Microsoft has changed its app store update policy: from now on, updates will be installed automatically, and you can no longer completely disable them. Users will only be given a temporary pause: from one to five weeks.
Microsoft has changed its app store update policy: from now on, updates will be installed automatically, and you can no longer completely disable them. Users will only be given a temporary pause: from one to five weeks.
As TechSpot reports, the change is being rolled out gradually to all Windows users. Previously, updates could be disabled using a standard switch in the Store or a registry tweak, but these options have disappeared. The exception is systems where administrators use Group Policy: there updates can still be blocked centrally, but in home editions of Windows the policy editor is not available, so most users remain in automatic mode.
According to Microsoft, the new approach should reduce the vulnerability area: unupdated applications often become gateways for attacks or data leaks. The company effectively moves the «control point» to the store level to close holes faster, even if the developer or user delays. At the same time, the «pause» for several weeks leaves room for compatibility when you need to wait for a patch from the vendor or complete critical work tasks.
Functionally, this means that enthusiasts have lost an easy way to «freeze» the version of their favorite software. There are workarounds like corporate policies or completely abandoning Store versions in favor of standalone installers, but for average users, this complicates managed update scenarios.
Context is also important for the Microsoft Store itself. The platform launched with Windows 8 in 2012 as a universal software delivery channel, but for a long time remained niche. In recent years, Microsoft has been trying to revive the ecosystem: in 2024, the store learned to update not only UWP applications, but also classic Win32 ones, and the WinGet package manager gained the ability to download and archive Store applications for offline deployment.
Interfering with the update policy is consistent with the general trend of Windows towards «secure by default.» The company has already unified security mechanisms for drivers, kernel, and browser, and is now tightening the contours of applications. This reduces risks for the mass user, but limits the freedom of «power users,» who will either have to live with pauses of 1–5 weeks or transfer control of updates to corporate tools.
We also previously reported on how Microsoft announced the integration of GPT-5 across the entire Copilot suite of tools. The updates are available to all user categories: regular users, developers, and enterprise customers.
