Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received

Enable this policy to specify the level of Preview Build or Feature Updates to receive, and when.

* Preview Build - Fast: Devices set to this level will be the first to receive new builds of Windows with features not yet available to the general public. Select Fast to participate in identifying and reporting issues to Microsoft, and provide suggestions on new functionality.
* Preview Build - Slow: Devices set to this level receive new builds of Windows before they are available to the general public, but at a slower cadence than those set to Fast, and with changes and fixes identified in earlier builds.
* Release Preview: Receive builds of Windows just before Microsoft releases them to the general public.
* Semi-Annual Channel: Receive feature updates when they are released to the general public.

The following Windows Readiness levels have been deprecated and are only applicable to 1809 and below:
* Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) for 1809 and below: Feature updates have been released.
* Semi-Annual Channel for 1809 and below: Feature updates have been declared Semi-Annual Channel, a designation indicating the release is ready for broad deployment.
Please review the release information page at http://aka.ms/ReleaseInformationPage for the Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) and Semi-Annual Channel release dates.

When selecting a Preview Build:
- You can defer receiving Preview Builds for up to 14 days.
- To prevent Preview Builds from being received on their scheduled time, you can temporarily pause them. The pause will remain in effect for 35 days from the start time provided.
- To resume receiving Feature Updates which are paused, clear the start date field.

Preview Build enrollment requires a telemetry level setting of 2 or higher and your domain registered on insider.windows.com. For additional information on Preview Builds, see: https://aka.ms/wipforbiz

When Selecting Semi-Annual Channel:
- You can defer receiving Feature Updates for up to 365 days.
- To prevent Feature Updates from being received on their scheduled time, you can temporarily pause them. The pause will remain in effect for 35 days from the start time provided.
- To resume receiving Feature Updates which are paused, clear the start date field.

If you disable or do not configure this policy, Windows Update will not alter its behavior.

Supported on: At least Windows 10 Server or Windows 10

Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
Value NameDeferFeatureUpdates
Value TypeREG_DWORD
Enabled Value1
Disabled Value0

Select the Windows readiness level for the updates you want to receive:


  1. Preview Build - Fast
    Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
    Value NameBranchReadinessLevel
    Value TypeREG_DWORD
    Value2
  2. Preview Build - Slow
    Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
    Value NameBranchReadinessLevel
    Value TypeREG_DWORD
    Value4
  3. Release Preview
    Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
    Value NameBranchReadinessLevel
    Value TypeREG_DWORD
    Value8
  4. Semi-Annual Channel
    Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
    Value NameBranchReadinessLevel
    Value TypeREG_DWORD
    Value16
  5. Semi-Annual Channel for 1809 and below (Deprecated)
    Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
    Value NameBranchReadinessLevel
    Value TypeREG_DWORD
    Value32
  6. Semi-Annual Channel (Targeted) for 1809 and below (Deprecated)
    Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
    Value NameBranchReadinessLevel
    Value TypeREG_DWORD
    Value16

After a Preview Build or Feature Update is released, defer receiving it for this many days:

Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
Value NameDeferFeatureUpdatesPeriodInDays
Value TypeREG_DWORD
Default Value0
Min Value0
Max Value365
Pause Preview Builds or Feature Updates starting:

Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate
Value NamePauseFeatureUpdatesStartTime
Value TypeREG_SZ
Default Value

(format yyyy-mm-dd example: 2016-10-30)


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