How to block the upgrade to Windows 11 + Tips and Tricks

Microsoft has begun to offer the upgrade to Windows 11 to a greater number of computers, developing the proposed program of gradual deployment of the operating system that will last until the beginning of 2022.

If you have a Windows 10 computer that meets the minimum hardware requirements, it is likely that you have received or will soon receive an “invitation” in the taskbar where you will be offered the update to Windows 11. This is possible because Microsoft has put launch an automatic update in Windows Update to install the application PC Health Checkresponsible for determining whether Windows 10 computers meet the required hardware.

At the moment it is a simple notification that can be dismissed and should be so in the future. But Microsoft is well known for its use of “obscure patterns” and if it thinks it is necessary to increase the user base of Windows 11, do not doubt that it will use programs like the wicked GWX (Get Windows 10) that caused a lot of controversy in the past.

How to block the upgrade to Windows 11

Windows 11 has interesting new features, especially visuals and in the general interface, but a part of users they don’t consider it to be enough for a version jump until development progresses with more stable versions or until promised features arrive that can really make a big difference, such as the Android subsystem. If you’ve decided to stay on Windows 10 and don’t want to risk an accidental (or more forced) installation, there are ways to block upgrading to Windows 11.

We review two of them with a step by step:

Registry Editor

• Access the editor with the command regedit. From the run command (Windows + R) or from Windows search.

• Navega a la ruta HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Policies/Microsoft/Windows/Windows Update.

• Create a new 32-bit DWORD value called TargetReleaseVersion and assign it a value of 1.

• In the same route create a string value called TargetReleaseVersionInfo and in the value name put 21H1.

• It should look like you see in the image below.

Close the editor, restart your computer and from then on any Windows update after the one you assigned in the string value will be blocked.

This method has the disadvantage that when the next Windows 10 update arrives (the fall update that we expect this very month) you will need to change the value of the string again, in this case to 21H2. Otherwise, it is an effective method to keep your computer in Windows 10 and with the version you prefer. They can also be previous ones, more stable or with which you are more comfortable and it is reversible when you want to jump from version or to Windows 11 simply by eliminating the two new values ​​that we have created.

Don’t be afraid of the Windows registry. Make a previous copy of it before touching anything and be clear about the values ​​to change. In this way you can define almost anything, since it is a fundamental file that the system, applications and devices use continuously and from which the operation of a PC, its appearance or the behavior of its components is completely controlled.

group policies

Just as powerful as the registry, it is an essential tool for IT administrators as it provides a centralized way to manage and enforce all types of operating system, application, and user configuration settings. Although its use is more common in the configuration of corporate networks, organizations or schools, it is also interesting for end users of home machines.

And it can also block you from upgrading to Windows 11 as long as you use Windows 10 Pro (Not available in Home version) or the business or education versions of the system. As follows:

• Access the editor with the command gpedit.msc from the run command (Windows + R) or from Windows search.

• In Local Computer Policy go to the path Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business.

• Double-click “Select the target feature update version”. Set the setting to enabled and the version to 21H1.

Accept, apply and restart the computer. As with the registry, setting this Group Policy will prevent an accidental or forced upgrade to Windows 11 if Microsoft chooses to repeat the “Get Windows 10” game. If you want to make sure, you already know. Personally, I have a specific laptop with Windows 11 Insider to test new things that we are publishing, but the production team stays with previous versions of Windows 10. Remember that you will have technical support until 2025 and that we expect 21H2 to be a big feature update and also some visual improvements to Windows 11.