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What the error means
The reported message—“Can’t pause updates You need administrator privileges to pause updates on this device”—appears in Microsoft Store under Settings > App updates when someone tries to pause or disable app updates. It concerns Microsoft Store app updates, not necessarily Windows Update itself. A Microsoft Q&A user reported seeing it on Windows 10 Pro 22H2 despite having an administrator account; similar reports exist for Windows 11. These reports show that others have encountered the message, but do not establish how common it is. See the reported Windows 10 case and a Windows community discussion.
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Why it can happen even to an administrator
There is no confirmed root cause in the available reports. Administrator membership does not guarantee that this particular Store operation will work: users who say they are administrators have reported the same error. A Microsoft Q&A Independent Advisor called it a possible bug, not a confirmed Microsoft diagnosis. Another community respondent speculated about Store, InstallService, UAC, or registry permissions but could not identify the cause. The Q&A responses are community guidance, not a Microsoft support bulletin.
A work or school organization may also manage Store settings through device policy, so that is worth checking if the PC is managed. That possibility is not proof that management is responsible on any particular device. The troubleshooting guidance recommends checking both account access and organizational restrictions.
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Try these checks in order
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Confirm the signed-in account
Check which Windows account is currently signed in and whether it has administrator access. If it is a standard account, ask an administrator to make the Store setting change. If the account is already an administrator, continue—the reported error can occur in that situation too.
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Check whether the PC is managed
If the device is connected to a work or school account, ask the organization’s IT administrator whether a policy controls Microsoft Store settings. Do not disconnect a managed account just to test this; doing so may affect access to work or school resources.
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Reset Microsoft Store
One suggested troubleshooting step is to run
wsreset.exe. Open Start, typewsreset.exe, and launch the result. When the reset finishes, check Microsoft Store > Settings > App updates again. Results are uncertain: the user who reported the Windows 10 case had already runwsreset.exeand restarted the PC without resolving the message. That report and the troubleshooting guide describe the reset attempt.Recommended: Fix Windows Errors and Clear Junk Files in Minutes - Free Scan →Recommended: Update Every Outdated Driver on Your PC in One Scan - Free →Recommended: PC Feels Slow? A Free Scan Shows What's Dragging Windows Down →Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy. -
Send feedback if it still fails
In Microsoft Store, open the profile menu and choose Send feedback > Report a problem. A Microsoft Q&A community response recommends this route. It does not confirm that Microsoft has acknowledged the issue or given a repair schedule. Read the Q&A response.
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Why registry edits and policy workarounds are not first-line fixes
Some community users report changing permissions on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionInstallService and its State subkey; one says that granting Users Full Control restored the pause control on their machine. This is an anecdotal, system-wide registry permission change, not an established or official fix. Because it can alter security permissions, do not apply it as a routine troubleshooting step; consult qualified support before considering it. The community report does not establish why it worked or whether it is safe for other PCs.
A separate discussion suggests enabling the Group Policy setting “Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates.” That changes update behavior; it does not demonstrate that the Store pause control or its permission error has been repaired. The discussion also notes that gpedit.msc was unavailable on one Windows Home device. See the discussion.
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What to expect
Account and management checks can identify configuration issues, and resetting the Store is a suggested attempt, but none is a guaranteed fix. If the message persists, use Store feedback rather than assuming that administrator membership, a registry edit, or a policy change will resolve it. The available reports do not establish a confirmed cause, affected population, or fix timeline.
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