How to Block Windows 11 Update

Microsoft will release Windows 11 to all users with a Windows 10 compatible PC. A free upgrade sounds great!

However, there is a problem. If you don’t care about Windows 11, you will be forced to block the Windows 11 upgrade. You may not like the new user interface, or some hardware or software may not be compatible. You may just not want to change.

Whatever the reason, if you are a happy Windows 10 user, there is a way to lock down Windows 11 on your PC. There are two ways to do this: through a Registry tweak or by using Group Policy in Windows 10 Pro and above.

How to block the Windows 11 update with the Registry

If you have Windows 10 Home (or Pro), you can block the Windows 11 upgrade by editing the Registry.

NoteNote: The following steps involve hacking the Registry which is not for the faint of heart. If you change or adjust the values ​​incorrectly, it can lead to an unstable or unusable system. Before you begin, back up your Registry, create a Restore Point, or do a full backup so you can recover your computer if something goes wrong.

To block Windows update using the registry, follow these steps:

1. Hit the keyboard shortcut Windows + R to launch the dialog Run.
2. Scribe regedit and press To accept.
   
3. When Registry Editor opens, navigate to the following path:

   EquipoHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsWindowsUpdate

4. If you don’t see the directory WindowsUpdate, click the right mouse button on the Windows folder and select New > Key and name it WindowsUpdate.
   
5. Right-click in the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
   
6. Now, name the value a TargetReleaseVersion.
   
7. Double click on the value TargetReleaseVersion that you created and give it a data value of 1 and click To accept.
   
8. Then right-click in the right pane and select New > String Value.
   
9. Name the string value a TargetReleaseVersionInfo.
   
10. Now, you’ll want to enter the version of Windows 10 you want to stay on. To find your current version, press the key Windows + Rwrites winver and click To accept.
    
11. screen appears About Windowswhich displays your version of Windows 10. In this case, it’s the version 21H2.
    
12. Now that you have your version of Windows, go back to the Registry and double click on TargetReleaseVersionInfo, type your version number in the field data value and click To accept.
    

After entering the correct values, exit Registry Editor and restart your pc. Your system will now block any updates after 21H2 (the latest version at the time of writing). Note that this will not block regular monthly cumulative updates, only version updates, including Windows 11.

If Microsoft releases a newer version of Windows 10, use the steps above but give TargetReleaseVersionInfo the new version number.

Block Windows 11 upgrade with Group Policy

If you’re running Windows 10 Pro or higher, you can use Group Policy Editor to block the Windows 11 upgrade.

To block the update using Group Policy, follow these steps:

1. press the key Windows + R to launch the dialog Run.
2. Scribe gpedit.msc and click To accept.
   
3. When the open Group Policy Editornavigate to the following path:

   Directiva Wquipo Local > Configuración del equipo > Plantillas administrativas > Componentes de Windows > Windows Update > Actualización de Windows para empresas

4. 
5. double click Select the target feature update version in the right pane.
   
6. Set it to Enabled and enter the version of Windows 10 you want to stay on in the field Feature Updates target version. In this example, we stay at 21H2 and we click on Apply and in To accept.
   
7. Close Group Policy Editor and restart your PC. Thereafter, you will receive the Monthly Cumulative Updates but not the Windows 11 Update.

Upgrade to Windows 11 (or not)

If you’re running Windows 10 Home or Pro, you can block windows 11 update following the steps above. This option will prevent other users from updating your system as well.

Not everyone with compatible hardware is ready for Windows 11, and they want to avoid accidental upgrades. You don’t want to wake up in the morning and find that Windows 11 is running on your PC. Windows 11 has a revised and polished user interface, similar to that of macOS.

It also includes cool features like the virtual desktop enhancement and the Android app integration, but that may not be enough to convince you. So you can stick with Windows 10 and think about an upgrade years from now. It’s also important to note that if you try Windows 11 for a few days and you don’t like it, you have the option to go back to Windows 10.