How to set Windows Updates to Manual/Disabled

Step-by-step guide

By default, Server 2016 will not let you set Automatic Updates to Manual mode.  Setting them to manual will actually change them to "Custom", which will still install updates.  You will see the following when using Sconfig and choosing Manual.

To get the Manual mode changes to stick, perform either of the following fixes.

Create a Group Policy to Disable Automatic Updates

1. Create a new GPO and apply it to the servers in question.
2. Set the following policy object to Disabled.
   1. Computer Config >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Windows Update >> Configure Automatic Updates – Disabled
      
3. Open an administrative command prompt on the server and run a gpupdate /force to apply the new policy.
4. Once the policy is applied, type Sconfig to launch the Server Configuration manager.
5. Type 5 to configure updates, then M for Manual.
   
6. If successful, you will see the following message and it will say Manual under option 5 instead of Custom.
   

Create Registry Keys to Disable Updates

1. Launch regedit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
2. Create the following 2 keys and leave them empty.

   1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

   2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

   
3. Launch and administrative command prompt on the server and type Sconfig to enter the Server Configuration manager.
4. Type 5 to configure updates, then M for Manual.
5. If successful, you will see the same message as above and it will say Manual under option 5 instead of Custom.

Related articles

Related articles appear here based on the labels you select. Click to edit the macro and add or change labels.