windows server 2022 windows update service keep disable

Hello SungGeun YI,

On Windows Server 2022, the Windows Update service (wuauserv) is designed to revert from Disabled back to Manual (Trigger Start) because the servicing stack enforces that behavior. Microsoft hardened this in Server 2019 and 2022 to prevent administrators from completely disabling updates through the Services console. That is why you see the service reset itself even after you set it to Disabled.

If you want to prevent automatic updates, you must enforce it through Group Policy rather than trying to disable the service directly. The supported method is to configure the policy under Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update. The key setting is Configure Automatic Updates. Set this to Disabled. This prevents the OS from scanning and installing updates automatically, while leaving the service in its default state.

Additionally, you should configure Do not connect to any Windows Update Internet locations to Enabled, and point the system to WSUS or leave it without an update source. This ensures the server does not attempt to reach Microsoft Update. If you want to block updates entirely, you can also set Remove access to use all Windows Update features.

The important point is that on Server 2022, you cannot permanently disable the Windows Update service at the service level. The servicing stack will override it. The only supported way is through Group Policy or registry policies that control update behavior. If you check the registry at HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU, you should see NoAutoUpdate set to 1 when the policy is applied. That is the indicator that updates are disabled.

So the next step is to stop trying to disable the service manually and instead enforce the GPO settings. That is the only way to keep Windows Update from automatically applying updates on Server 2022.

I hope you've found something useful here. If it helps you get more insight into the issue, it's appreciated to accept the answer. Should you have more questions, feel free to leave a message. Have a nice day!

Domic Vo.

Good morning

I hope you are doing well.

Have you found the answer useful? If everything is okay, don't forget to share your experience with the issue by accepting the answer. Should you need more information, free free to leave a message. Happy to help! :)

Domic Vo.

To keep the Windows Update service permanently disabled on Windows Server 2022, you can follow these steps:

1. Open the Run dialog by pressing Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. In the Services window, locate Windows Update.
3. Right-click on Windows Update and select Properties.
4. Set the Startup type to Disabled.
5. Click Stop to stop the service if it is running, then click OK to apply the changes.

If the service keeps reverting to Manual, it may be due to Group Policy settings or other administrative policies that enforce the update settings. You may need to check the Group Policy settings to ensure that there are no policies that are overriding your configuration.

Additionally, you can modify the registry to prevent Windows Update from being enabled:

1. Open the Run dialog by pressing Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. Navigate to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate.
3. If the key DisableWindowsUpdateAccess does not exist, create it as a DWORD (32-bit) value and set it to 1 to disable Windows Update access.

Important: Editing the registry incorrectly can cause system issues. Always back up the registry before making changes.

Following these steps should help you keep the Windows Update service disabled permanently.