How To Stop Windows 11 Upgrade

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Windows 11 has been making headlines since its announcement by Microsoft. While it brings a plethora of new features and improvements, not everyone is ready to make the switch. If you want to stop the Windows 11 upgrade for any reason, this blog post will guide you through the process.

Please note that following these steps will only prevent the automatic upgrade to Windows 11. You can still choose to upgrade manually later if you change your mind.

Method 1: Using the Group Policy Editor (Only for Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise)

If you’re using Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise edition, you can take advantage of the Group Policy Editor to stop the Windows 11 upgrade. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter to open the Group Policy Editor.
  3. Navigate to the following path:

    4. Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business

  4. Select the Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received policy and double-click it to edit.
  5. Choose Enabled, and then, in the Options pane, set the Branch Readiness Level to either Current Branch or Current Branch for Business.
  6. Set the Delay (in days) field to 365 to postpone the upgrade for a year.
  7. Click OK to save the changes and close the Group Policy Editor.

Method 2: Using the Registry Editor

If you’re using Windows 10 Home edition, you can use the Registry Editor to achieve similar results. Follow these steps:

  1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog box.
  2. Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
  3. Navigate to the following path:

    4. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsWindowsUpdate

  4. If the WindowsUpdate key doesn’t exist, create it by right-clicking on the Windows key, choosing New > Key, and naming it WindowsUpdate.
  5. Right-click on the WindowsUpdate key, choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it DeferFeatureUpdates.
  6. Double-click on DeferFeatureUpdates, set its value data to 1, and click OK.
  7. Right-click on the WindowsUpdate key again, choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it DeferFeatureUpdatesPeriodInDays.
  8. Double-click on DeferFeatureUpdatesPeriodInDays, set its value data to 365 to postpone the upgrade for a year, and click OK.
  9. Close the Registry Editor and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

Now that you’ve followed one of the methods mentioned above, Windows 11 upgrades should be postponed for the duration you set. Remember that you can still manually upgrade to Windows 11 by visiting Microsoft’s website and downloading the upgrade tool.

We hope this guide helps you in managing your Windows updates as per your preference. Stay tuned for more helpful tips and tricks on managing your devices and software!