click on the OK button.

11. In the right section, you double-click on Select when Quality Updates are received. This is also security updates.

Open the Select when Quality Updates are received settings in Windows 10

12. Check the Enabled option.

13. Enter or select 4 days.

Select when Quality Updates are received settings in Windows 10

You may be wondering why four days.

Well. The reason is that all these updates get released on patch Tuesday, and sometimes these updates cause problems.

And if Microsoft releases a bad update and the update causes a lot of problems, they usually pull back the update two or three days after the release day.

And by the weekend, when your PC searches for updates, it's either fixed or already been pulled.

So if you delay these updates for four days, you'll only receive quality updates.

14. Click on the Apply button in the bottom right corner of the window.

15. Click on the OK button.

Windows will, from now on, defer updates.

Windows 10 or 11 Home (Registry Editor)

1. Right-click on the start menu button > Run.

Open the Run window in Windows 10

A Run window will appear.

2. Type regedit.

3. Click on OK or press the Enter key on your keyboard.

Open the Registry Editor in Windows 10

4. When the “User Account Control” window appears, you click Yes. If you're not using an administrator account (which you shouldn't use for daily use anyway), you first need to enter the administrator password and then click on Yes.

A “Registry Editor” window will appear.

5. Go to the following key:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings
Open Windows Update settings in Registry Editor

6. In the right section, you right-click on an empty space > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Create a new DWORD (32-bit value)

7. Name the new value BranchReadinessLevel 20.

8. Create another DWORD (32-bit) Value with the name DeferFeatureUpdatesPeriodInDays 365.

9. Create one more DWORD (32-bit) Value with the name DeferQualityUpdatesPeriodInDays 4.

Install only security updates in Windows 10 Home using Registry Editor

You may be wondering why four days.

Well. The reason is that all these updates get released on patch Tuesday, and sometimes these updates cause problems.

And if Microsoft releases a bad update and the update causes a lot of problems, they usually pull back the update two or three days after the release day.

And by the weekend, when your PC searches for updates, it's either fixed or already been pulled.

So if you delay these updates for four days, you'll only receive quality updates.

10. Close the Registry Editor.

Windows will, from now on, defer updates.