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.
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 doesn’t 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
Why Windows Keeps Trying to Upgrade You to Windows 11
If you’re on Windows 10 22H2, you’ve probably seen Windows Update pushing the Windows 11 upgrade — sometimes pretty aggressively. That’s 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 is the final version of Windows 10, so there are no more feature updates coming for it. 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 doesn’t play nicely with Windows 11, or you’re just not ready to make the switch yet.
The fix I’m showing you here 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 security patches and quality updates for Windows 10, but it won’t offer or install the Windows 11 upgrade.
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 doesn’t 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.
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.
Common Issues & Solutions
Problem: The WindowsUpdate key doesn’t 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 won’t open or returns an access denied error
Solution: You need to be signed in as an administrator. Standard user accounts don’t 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.
FAQ
Will I still get Windows 10 security updates after blocking the upgrade?
Yes, this only blocks the version upgrade to Windows 11. Windows 10 22H2 will still receive security patches and quality updates through Windows Update as normal. Keep in mind that Windows 10 mainstream support ended in October 2025, so security updates beyond that date require Microsoft’s paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) program.
Does this registry method work on Windows 10 Home?
Yes, the registry method works on all editions of Windows 10 — Home, Pro, and Enterprise. Home edition users can’t 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’s always a good habit to back up before making any changes — just go to File > Export in the Registry Editor to save a copy you can restore if anything goes wrong.
What if my PC isn’t eligible for Windows 11 in the first place?
If your PC doesn’t meet Windows 11’s hardware requirements — like TPM 2.0 or a supported CPU — Windows Update won’t offer the upgrade anyway. This fix is mainly useful for PCs that are eligible but where you still want to stay on Windows 10 for now.
Can I use this method to stay on a specific Windows 11 version too?
Yes, the same approach works for Windows 11 as well. You’d just change ProductVersion to Windows 11 and TargetReleaseVersionInfo to the specific version you want to stay on, like 23H2 or 24H2.
While you’re taking control of your Windows updates, you might also want to check out my guide on how to disable automatic updates in Windows 10 and 11 entirely — it covers several methods including Group Policy, Services, and the Registry so you can decide exactly what level of control you want.
And if you want to go even further with customizing your Windows setup — removing bloatware, tweaking privacy settings, and optimizing performance — check out Winhance, a free open-source tool I built for exactly that purpose. It works on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 and doesn’t require any coding knowledge to use.
