Microsoft Store says "You need administrator privileges to pause updates" even though I am an administrator

Aditya Bapat 0 Reputation points
2026-08-11T12:32:22.03+00:00

I am using Windows 10 Pro, version 22H2, OS Build 19045.7548.

In Microsoft Store, I am trying to turn off App updates from:

Microsoft Store → Settings → App updates

When I try to turn it off, Microsoft Store displays:

Can't pause updates You need administrator privileges to pause updates on this device.image

However, my Windows account is an Administrator. I have also previously been able to turn off Microsoft Store app updates on this same PC, so this behavior appears to have changed recently.

I have already tried the following:

Confirmed my account is an Administrator using netplwiz.

Ran wsreset.exe to reset the Microsoft Store cache.

Restarted the computer.

Checked Local Group Policy Editor → Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Store.

The policy "Turn off Automatic Download and Install of updates" is currently Not Configured.

Other Store-related policies are also Not Configured.

Despite this, Microsoft Store still says that I need administrator privileges when I try to disable App updates.

Why is Microsoft Store incorrectly detecting that I don't have administrator privileges, and how can I restore the ability to turn App updates off from Microsoft Store Settings?

I would prefer to fix the underlying issue rather than using Group Policy to disable Store updates.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Microsoft Store

2 answers

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  1. Kapil Arya 38,451 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2026-08-11T17:16:56.6966667+00:00

    Can you pls confirm, if this system is connected to work/school account.

    If yes, your IT admin might have applied some restrictions.

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  2. Paulo GM 72,305 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-08-11T13:39:32.33+00:00

    Hi,

    This could be a bug. I found the thread below, and it looks like you're not the only one experiencing this issue. Other users are reporting the same bug, including on Windows 11. Since you've already tried the possible solutions on your end, I recommend reporting the issue by clicking your profile at the top of the Microsoft Store, then selecting Send feedback > Report a problem. This will allow the team to investigate the issue and hopefully release an update through the app to fix it.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/WindowsHelp/comments/1v7uzhg/cant_pause_updates_on_microsoft_store_even_though/

    Disclaimer: This is a Reddit post, not an official Microsoft site. The information is based on user experiences and opinions.

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