[Tip] How to Defer Feature and Quality Updates in Windows 10

Windows 10 operating system comes with automatic update feature which allows Windows 10 to download and install available updates automatically to keep the user device stable and secure. Microsoft regularly releases security and quality updates for Windows 10 which fix bugs and issues and improve security, stability and performance. Apart from regular updates, Microsoft also releases feature updates (new Windows 10 versions) twice a year which bring new features and improvements to Windows 10.

Related: Fixing Windows 10 Automatic Updates Installation Problem

All these updates are downloaded and installed via Windows Update program. You can access Windows Update using Settings app. Open Settings app (press WIN+I), click on Update & Security and you’ll reach to Windows Update page.

Although Microsoft doesn’t provide any direct option to disable automatic update feature, the company has provided a few other options to customize Windows Update functionality. You can click on “Advanced Options” link given on Windows Update page and you’ll have some options to customize such as receive updates for other Microsoft products, update notifications, pause updates, etc.

Related: [Tip] How to Defer or Pause Windows Updates Download in Windows 10

Among these Windows Update customization options, there is a very interesting option present called “Defer Updates“. Windows 10 allows users to defer quality updates and feature updates. In other words, you can prevent or restrict Windows 10 from downloading and installing feature updates and quality updates on your device for a fixed period of time.

You can defer feature updates for maximum 365 days and quality updates for maximum 30 days.

In newer Windows 10 versions, Microsoft has removed Defer Updates option from Windows Update customization page but the functionality is still present in the operating system.

Today in this tutorial, we are going to share 3 methods to defer updates in Windows 10. You can use Windows 10 Settings app as mentioned above to defer updates quickly and easily. If the defer update option is not present in Windows Update page in your Windows 10 device or you are not allowed to use defer update feature in Settings app (the option is blocked or grayed out and you are getting “Some settings are managed by your organization” message at top of the page as discussed here), you can take help of Group Policy Editor and Registry Editor tools to use defer update feature.

Let’s start the tutorial:

1. Defer Updates Using Windows 10 Settings app

This is the easiest way to defer updates in Windows 10.

1. Open Settings app from Start Menu. Alternatively, you can press WIN+I keys together to open Settings directly.

2. Now click on “Update & Security” item present in Settings app.

3. Once you open Windows Update section, click on Advanced options link.

PS: Alternatively, You can also directly launch the Advanced Options page of Windows Update settings using “ms-settings:windowsupdate-options” command in RUN dialog box as mentioned here.

4. On Advanced Options page, scroll down to bottom and look for “Choose when updates are installed” section.

You’ll see following 2 options:

• A feature update includes new capabilities and improvements. It can be deferred for this many days:
• A quality update includes security improvements. It can be deferred for this many days:

5. To defer feature updates, select desired days number from the drop-down box given under feature update defer option. You can select up to 365 days from the drop-down box.

To defer quality updates, select desired days number from the drop-down box given under quality update defer option. You can select up to 30 days from the drop-down box.

That’s it.

2. Defer Updates in Windows 10 Using Group Policy Editor

If you can’t find Defer Updates option on Windows Update page in Settings app in newer Windows 10 versions or you are not allowed to use the option due to some restrictions, you can use Group Policy Editor to use defer update functionality.

1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Now type gpedit.msc and press Enter. It’ll open Group Policy Editor.

2. Now go to:

3. In right-side pane, look for following options:

4. If you want to defer feature updates, double-click on “Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received” option. Now select Enabled option and do as following:

Select “Semi-Annual Channel” option from drop-down box given next to “Select the Windows readiness level for the updates you want to receive” option.

Select or type 365 or desired days number in “After a Preview Build of Feature Update is released, defer receiving it for this many days” option.

Apply changes.

5. If you want to defer quality updates, double-click on “Select when Quality Updates are received” option. Now select Enabled option and do as following:

Select or type 30 or desired days number in “After a Quality Update is released, defer receiving it for this many days” option.

Apply changes.

That’s it.

PS: In future if you decide to remove defer update policy and allow Windows 10 download and install feature updates or quality updates, you can reset the above mentioned options in Step 3 to Not Configured.

3. Defer Updates in Windows 10 Using Registry Editor

If you are using Home edition of Windows, you’ll not be able to run gpedit.msc command because this edition doesn’t come with Group Policy Editor.

If you can’t use or don’t want to use Group Policy Editor, you can take help of Registry Editor for the same task. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Press WIN+R keys together to launch RUN dialog box. Now type regedit and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

3. Now do as following:

To defer Feature Updates:

In right-side pane, right-click on empty area and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value option. Set the new DWORD name as DeferFeatureUpdates and set its value to 1

Create another DWORD (32-bit) value, set its name as BranchReadinessLevel and set its value to 10 (keep Hexadecimal as base selected)

Create another DWORD (32-bit) value and set its name as DeferFeatureUpdatesPeriodInDays. Double-click on the DWORD, select Decimal as base and enter 365 in value data field. You can enter any desired days number up to 365 in value data text box.

To defer Quality Updates:

In right-side pane, right-click on empty area and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value option. Set the new DWORD name as DeferQualityUpdates and set its value to 1

Create another DWORD (32-bit) value and set its name as DeferQualityUpdatesPeriodInDays. Double-click on the DWORD, select Decimal as base and enter 30 in value data field. You can enter any desired days number up to 30 in value data text box.

That’s it. Restart your computer to take effects.

PS: In future if you decide to remove defer update setting and allow Windows 10 download and install feature updates or quality updates, you can delete the above mentioned DWORDs created in Step 3.

Also Check:

How to Prevent or Skip Feature Update Installation in Windows 10

[Tip] Force Windows 10 to Stay on Existing / Installed Feature Update Version