How to Pause Windows Update for 100 Years

Windows Update plays a crucial role in Windows. Keeping the system updated delivers a better experience. Not only does it patch security vulnerabilities to keep our computer safe and running smoothly, but we also gain access to the latest features (like AI-powered Copilot) and improved support for games and apps.

Sometimes we need to turn off Windows Update or disable it completely for various reasons. While Windows offers an option to pause updates, we can only delay them for up to 5 weeks maximum. In this article, I'll introduce pausing Windows Update for an extremely long period - pausing updates for 100 years. Watch on YouTube

Step 1. Open the Registry Editor

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog.

2. Type regedit.exe and click OK to launch the Registry Editor.

Step 2. Edit the Windows Registry

3. Navigate to the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings

4. Right-click a space in the right panel, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

5. Name the new value FlightSettingsMaxPauseDays.

6. Double-click FlightSettingsMaxPauseDays, set the base to Decimal, enter 36500, and click OK to save.

Step 3. Pause Updates for 5214 Weeks

7. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.

8. Go to Windows Update in the left sidebar and find the Pause updates option.

9. Click the dropdown menu - you'll now see an extended list. Scroll to the bottom and select 5214 weeks.

Note: The dropdown may respond slowly due to the unusually long list of options.