Turn off access to all Windows Update features
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, or Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Internet Communication Management\Internet Communication settings Description
This policy setting allows you to remove access to Windows Update. If you enable this policy setting, all Windows Update features are removed. This includes blocking access to the Windows Update website at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com, from the Windows Update hyperlink on the Start menu, and also on the Tools menu in Internet Explorer. Windows automatic updating is also disabled; you will neither be notified about nor will you receive critical updates from Windows Update. This policy setting also prevents Device Manager from automatically installing driver updates from the Windows Update website. If you disable or do not configure this policy setting, users can access the Windows Update website and enable automatic updating to receive notifications and critical updates from Windows Update. Note: This policy applies only when this PC is configured to connect to an intranet update service using the "Specify intranet Microsoft update service location" policy.
Registry
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate Value name: DisableWindowsUpdateAccess
Enabled: DisableWindowsUpdateAccess = 1
Disabled: DisableWindowsUpdateAccess = 0
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_ICM/RemoveWindowsUpdate_ICM Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Turn off access to all Windows Update features
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, or Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
"DisableWindowsUpdateAccess"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off access to all Windows Update features
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, or Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWindowsUpdateAccess' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/ADMX_ICM/RemoveWindowsUpdate_ICM
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off access to all Windows Update features
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, or Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate' -Name 'DisableWindowsUpdateAccess' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off access to all Windows Update features
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, or Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWindowsUpdateAccess' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off access to all Windows Update features
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, or Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off access to all Windows Update features
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, or Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate' -Name 'DisableWindowsUpdateAccess' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Turn off access to all Windows Update features
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems, Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1, or Windows 2000 Service Pack 3
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'DisableWindowsUpdateAccess' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.