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To temporarily defer Windows 11 updates while you test a gaming issue, open Start > Settings > Windows Update and choose an end date under Pause updates. Microsoft currently allows a pause of up to 35 days from the date you set it. Pausing only changes update timing: it does not diagnose the game problem or remove an update that is already installed.
Pause updates from Windows Update
- Open Start > Settings > Windows Update.
- Under Pause updates, select Pick a date if that option appears.
- Choose an end date within the supported period. Microsoft’s current guidance allows up to 35 days from the date you choose. The control’s presentation can vary as Windows features roll out.
- Check the Windows Update page to confirm the pause status and note its end date before you test the game.
Microsoft describes both a date picker and a pause-length selector in its support material, so follow the control shown on your PC rather than expecting every device to use precisely the same label. See Microsoft’s instructions for pausing Windows updates.
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What happens during the pause
Microsoft says updates that may require a restart will not be downloaded or installed until the pause ends, and Windows will not automatically restart to complete those updates during the pause. If an update is already in progress when you pause, Microsoft says that update is canceled. This does not establish that Windows Update caused the gaming problem; it simply gives you a temporary window to test without applicable updates proceeding as usual.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe pause is not permanent. Microsoft states, “This doesn’t permanently turn off automatic updates.” When the pause ends, Windows checks for the latest available updates and may download and install them. Selecting the option to resume updates also triggers a check, and updates may need to be downloaded and installed again. If you extend a pause, the new end date must still be within 35 days from the date you set it. See Microsoft’s Windows Update FAQ.
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Resume updates when testing is over
When your troubleshooting window is finished, return to Start > Settings > Windows Update and select the control to resume updates, or allow the pause to expire. Resuming prompts Windows to check for updates; ending the pause does not itself explain or fix the gaming issue.
Pausing is not rollback or game diagnosis
If you suspect an update that is already installed, pausing updates does not uninstall or roll it back. Nor do the cited Microsoft instructions describe the pause as a way to identify a game’s cause or repair the game. Keep the distinction clear: pausing is an update-scheduling control, not a diagnostic step or an uninstall procedure.
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Microsoft’s Windows Update FAQ also discusses active hours and scheduled restart for managing restart timing. Those controls address when restarts happen; they are different from pausing updates when the aim is to defer applicable downloads and installations.
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If the update process is producing errors, Microsoft recommends starting with the automated Windows Update troubleshooter in the Get Help app on Windows 11. This is guidance for an update problem, not a game-specific diagnostic. Follow Microsoft’s Windows Update troubleshooting steps.
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Some update categories may behave differently
Microsoft’s “One restart a month for Windows updates” guidance describes a monthly-restart update experience for applicable Windows 11 versions, with availability rolling out gradually. It says the experience begins with updates released on or after July 28, 2026, and lists versions 24H2, 25H2, and 26H1. The guidance also identifies exceptions, including Defender security intelligence, AI component updates, critical or expedited driver updates, and emergency or out-of-band updates. These rollout details are not a requirement for pausing, and they mean you should not assume a pause treats every update category identically. See Microsoft’s monthly-restart update guidance.
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