Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received

Policy ID
DeferFeatureUpdates
Scope
Computer Configuration
Supported on
At least Windows Server 2016 or Windows 10
Source
Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category
Windows Components › Windows Update › Manage updates offered from Windows Update

Description

Enable this policy to specify when to receive Feature Updates.

Defer Updates | This enables devices to defer taking the next Feature Update available for their current product (or a new product if specified in the Select the target Feature Update version policy). You can defer a Feature Update for up to 14 days for all pre-release channels and up to 365 days for the General Availability Channel. To learn more about the current releases, please see aka.ms/WindowsTargetVersioninfo

Pause Updates | To prevent Feature Updates from being offered to the device, you can temporarily pause Feature Updates. This pause will remain in effect for 35 days from the specified start date or until the field is cleared. Note, Quality Updates will still be offered even if Feature Updates are paused.

Options

  • How many days after a Feature Update is released would you like to defer the update before it is offered to the device?
  • Pause Preview Builds or Feature Updates starting:
  • (format yyyy-mm-dd example: 2016-10-30)

Registry

ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
  • DeferFeatureUpdatesREG_DWORD
  • DeferFeatureUpdatesPeriodInDaysREG_DWORD
  • PauseFeatureUpdatesStartTimeREG_SZ

Other policies in the same category

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