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Get Notifications Before Windows Downloads Updates

Unexpected Windows updates can interrupt work when a download or restart happens at an inconvenient time. The Configure Automatic Updates policy lets you choose how Windows handles automatic updates. With option 2, Windows notifies you when updates are ready to download; you can then download and install them from Windows Update.

This setting normally notifies you before downloading updates, but a configured update deadline can override it. Delaying updates can also delay security fixes. Check Windows Update regularly and install available updates promptly. On a work or school PC, other management policies may affect update behavior or reapply settings; contact the administrator before changing it. If an automatic installation deadline policy is configured, Windows 11 version 22H2 and later with the December 10, 2024 update follows this setting before the deadline but ignores it after the deadline. When the policy is Not Configured, this policy does not enforce a choice, and other settings may determine the behavior.

Steps

  1. Press Win + R and run gpedit.msc.
  2. Under Computer Configuration › Administrative Templates › Windows Components › Windows Update › Manage end user experience, open Configure Automatic Updates.
  3. Select Enabled.
  4. Select option 2 to receive a notification before downloading updates, then save the policy. Option 3 downloads updates automatically and notifies you when they are ready to install.
  5. To refresh the policy, open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
gpupdate /force

Open Settings, select Windows Update, and check for available updates. Download and install them when you are ready; a restart may still be needed after installation.

Set the same option in the registry

Before editing the registry, press Win + R and run regedit. If the key below exists, select it and export it from the File menu. Record whether the key and each of the two values exist and note their original data. If the key is missing, create it at the specified path.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU
NoAutoUpdate  REG_DWORD  0
AUOptions     REG_DWORD  2

Create any missing values as DWORD (32-bit) values and enter the data shown. Reopen them to check the saved values. To undo a manual registry change, restore the original data and delete only values that were absent before. Do not delete the whole key, which may contain other update policies. See the registry value page for the policy's other options.

Undo the policy

To remove the Group Policy setting, open it again and select Not Configured, then run gpupdate /force. Windows then follows other applicable settings. Do not confuse this with Disabled, which disables automatic updates; you must then check for and install available updates manually.

If your main concern is an inconvenient restart, Turn off auto-restart for updates during active hours prevents automatic restarts for updates during active hours, though other deadline policies may affect restart behavior.

This article is based on the Windows 11 version 26H2 policy templates.

References