Stop windows 10 updating to windows 11
256Thread Activity
bonjThu, Oct 23, 2025
KatsuyakiWed, Oct 22, 2025
bonjWed, Oct 22, 2025
bonjWed, Oct 22, 2025
thirdeyezennicaiWed, Oct 22, 2025
BobbWed, Oct 22, 2025
For many reasons some people may wish to not install win 11. October will see the end of 10 and a possible forced automatic update to 11 (apparently).
Maybe it's all just drama and nothing will happen automatically and win 10 will die a slow and calm death similar to win 7/8. If you have any info regarding staying on 10 please share.
Maybe I solved it but with time running out I wanted to try it now . I think this one worked as the update service has stopped running and I'm now in a group policy. There may be more settings to play with in that policy but for now it seems to have worked.
Sharing my experience as it may help others.
How to Stop or Block Windows 11 update - Your Windows Guide
https://www.yourwindowsguide.com/2021/12/block-...
To Block Windows 11 update, see the steps below which requires entering 2 commands. This would also work even if you
have clicked Download and install, or rolled back to Windows 10 and it keeps trying.
Right-click Start and select Windows Powershell(admin).
Press Yes when Prompted.
Type cmd.exe to open Command Prompt inside Powershell.
Command 1:
Paste the following command to enable Targeted Updates to a specific release:
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversion /t REG_DWORD /d 1
Command 2:
If you are on Windows 10 version 21H2, use the second command below:
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversionInfo /t REG_SZ /d
21H2
If you are on Windows 10 version 21H1, use the second command below:
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversionInfo /t REG_SZ /d
21H1
You should see the The command completed successfully message when you enter the commands.
Restart your computer.
Note you will have to do the security updates manually from now on.
Maybe it's all just drama and nothing will happen automatically and win 10 will die a slow and calm death similar to win 7/8. If you have any info regarding staying on 10 please share.
Maybe I solved it but with time running out I wanted to try it now . I think this one worked as the update service has stopped running and I'm now in a group policy. There may be more settings to play with in that policy but for now it seems to have worked.
Sharing my experience as it may help others.
How to Stop or Block Windows 11 update - Your Windows Guide
https://www.yourwindowsguide.com/2021/12/block-...
To Block Windows 11 update, see the steps below which requires entering 2 commands. This would also work even if you
have clicked Download and install, or rolled back to Windows 10 and it keeps trying.
Right-click Start and select Windows Powershell(admin).
Press Yes when Prompted.
Type cmd.exe to open Command Prompt inside Powershell.
Command 1:
Paste the following command to enable Targeted Updates to a specific release:
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversion /t REG_DWORD /d 1
Command 2:
If you are on Windows 10 version 21H2, use the second command below:
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversionInfo /t REG_SZ /d
21H2
If you are on Windows 10 version 21H1, use the second command below:
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversionInfo /t REG_SZ /d
21H1
You should see the The command completed successfully message when you enter the commands.
Restart your computer.
Note you will have to do the security updates manually from now on.
! REPORT
My online computer still happily runs windows 7 with no security problems. I don't do any social media as these are all inane AND the biggest security threat. Almost all 'hacks' and security breaches are done through social engineering so it's simply a matter of NOT being gullible and trusting. Block ALL updates for everything unless you know and trust it. I have a simple anti-virus but all it does is watch for the very few sleazy websites that try to link to me. I also use FireFox and the Brave browser with every shit blocker and anti tracking tool enabled.
My offline computer that I use for graphics has a stripped down version of Windows 10 only because many modern graphics programs demand it. There are several versions of Win10 with the invasive and unnecessary stuff ripped out.
My offline computer that I use for graphics has a stripped down version of Windows 10 only because many modern graphics programs demand it. There are several versions of Win10 with the invasive and unnecessary stuff ripped out.
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I had installed a specific build of Windows 10 Enterprise on my iMac that will be supported from either 2027 or 2032, that being Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021. highly recommended people go get that build instead.
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bonj
Karma: 13,404
Wed, Oct 22, 2025I will look into it but i think enterprise is also a target for auto stealth updates. Another solution is to use a lan and metered data settings to force a stop on downloads.
bonj
Karma: 13,404
Wed, Oct 22, 2025It may be worth running the incontrol app, all it does is the correct 6 reg edits in one easy click. You can change it back with one click also.
It just gives you full control of the operating sys updater but not the security updates.
Then you don't need to worry about 2027
It just gives you full control of the operating sys updater but not the security updates.
Then you don't need to worry about 2027
Or just give Linux a go. Run your windows software through bottles or lutris.
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Bobb
Karma: 1,152
Sat, Sep 20, 2025I tried Ubuntu a few years ago and ran it exclusively on my internet computer for 6 months.
It was horrible, and formatting the drive and re-installing windows was like being born again.
I could list the eleventeen billion reasons why Linux is NOT for the average user but it would take at least three more lifetimes.
If you're a programmer and love spending time back-slashing the dev-null, then Linux is fine. The rest of us just want to get stuff done.
I found that it's like owning a vintage car. I love doing a pile of checks before I fire it up, and I love constantly fiddling with it. Most people just want to get in the car, push the start button and go somewhere. Linux and Windows are like that.
I'll hit myself in the testicles with a hammer before I'll ever touch Linux again.
It was horrible, and formatting the drive and re-installing windows was like being born again.
I could list the eleventeen billion reasons why Linux is NOT for the average user but it would take at least three more lifetimes.
If you're a programmer and love spending time back-slashing the dev-null, then Linux is fine. The rest of us just want to get stuff done.
I found that it's like owning a vintage car. I love doing a pile of checks before I fire it up, and I love constantly fiddling with it. Most people just want to get in the car, push the start button and go somewhere. Linux and Windows are like that.
I'll hit myself in the testicles with a hammer before I'll ever touch Linux again.
Hyp-St
Karma: 14,149
Sat, Sep 20, 2025I actually tried Ubuntu, Mint, Garuda a few years back and it wasn't a walk in the park. I gave up and stuck by windows 10. Swore off it. Never again. Too much hassle. Those updates, while not as bad as on Vista, ate my space. However, today these systems are much more polished and functional. Granted I had help with my Garuda installation. If you go in on your own you will get frustrated.
Bobb
Karma: 1,152
Sun, Sep 21, 2025And that, I believe is the roadblock to widespread adoption of Linux. If you're a programmer and/or love screwing around with settings and getting things to work, then Linux is fine. The vast majority of us just want everything to work straight out of the box.
The eighty ba-zillion versions are also a problem. Lets have one...just one and make sure it works like Windows. All programs should also have a similar, common sense GUI. That's the one thing that Windows gave us...commonality. Every program has the menus across the top that give access to most everything.
I could not find one...just bloody one image browser. Something like old ACDSee 3.1 or IrfanView or XNView. Every single image viewer was wildly different and no documentation. Nothing had a thumbnail viewer.
The eighty ba-zillion versions are also a problem. Lets have one...just one and make sure it works like Windows. All programs should also have a similar, common sense GUI. That's the one thing that Windows gave us...commonality. Every program has the menus across the top that give access to most everything.
I could not find one...just bloody one image browser. Something like old ACDSee 3.1 or IrfanView or XNView. Every single image viewer was wildly different and no documentation. Nothing had a thumbnail viewer.
Bobb
Karma: 1,152
Mon, Sep 22, 2025I forgot to mention the first problem I ran into with Linux which set the tone for the rest of my Linux trial.
Once it was installed and I'd added some essential software, I was left with HUGE icons on the desktop. In Windows one simply holds down a key (Ctrl maybe?) and uses the scrollwheel to change the size of the icons on the desktop..easy peasy. I read up on how to do the same in Ubuntu and found that I was supposed to download some script or piece of code, open some code in a special mode then RECOMPILE THE KERNAL!!!!???!?!?!
What?! That's ridiculous. I spent the next six months with a bunch of huge icons taking up most of my desktop.
I never did get my two monitors to work correctly.
Once it was installed and I'd added some essential software, I was left with HUGE icons on the desktop. In Windows one simply holds down a key (Ctrl maybe?) and uses the scrollwheel to change the size of the icons on the desktop..easy peasy. I read up on how to do the same in Ubuntu and found that I was supposed to download some script or piece of code, open some code in a special mode then RECOMPILE THE KERNAL!!!!???!?!?!
What?! That's ridiculous. I spent the next six months with a bunch of huge icons taking up most of my desktop.
I never did get my two monitors to work correctly.
bonj
Karma: 13,404
Wed, Oct 22, 2025I do have some old hardware ready to do just that but will I ever get around to it lol. I hope to do that soon but it won't solve the problems as developing a game on linux will make so much more work in the long run.
I need two monitors as well so reading Bob's experience above is another good reason not to swap.
I need two monitors as well so reading Bob's experience above is another good reason not to swap.
Of course Microsoft couldn't do something as simple as a "turn off all automatic updates" button in a very conspicuous location. They had to make it as obtuse and unintuitive as possible.
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guy91600
Karma: 15,405
Mon, Sep 22, 2025I think the real problem is that companies release products that haven't been adequately tested, resulting in numerous security vulnerabilities. This forces them to issue updates. Disabling updates for too long risks turning your PC into a zombie machine and unknowingly making it part of a cyberattack, with all the legal consequences that entails.
Katsuyaki
Karma: 2,875
Mon, Sep 22, 2025Given the size and complexity of a program like Windows, I accept that discovering all bugs prior to launch is pretty much an impossibility. Still, given that it is MY computer, I should have the right to accept or refuse any updates, for any reason, even if that refusal relieves Microsoft of any legal responsibility for what may happen as a result of my refusal.
bonj
Karma: 13,404
Wed, Oct 22, 2025The win 11 update is sneaking through labeled as a win 10 update. Microsoft want control of our personal computers is the complete opposite of the original concept of owning a PC XD
Katsuyaki
Karma: 2,875
Wed, Oct 22, 2025They tried to get me to upgrade just a day or two ago. Unfortunately, there wasn't a "go fuck yourself" button, so I had to settle with choosing "decline".
bonj
Karma: 13,404
Thu, Oct 23, 2025I used the GRC app bellow and it stopped it happening with one click. 6 reg edits all is good now. I still don't trust windows trying again.
Most of the talk about zombie machines and other hacks is simply hysteria from these same software companies and the AV sellers. Read the tech sites and forums like Wired and SlashDot. Updates often introduce more problems, while not properly fixing the first one. A real security update is fine but more often than not, the companies tie shitware with the security update. Updates are also being increasingly used to install advertising for THAT particular product and/or to lock you down and restrict your use of software you bought. They put your software behind a paywall. If you rip Microsofts OneDrive out, the next update will install it again whether you want it or not.
It's interesting that these zombie and bot networks are increasingly being created by taking over simple devices like cameras, doorbells and other IOT devices. They're targeted because they're simple to hack and have lousy security.
The cellphone is increasingly becoming the avenue of attack because people are using them for everything. That's why my phone has no data. I have lots of useful software on my phones but none of it requires an online connection. My older one was 'rooted' and now runs a non-Google version of Android. It runs better than it ever did and it's fun to have kicked the Google cancer out.
It's interesting that these zombie and bot networks are increasingly being created by taking over simple devices like cameras, doorbells and other IOT devices. They're targeted because they're simple to hack and have lousy security.
The cellphone is increasingly becoming the avenue of attack because people are using them for everything. That's why my phone has no data. I have lots of useful software on my phones but none of it requires an online connection. My older one was 'rooted' and now runs a non-Google version of Android. It runs better than it ever did and it's fun to have kicked the Google cancer out.
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bonj
Karma: 13,404
Wed, Oct 22, 2025Exactly the updates are causing the problems. I still run this old win 7 rig for daily use and a lot of other tasks.
I saved up for a solid win 10 pc for making 3d and I want it to stay that way. A tool I am in control of.
I saved up for a solid win 10 pc for making 3d and I want it to stay that way. A tool I am in control of.
I keep seeing horror stories like this "Why is my windows 10 pro system automatically forcing windows 11 "feature update" during automatic update restarts?".
one of my pc's seemed to except the Powershell commands but then I have a notice poped up with another update. My new pc is currently not online until I find a permanent fix to stop the automatic updates.
Just found this app and it looks promising. I just want a solid work pc to make models and nothing more. That's it's only job.
https://www.grc.com/incontrol.htm
one of my pc's seemed to except the Powershell commands but then I have a notice poped up with another update. My new pc is currently not online until I find a permanent fix to stop the automatic updates.
Just found this app and it looks promising. I just want a solid work pc to make models and nothing more. That's it's only job.
https://www.grc.com/incontrol.htm
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! REPORT
Bobb
Karma: 1,152
Wed, Oct 22, 2025Oo...Gibson eh? Isn't he the one who wrote those great free programs like Process Explorer?
I have a bunch of his stuff running on both computers.
I have a bunch of his stuff running on both computers.
bonj
Karma: 13,404
Wed, Oct 22, 2025I think it is the same Gibson taking a closer look. I have a lot of faith in this knowing that.
Sysinternals has been running every day on my rig's since the late 90's .
I have run incontrol on both my win 10 machines now and I had missed two reg edits that would have let win 11 through.
Thanks a lot Steve Gibson
Sysinternals has been running every day on my rig's since the late 90's .
I have run incontrol on both my win 10 machines now and I had missed two reg edits that would have let win 11 through.
Thanks a lot Steve Gibson