Microsoft has introduced a new feature that allows users to pause Windows updates indefinitely. This change comes in response to user feedback regarding the inconvenience caused by untimely updates and the lack of control over update timing.
Users can now skip updates during the out-of-box experience, enabling faster setup of new devices with the option to update later. The key addition is the ability to pause updates for up to 35 days, with the flexibility to extend the pause end date indefinitely. Microsoft has also eliminated the forced “update and shutdown” or “update and restart” options, providing users with standard restart and shutdown choices even when updates are pending.
Additionally, Microsoft has enhanced update labels, particularly for driver updates, by including device class information for better user understanding. These new features are currently rolling out to Windows Insiders in the Dev Channel and Experimental Channel, with plans to extend to commercial customers in the future.
These changes aim to address user concerns and provide more control and clarity in managing Windows updates.