Microsoft is finally letting Windows users hit the pause button on those annoying automatic updates. The company is rolling out new controls that let you delay updates for up to 35 days at a time, and you can keep extending that delay indefinitely.
This fixes one of Windows users’ biggest complaints – getting interrupted by forced updates right in the middle of important work or gaming sessions. Now you get to decide when your computer restarts.
No More Bad Timing
The new feature is currently available to Windows Insider testers in the Dev and Experimental channels. Users can access the pause option through Windows Update settings, giving them much more control over when their system gets updated.
Microsoft has been testing different approaches to update management for years. The company wants to keep computers secure with regular updates, but also learned that forcing updates at inconvenient times frustrates users. This 35-day pause system seems like their compromise solution.
The change comes after countless user complaints about Windows updates interrupting presentations, gaming sessions, and other time-sensitive activities. Microsoft’s previous update policies were often criticized for being too aggressive and not respecting user schedules.
Expect this feature to roll out to regular Windows users in the coming months. Microsoft typically tests new features with Insider users first before making them available to everyone. Once it launches widely, millions of Windows users will finally have the update control they’ve been asking for.
