I have always run updates manually; I don’t like Windows Update running on its own. Newer versions of Windows tend to try and update no matter what. I often use the pause updates feature. There is a group policy to turn off updates, but Windows still checks, it just does not download or install them with that setting. I found some registry settings that seem to pause the updates until 2033, typically the UI only allows for five weeks past the current date. If you needed to run updates, you could just click the resume updates button to install before 2033. I just found this online and have not tested over a long period, but if it does not work correctly then feel free to post feedback. Anyway, here are screen shots from 10 and 11 and the required reg file.
reg file:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UpdatePolicy\Settings]
"PausedFeatureStatus"=dword:00000000
"PausedQualityStatus"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings]
"FlightSettingsMaxPauseDays"=dword:00000e42
"PauseFeatureUpdatesStartTime"="2023-11-06T14:03:37Z"
"PauseFeatureUpdatesEndTime"="2033-10-31T14:03:37Z"
"PauseQualityUpdatesStartTime"="2023-11-06T14:03:37Z"
"PauseQualityUpdatesEndTime"="2033-10-31T14:03:37Z"
"PauseUpdatesStartTime"="2023-11-06T14:03:37Z"
"PauseUpdatesExpiryTime"="2033-10-31T14:03:37Z"
reg file:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UpdatePolicy\Settings]
"PausedFeatureStatus"=dword:00000000
"PausedQualityStatus"=dword:00000000
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX\Settings]
"FlightSettingsMaxPauseDays"=dword:00000e42
"PauseFeatureUpdatesStartTime"="2023-11-06T14:03:37Z"
"PauseFeatureUpdatesEndTime"="2033-10-31T14:03:37Z"
"PauseQualityUpdatesStartTime"="2023-11-06T14:03:37Z"
"PauseQualityUpdatesEndTime"="2033-10-31T14:03:37Z"
"PauseUpdatesStartTime"="2023-11-06T14:03:37Z"
"PauseUpdatesExpiryTime"="2033-10-31T14:03:37Z"