To block the automatic upgrade from Windows 10 22H2 to Windows 11, open the Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate. Add a DWORD value named TargetReleaseVersion set to 1, then two string values — ProductVersion set to Windows 10 and TargetReleaseVersionInfo set to 22H2. Restart your PC and Windows Update will stop pushing the Windows 11 upgrade.
Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2), Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC, and Windows 10 ESU enrollees | Last updated: May 15, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Windows 10 reached end of support in October 2025 — but the block-upgrade trick is still useful if you are enrolled in Extended Security Updates (ESU), running Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC, or just need to delay the Windows 11 jump until your hardware or software is ready
- Consumer ESU runs through October 13, 2026 and Enterprise ESU through October 2028 — so blocking the Windows 11 push on an ESU machine keeps that paid security coverage flowing without forcing a version jump
- Three registry values do the work —
TargetReleaseVersion(DWORD = 1),ProductVersion(string =Windows 10), andTargetReleaseVersionInfo(string =22H2) underHKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate - This works on every edition of Windows 10 — Home, Pro, Enterprise, and LTSC — because it edits the registry directly instead of relying on Group Policy
- You can reverse it any time by deleting the three values and restarting, and the same approach works on Windows 11 if you want to pin a specific feature update like 24H2 or 25H2
Quick Steps
- Press Windows + R, type
regedit, and press Enter to open the Registry Editor - Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate(create theWindowsUpdatekey if it does not exist) - Right-click the empty space > New > DWORD (32-bit) Value, name it
TargetReleaseVersion, set value data to1, click OK - Right-click the empty space > New > String Value, name it
ProductVersion, set value data toWindows 10, click OK - Right-click the empty space > New > String Value, name it
TargetReleaseVersionInfo, set value data to22H2, click OK - Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC
Prefer to skip the manual clicking? Run this single command from an elevated Command Prompt or PowerShell window instead — it creates all three values in one shot:
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v TargetReleaseVersion /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f & reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v ProductVersion /t REG_SZ /d "Windows 10" /f & reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v TargetReleaseVersionInfo /t REG_SZ /d "22H2" /fWhy Windows Keeps Trying to Upgrade You to Windows 11
If you are on Windows 10 22H2, you have probably seen Windows Update pushing the Windows 11 upgrade — sometimes pretty aggressively. That is because Microsoft rolled out Windows 11 as a recommended update for eligible PCs, meaning any device that meets the hardware requirements can get the upgrade offered automatically.
Windows 10 22H2 was the final feature release for Windows 10, and mainstream support officially ended on October 14, 2025. From Windows Update’s perspective, the logical next step for any eligible machine is Windows 11. But not everyone wants that — maybe you have software that does not play nicely with Windows 11, your CPU is unsupported, or you are deliberately staying on Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC for its longer support window.
The fix below uses a registry policy that tells Windows Update to target a specific version. When you set it to Windows 10 22H2, Windows Update will still deliver any security patches you are entitled to — through ESU or LTSC servicing — but it will not offer or install the Windows 11 upgrade.
Is This Still Worth Doing After Windows 10 End of Support?
Short answer: yes, in three specific situations. Windows 10 mainstream support ended on October 14, 2025, which means standard Home and Pro installs no longer receive security updates by default. But the upgrade-block trick still matters for these users:
- Consumer ESU enrollees — Microsoft is offering Extended Security Updates to home users for one year, running through October 13, 2026. The free path (via Windows Backup sync) and the paid path ($30 one-time or 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points) both keep critical and important security updates flowing. If you are on ESU, you want the policy in place so Windows Update does not yank you onto Windows 11 mid-cycle. Here is the full ESU enrollment guide
- Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC users — the 2021 LTSC release receives security updates through January 2032, and IoT LTSC 2021 stretches to January 2032 as well. These editions never accept feature upgrades the same way, but pinning
TargetReleaseVersionbelt-and-braces the lockdown against any unexpected servicing channel changes - Business and Enterprise ESU — organizations can pay for ESU through October 2028. The registry block is the standard recommended mitigation Microsoft documents for keeping ESU machines on 22H2
If you are running standard Windows 10 Home or Pro without ESU enrollment, you are running an unpatched OS as of October 2025. In that case, the better long-term move is either enrolling in ESU or planning your transition — to Windows 11 if your hardware supports it, or to a clean Winhance-customized Windows 11 install if you want to skip the bloat.
How to Block the Windows 11 Upgrade in the Registry
Step 1: Open the Registry Editor
Press Windows + R on your keyboard to open the Run box. Type regedit and press Enter. If a User Account Control prompt appears asking if you want to allow this app to make changes, click Yes to continue.
Step 2: Navigate to the WindowsUpdate Registry Path
In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdateYou can click through the folders on the left side one by one, or paste the path directly into the address bar at the top of the Registry Editor window. If the WindowsUpdate key does not exist yet at the end of that path, right-click the Windows folder, select New > Key, and name it WindowsUpdate.
Step 3: Add the TargetReleaseVersion DWORD Value
Right-click anywhere in the empty white space on the right side of the Registry Editor and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it TargetReleaseVersion and press Enter. Double-click the new entry to open it, change the value data to 1, and click OK.
Step 4: Add the ProductVersion String Value
Right-click the empty space again and select New > String Value. Name it ProductVersion and press Enter. Double-click it to open it, type Windows 10 as the value data, and click OK.
Step 5: Add the TargetReleaseVersionInfo String Value
Right-click the empty space one more time and select New > String Value. Name it TargetReleaseVersionInfo and press Enter. Double-click it, type 22H2 as the value data, and click OK.
Step 6: Restart Your PC
Close the Registry Editor and restart your PC. After the restart, the policy takes effect and Windows Update will no longer offer or attempt the Windows 11 upgrade on your machine.
Tip: Before making registry changes, go to File > Export in the Registry Editor and save a backup of the current state to a safe location. If anything goes wrong, you can double-click that
.regfile to restore the original values.
One-Line Command Alternative
If you would rather skip the manual Registry Editor steps, you can apply all three values with a single elevated command. Open Command Prompt or Windows Terminal as administrator (right-click the Start button > Terminal (Admin) on Windows 10 22H2), then paste this and press Enter:
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v TargetReleaseVersion /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f & reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v ProductVersion /t REG_SZ /d "Windows 10" /f & reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v TargetReleaseVersionInfo /t REG_SZ /d "22H2" /fYou should see three “The operation completed successfully” messages. Restart your PC and the policy is active.
How to Undo This and Allow the Windows 11 Upgrade
If you change your mind later and want to allow the upgrade to Windows 11, you just need to remove the three values you created. Go back to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate in the Registry Editor, right-click each of the values — TargetReleaseVersion, ProductVersion, and TargetReleaseVersionInfo — and select Delete. Restart your PC and Windows Update will offer the Windows 11 upgrade again as normal.
Or, from an elevated Command Prompt:
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v TargetReleaseVersion /f & reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v ProductVersion /f & reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /v TargetReleaseVersionInfo /fCommon Issues and Solutions
Problem: The WindowsUpdate key does not exist in the registry.
Solution: Right-click the Windows folder in the left panel (the one just before where WindowsUpdate should be), select New > Key, and name it WindowsUpdate. Make sure the capitalization matches exactly.
Problem: Registry Editor will not open or returns an access denied error.
Solution: You need to be signed in as an administrator. Standard user accounts do not have permission to make registry changes. Right-click the Registry Editor shortcut and try running it as administrator.
Problem: Windows 11 upgrade is still being offered after making the changes.
Solution: Make sure all three values are named exactly as shown — names are case-sensitive. Also confirm you restarted your PC after making the registry changes, as the policy only kicks in after a restart. If the values are correct and the restart happened, give it one more Windows Update check cycle for the new policy to register on Microsoft’s update servers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I still get Windows 10 security updates after blocking the upgrade?
This block only stops the version upgrade to Windows 11 — it does not affect security update delivery. However, Windows 10 mainstream support ended on October 14, 2025, so standard Home and Pro installs no longer receive monthly security patches. To keep getting security updates on Windows 10, you need to be enrolled in Extended Security Updates (ESU) — consumer ESU runs through October 2026 and is free if you sync your settings via Windows Backup. Here is the full ESU setup guide.
Does this registry method work on Windows 10 Home?
Yes, the registry method works on all editions of Windows 10 — Home, Pro, Enterprise, and IoT Enterprise LTSC. Home edition users cannot use the Group Policy Editor to do this, but editing the registry directly achieves the exact same result.
Is it safe to edit the registry?
The specific changes in this guide are safe as long as you follow the steps carefully and name the values exactly as shown. The registry controls a lot of Windows settings, so it is always a good habit to back up before making any changes — go to File > Export in the Registry Editor to save a .reg file you can double-click to restore if anything goes wrong.
What if my PC is not eligible for Windows 11 in the first place?
If your PC does not meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements — TPM 2.0, a supported CPU, Secure Boot — Windows Update will not offer the upgrade anyway. This fix is mainly useful for PCs that are eligible but where you still want to stay on Windows 10. If your hardware does not meet the requirements but you still want Windows 11, my Windows 11 24H2 hardware compatibility guide walks through the options.
Can I use this method to stay on a specific Windows 11 version too?
Yes, the same approach works for Windows 11. Change ProductVersion to Windows 11 and TargetReleaseVersionInfo to the specific version you want to stay on, like 23H2, 24H2, or 25H2. I have a dedicated guide that walks through locking your Windows version to stop automatic feature updates on Windows 11 specifically.
Does this also stop monthly cumulative updates?
No, this policy only blocks feature upgrades (the once-or-twice-a-year version jumps like 22H2 to Windows 11). Monthly cumulative security and quality updates still install normally — which is what you want if you are on ESU or LTSC. To control monthly updates as well, check my guide on how to stop automatic updates in Windows 10 and 11.
While you are taking control of your Windows updates, you might also want to check out Winhance — a free open-source tool I built for removing bloatware, tweaking privacy settings, and optimizing performance on Windows 10 and Windows 11. It does not require any coding knowledge to use, and the Windows Installation Media Utility built into Winhance lets you create a custom ISO that is already debloated and optimized from the moment you reach the desktop.
