AUOptions 2: make Windows Update ask before it downloads and installs
Short answer
UpdatedAUOptions is the Windows Update policy that decides how updates arrive. The value 2 means notify before download: Windows tells you an update is ready and waits for you. This tweak sets that policy. In the registry it sets NoAutoUpdate to 0 under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU, and 1 more value.
HKLMSOFTWARE\
NoAutoUpdateNot set0
What it does
AUOptions is the Windows Update policy that decides how updates arrive. The value 2 means notify before download: Windows tells you an update is ready and waits for you. This tweak sets that policy.
In the app the switch is called "Windows Update: Notify Only", described there as: Prevents surprise downloads/restarts; set updates to Notify.
When it helps, and when it hurts
When it helps
- Stopping update downloads and restart prompts from starting in the middle of a session.
When it hurts
- Updates, including security fixes, wait until you start them. You have to remember to do it.
- On Home editions Windows may not honor every update policy.
What it writes
Exactly what the switch changes, read from the app's source. Switching it off is what the app writes when you turn the tweak off again.
| Key and value | With the tweak | Switching it off |
|---|---|---|
| HKLMSOFTWARE\ | 0 | Not setThe value is deleted. Windows decides. |
| HKLMSOFTWARE\ | 2 | Not setThe value is deleted. Windows decides. |
From the app's source (windows_update_notify.hpp), app 2.0.0, checked .
The same change by hand
You do not need the app for this one. These commands make the changes from the table above. Run them in a Command Prompt opened as administrator, and make a restore point first.
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v "NoAutoUpdate" /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v "AUOptions" /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /freg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v "NoAutoUpdate" /f
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v "AUOptions" /freg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU" /v "NoAutoUpdate"How to undo it
In the app: Yes
Switching it off sets a standard Windows value, which may not be exactly how you had it.
Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. It deletes NoAutoUpdate, AUOptions, so Windows uses its built-in behavior again.
Changing several settings at once? The app's Make a restore point button, on every plan, makes a Windows restore point before you start.
Verdict
Good for control, as long as you still update regularly.
Questions
- What does the "Windows Update: Notify Only" tweak change in Windows?
- In the registry it sets NoAutoUpdate to 0 under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU, and 1 more value. The full list is in the table on this page, read from the app's source.
- Is "Windows Update: Notify Only" safe to switch on?
- Good for control, as long as you still update regularly. The main cost: Updates, including security fixes, wait until you start them. You have to remember to do it.
- How do I undo it?
- Switch the tweak off in Frozen Tweaks. Switching it off sets a standard Windows value, which may not be exactly how you had it.
- Is "Windows Update: Notify Only" free in Frozen Tweaks?
- Yes. It is one of the free tweaks, with no time limit.
In the app
- Switch
- Windows Update: Notify Only
- Category
- Windows
- Plan
- Free
- Undo
- Yes
Related guides
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- How to Increase FPS on PC: The Complete 2026 GuideAn ordered method for raising FPS on Windows 11 in 2026: the four settings that matter most first, then the GPU driver, BIOS and latency tuning.11 min read
More tweak explainers
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Written by
Frost LIVEFounder of Frozen Tweaks, based in Hamburg, Germany. Publishes settings guides for competitive games on his YouTube channel, Frost LIVE.
In the app
- Category
- Windows
- Plan
- Free
- Undo
- Yes
Frozen Tweaks
Free for Windows 10 and 11
58 tweaks free, each with an undo switch. Never edits game files.
v2.0.0 · 6.4 MB · Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit · free account, no payment details
Or type frozentweaks.com on your PC.
The free Windows app for competitive games.
58 tweaks free, each with an undo switch. Never edits game files.
v2.0.0 · 6.4 MB · Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit · free account, no payment details
Frozen Tweaks runs on Windows. Send the link to your PC and download it there.
Or type frozentweaks.com on your PC.