2 ways to prevent a forced installation of Windows 11: The update should not impose

Microsoft’s Windows 11 will be released later this year, and systems compatible with the new version will be able to get the update free of charge. When the update arrives, administrators will choose to keep Windows 10 on the device, which will be supported until 2025, or upgrade to a new OS.

Microsoft has assured that Windows 11 will not be forced to install on a Windows 10 device through Windows Update. Administrators need to search for available updates through Windows Updates independently. Whether this approach to update will change remains to be seen in the future. It was interesting to watch Microsoft tighten the screws by releasing Windows 10 as a regular update, moving all computers to the new system. Perhaps as the end of support date for Windows 10 approaches, the company will begin more aggressive promotion of its new system.

The obvious way is not to download the update manually

The easiest thing to do right now is not to click the Check for Updates button in the Options → Update & Security menu. So, if you do not activate the search for updates, Windows 11 will not be offered to you through the “Windows Update.” Also, you can postpone updates, but this solution is temporary but quite effective.

Method number 1 – using the local group policy editor

For Windows 10 version 21H1 and below

⚠️ Local Group Policy Editor is only available on Windows 10 Professional, Education, and Enterprise, so if you have Windows 10 Home, go to the Registry edit method.

1. Press the keyboard shortcut Win + R;
2. Enter gpedit.msc and press Enter;
3. Go to Local Computer Policy → Configuration computer → Administrative Templates → Windows components → Windows Update → Windows Update for Business;
4. Double click to select a state Selecting a version to update the target component;
5. In the window that opens, set the policy state to Included;
6. In line Target version of component updates enter value 21H1;
7. Click on OK… This closes the editor.

Comment: you can add the value “21H2” in the sixth paragraph as soon as the information about the new update appears on Microsoft’s official website. You can also wait a couple of months before the release of the new version, as there is still a lot of time before the release of Windows 11.

Microsoft made the policy changes in preview versions of its Windows 11 operating system, and the new policy is likely to appear in the next Windows 10 updates.

For Windows 10 version 21H2 and newer (this update is not yet out at the time of writing)

1. Press the keyboard shortcut Win + R;
2. Enter gpedit.msc and press Enter;
3. Go to Local Computer Policy → Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Update → Manage updates offered from Windows Update;
4. Double click to select Select the target feature update version;
5. In the window that opens, set the policy state to Enabled;
6. In line Target Version for Feature Updates enter value 21H2;
7. In the operating system selection line (above the line from item 6) enter Windows 10;
8. Click on OK… This closes the editor.

Method number 2 – using the registry

For Windows 10 version 21H1 and below

1. Press the keyboard shortcut Win + R;
2. Enter regedit.exe and press Enter;
3. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE → SOFTWARE → Policies → Microsoft → Windows → WindowsUpdate or enter the following in the search bar: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Policies Microsoft Windows WindowsUpdate;
4. Set a value for the parameter TargetReleaseVersion on the one… If there is no such parameter, right-click and select Create a → DWORD parameter (32 bit);
5. Set a value for the parameter TargetReleaseVersionInfo on the 21H1… If there is no such parameter, right-click and select Create a → String parameter;
6. Restart your PC.

As with the policy editor, you can replace the line containing the value 21H1 with a newer version.

As a result, you should have the following registry entries:

For Windows 10 version 21H2 and newer (this update is not yet out at the time of writing)

1. Press the keyboard shortcut Win + R;
2. Enter regedit.exe and press Enter;
3. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE → SOFTWARE → Policies → Microsoft → Windows → WindowsUpdate or enter the following in the search bar: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Policies Microsoft Windows WindowsUpdate;
4. Set a value for the parameter TargetReleaseVersion on the one… If there is no such parameter, right-click and select Create a → DWORD parameter (32 bit);
5. Set a value for the parameter ProductVersion on the Windows 10… If there is no such parameter, right-click and select Create a → String parameter;
6. Set a value for the parameter TargetReleaseVersionInfo on the 21H1… If there is no such parameter, right-click and select Create a → String parameter;
7. Restart your PC.

As a result, you should get the following entries in the registry: