Microsoft will no longer force Windows 11 users to accept updates when it is inconvenient. Postponing updates is now possible without limits, and restarting without installing an update is also becoming easier.
Microsoft is making its update policy for Windows 11 more flexible. Based on user feedback, the company has decided to stop rolling out updates as mandatory. The company recognizes that the current approach leads to disruptive interruptions in productivity and is providing more control for those behind the controls.
Postponing and restarting
First and foremost, it will be possible to postpone updates. This was already possible before, but with the new approach, Microsoft allows its customers to renew a 35-day postponement indefinitely. Anyone taking a new system out of the box can also get started immediately without a mandatory round of updates.
Furthermore, Microsoft is ensuring that updates no longer hijack the shutdown and restart process. When updates are ready, it is currently not possible via the start menu to restart a system without installing them. This can be particularly annoying, for example, when you want to quickly restart your PC because it’s stuck and you urgently need to jump into an online meeting.
To make such issues a thing of the past, Microsoft will now always display the option to shut down or restart without installing updates.
Furthermore, Microsoft will provide more information about available updates so that users can make better-informed decisions. The updates section under Settings > Windows Update will be made clearer for this purpose.
First for Insiders
Microsoft is currently rolling out the modified update system to Windows Insiders. The less intrusive updates will eventually be an option for all Windows 11 users.
The flexibility is a welcome addition. Automatic installation, and especially the obligation to install updates during a restart, could be sources of frustration. The fact that Microsoft is now giving its end users more options is therefore a good thing.
On the other hand, the end user must now take responsibility: you can keep postponing updates, but that is a terrible idea. After all, most Windows updates contain security improvements and are best installed as soon as possible. Anyone who permanently checks the 35-day postponement is doing themselves no favors.