1. Introduction

Why do I want to block an upgrade to Windows 11 installed on our family laptops and our domotica server? It is based on negative reviews on the web and my own experience when my father in law initiated a upgrade to Windows 11 on his laptop and asked for support. My first time experience with Windows 11 on his laptop was not positive; missing functionality and certain settings difficult to find.

Within Windows Update you can click the “Pause for 1 week” button next to the Pause updates option to stop Windows 11 upgrade for 7 days. But after these 7 days Windows will automatically download and install all the pending updates to your computer; including possibly the Windows 11 upgrade and hence does not block an upgrade to Windows 11.

I searched the web to find ways to block an upgrade to Windows 11 and as such prevent me or my family members accidentally initiating an upgrade on our laptops/computers and domotica server. I found out that installing the Windows 11 Upgrade over Windows 10 can be blocked via two methods:

1. Using registry editor
2. Using local group policy editor

I explain the first method, as the second method is only available on Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise or Education edition and hence not for Windows Home. The method using the registry editor will work on all Windows 10 versions.

2. Steps to block an upgrade to Windows 11

Perform the steps in the next sections for blocking Windows 11 upgrade via the Registry Editor method.

2.1 Open Windows Registry Editor

The Windows Registry Editor is part of Windows 10 and is used to set the required settings to block an upgrade to Windows 11.

1. Press the Windows+R key to open the Run box.
   
2. Type regedit in the Run box
   
3. If a “User Account Control” dialog is shown select “Yes”. The Registry Editor will be shown.

2.2 Select WindowsUpdate settings folder in Registry Editor

The settings are part of the WindowsUpdate folder in the Registry Editor. If no settings are made before the folder does not exists and needs to be created first. Follow the steps below.

1. Just below the Menu bar the current path within the Registry Editor is shown.
   
   Replace this by:
   
   Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

   1	Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

   
   
   
   1

2. Check if folder WIndowsUpdate is available under …\Windows
   
3. If not available perform the following steps:
   a. Right-click the “Windows” folder and choose New > Key.
   b. Type “WindowsUpdate” and press Enter to create the directory.

2.3 Update TargetReleaseVersion setting

The “TargetReleaseVersion” setting indicates to what Windows 10 version updates are allowed.

1. Select folder WindowsUpdate and check if “TargetReleaseVersion”  is listed in the right pane.
   
2.  If it is not listed then perform the following steps:
   a. right-click anywhere on a blank spot in the right pane
   b. select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value
   c. type “TargetReleaseVersion” (without quotes) and press Enter to create the entry.
3. On the right pane, double-click the “TargetReleaseVersion” entry to open it.
   
4. In the Value data entry field enter a  “1” (without quotes) and select “OK.”
   

2.4 Update TargetReleaseVersionInfo setting

Similar as for TargetReleaseVersion done in previous section, add the setting  TargetReleaseVersionInfo. This setting will contain the release update that we want to remain on, which currently is the Windows 10 release 21H2.

1. Select the folder WindowsUpdate and check if “TargetReleaseVersionInfo”  is listed in the right pane.
2.  If it is not listed then perform the following steps:
   a. right-click anywhere on a blank spot in the right pane
   b. select New > String Value
   c. type “TargetReleaseVersionInfo” (without quotes) and press Enter to create the entry.
3. On the right pane, double-click the “TargetReleaseVersionInfo” entry to open it.
4. Enter “21H2” (without quotes) in the value data entry field and “OK.”
   

2.5 Finalize registry update

Close the Registry Editor and restart your Windows 10 PC. An upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is now blocked.

3. Future Windows 10 updates

In case Microsoft releases an upgrade to a newer Windows 10 version, you will need to tweak the registry settings to have this upgrade installed. Check the Microsoft Windows 10 release information website to check for newer versions of Windows 10. If a new update is listed, for example 23H1, then in the steps above where you entered “21H2”, change that to “23H1” (without quotes). This will again block an upgrade to Windows 11.