Prevent the wizard from running.: registry value DisabledUserHKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU

Policy ID: Disabled
Scope: Computer Configuration, User Configuration
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Source: Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
Category: Windows Components › Add features to Windows 10

Registry

Disabled

REG_DWORDUserComputer

…\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAUHKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU Current key
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU

Enabled value: 1
Disabled value: 0

Apply with .reg · CMD · PowerShell

UserPer-account setting

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU]

; Options (use only one)
; Enabled
"Disabled"=dword:00000001
; Disabled
"Disabled"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Enabled
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU" /v "Disabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Disabled
reg add "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU" /v "Disabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Enabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU' -Name 'Disabled' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Disabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU' -Name 'Disabled' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null

ComputerMachine-wide setting

.reg

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU]

; Options (use only one)
; Enabled
"Disabled"=dword:00000001
; Disabled
"Disabled"=dword:00000000

CMD

:: Options (use only one)

:: Enabled
reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU" /v "Disabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
:: Disabled
reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU" /v "Disabled" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

PowerShell

# Common: create the key
New-Item -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU' -Force | Out-Null

# Options (use only one)
# Enabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU' -Name 'Disabled' -PropertyType DWord -Value 1 -Force | Out-Null
# Disabled
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\WAU' -Name 'Disabled' -PropertyType DWord -Value 0 -Force | Out-Null