Windows 10 users and administrators who set a policy on machines running Windows 10 to delay the deployment of feature updates, may notice that cumulative security updates are not installed on PC systems with these configurations either.

Microsoft moved policies around a bit in the Fall Creators Update for Windows 10. Administrators and users have two options when it comes to delaying the installation of updates. One delays the installation of quality updates -- read cumulative updates that Microsoft releases on a monthly basis at the very least -- the other when feature updates are installed.

Feature updates are major updates for the operating system that are released twice a year by Microsoft.

When you delay the installation of feature updates in Windows 10 version 1709, Windows 10 may not install quality updates that include security updates as well.

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Windows 10 admins can set the policy under Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business > Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received.

The setting "After a Preview Build or Feature Update is released, defer receiving it for this many days" can be set to a value between 0 and 365 (days). If the value is set to any positive number, cumulative updates are not picked up by Windows 10 anymore so the report.

Switching the value back to 0, or disabling the policy altogether (which has the same effect), has Windows 10 pick up the missing cumulative updates immediately according to the user who reported the issue on Microsoft's Technet forum.

A manual check for updates in the Settings application will find any update but cumulative updates. Updates for the Malicious Software Removal Tool or Flash Player are found for instance.

In a follow up message, the thread starter suggests that setting the deferral time in the Settings application causes the issue as well. This is found under Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Choose when Updates are installed.

Several other users confirmed the issue in the thread. Microsoft has yet to confirm the issue however.

Administrators may install the missing updates manually by downloading the updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog website.