How to extend MS updates delay to beyond 35 days.

After a messed up 20H2 update, and reverting back to 1909, I found a way to extend the updates delay to beyond the 35 days, I have mine set now to 8/29/2025 so that it never updates until that date, which means I can control what updates are installed and when. Right now, 20H2 is messed up, so now I wait for the next feature update, and still use 1909 even though it has reached the end of it's service, and by having an up to date firewall and antivirus (never rely on MS defender), I can still keep using 1909 until a more stable version is released.

OK, here's how to extend it.
PC Settings->Update & Security->Advanced options

Then scroll a little till you get to the section 'Pause updates', then in the drop down, select the very last one, then click the 'Back' arrow at the very top left of the settings window, then click 'Advanced Option' again, then go to the 'Pause updates' section and the drop down should show more dates, select the very last one, and repeat from the 'Advanced Options' for as long as you like.

As of writing this post, I can currently extend the delay to Mon, Nov 12, 2029

Permanently delay updates by Using CMD script and VBScript to control Windows Update

Also: How to Specify Target Feature Update Version in Windows 10

Matthew Wai said:

Permanently delay updates by Using CMD script and VBScript to control Windows Update

How to Specify Target Feature Update Version in Windows 10

There is a problem with using that script, with disabling updates, the MS store relies on the update service to download stuff from the MS store, but, by extending the delay, still allows the store to be used.

MrTrippy said:

There is a problem with using that script, with disabling updates, the MS store relies on the update service to download stuff from the MS store

Assuming you are referring to the Windows Update service, the scripts will not disable the service. They will disable automatic updates. If you want automatic updates, don't use them.

MrTrippy said:

Right now, 20H2 is messed up

20H2 has been working fine since I clean installed it last year.

Matthew Wai said:

Assuming you are referring to the Windows Update service, the scripts will not disable the service. They will disable automatic updates. If you want automatic updates, don't use them.

20H2 has been working fine since I clean installed it last year.

I'm curious, did you take into consideration the new service that auto repairs the update service? It's called 'Windows Update Medic Service' it monitors the update components and repairs them if needed, and even though the update service can be disabled, the medic service cannot. At one point I tried using the elevated command prompt to delete the update service after first creating a reg key backup, it successfully deleted the service, but within 15 minutes it was back and and any attempt at disabling or removing the medic service resulted in 'Access Denied'

MrTrippy said:

It's called 'Windows Update Medic Service' it monitors the update components and repairs them if needed, and even though the update service can be disabled, the medic service cannot.

The script will disable "Windows Update Medic Service". See below:

AddRAM said:

I use option 7

Enable or Disable Windows Update Automatic Updates in Windows 10 | Tutorials (tenforums.com)

2029

Well, it seems that the WAU manager is only for Win10 Pro, I guess Home edition does not have the group policy, and also, Microsoft has disabled the Group Policy setting to stop updates, which means updates can't be chosen like you could in XP, so, the ONLY method is to extend the update delay to as long as possible, mine is set to 2025.

MrTrippy said:

Microsoft has disabled the Group Policy setting to stop updates

See: Update Windows with WUA Manager

Matthew Wai said:

See: Update Windows with WUA Manager

I have downloaded it an ran it, the WUA manager did not disable the update service it is still in 'manual (trigger)' mode, even after a reboot, also compared to how others say to use the GPeditor, Win10 Home doesn't have the GPEditor, so when I clicked an 'Save & Apply' it said that the GPEditor is not available in the home edition and would I like to install it, to which I said yes, and it started DISM several times and installed various GPEdit modules, then I put a check mark in 'Disable the builtin windows automatic updates', which when 'Save & Apply' is clicked it should change the setting 'Configure Automatic Updates' located at Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update in the GPEditor, but it doesn't and the update service is still enabled, so, further investigation has found that MS has literally disabled the group policy from ever being used in Win10 Home edition, even if it is installed, and also, the GPEdit and group policies were designed for win10 pro, because of the different areas of the system compared to home edition. Win10 Home edition may not even read the group policy and ignore it altogether if the ability to read the policy is not coded into the system. It'll be like opening a text document and you have no software to open it with.