Windows 11 to let users pause updates indefinitely
21 Mar 2026

Microsoft has announced a major shift in its Windows 11 update policy, giving users more control over their update experience.

The company's head of Windows, Pavan Davuluri, said that while automatic updates won't be completely eliminated, users will soon have the option to pause them "for as long as you need."

This means you can reboot or shut down your computer without being forced to install these updates.

Reboot once a month
Update frequency

Microsoft has also promised that even if you don't pause updates, you'll only need to reboot your computer once a month.

However, the company is also giving users the option to get updates faster if they want.

This is especially useful for those who are part of the Windows Insider Program and want new features as soon as possible.

Improvements for Windows 11
Performance upgrades

Along with the new update policy, Microsoft has also promised a host of improvements for Windows 11.

These include better performance, responsiveness, and stability; reduced memory usage; faster launch and operation of File Explorer and other apps; fewer crashes; improved drivers; more reliable wake-up from sleep mode.

The company is also working on making the setup process simpler by letting users skip updates during device setup to reach their desktop faster.

User feedback analyzed
Feedback influence

Davuluri said his team has spent months analyzing feedback from Windows users.

He emphasized that "What came through was the voice of people who care deeply about Windows and want it to be better."

However, it's still unclear if Microsoft will stop its practice of using tactics to promote Microsoft Edge over Google Chrome.