Blocking windows 11 upgrade

TL;DR: Blocking windows 11 without crippling windows 10

Hello all.

I'm writing today hoping to get an answer from someone who is willing to help a newbie out.
I understand Windows 11 is coming "soon", and I don't want my new computer to upgrade to it (my current version is windows 10 20H2). I am an elderly person, perfectly content with windows 10 for my and my wife's needs, and frankly don't have the will or disposition to teach ourselves a brand new windows version. To be honest, the changes that occur with every version within windows 10 itself, are hard enough for us to manage.

I've been reading that one can block said upgrade by going to the policy editor Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business, and enabling the policy and typing 21H1 in the field. All of that, I can do no problem.

The question is, should I? Because, while most comments on the web say it's ok, some others say it will cripple my windows 10 because it will prevent me from getting future security updates (I don't care about feature updates, but I do care about security updates).

Kindly note, when replying, that I'm VERY confused about the terms (such as "quality update") and version numbers microsoft uses (is 21H1 newer or older than 20H2?).

I'll appreciate any and all advice on the matter,

Best regards.

Hi,

How to Block Windows 11 with Group Policy Editor:
Open the Start Menu.
Type gpedit.msc and load the Group Policy Editor.
Go to Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Windows Update for Business.
Double-click on “Select the target feature update version”.
Set the policy to Enabled.
Type 21H1 into the field.
Close the Group Policy Editor.

How to Block Windows 11 with Registry Editor:
Open the Start Menu.
Type regedit.exe and Run the Registry Editor.
Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate.
Set the Dword TargetReleaseVersion to 1. If the value does not exist, right-click on Windows Update, and select New > Dword (32-bit) Value.
Set the value of TargetReleaseVersionInfo to 21H1. If the value does not exist, right-click on Windows Update, and select New > String Value.
Restart the PC.

Once Windows 10 21H2 appears on Microsoft’s website, you can switch over to it instead.

Not really the nags that affects... But after a couples. It was pushed when I had turned my back. And ruined everything.

It never happened again.

I Decide whitch Windows runs on what... Not Microsoft.

If you want to read some good rants from peoples high in the "industry"...

Google "Why is Microsoft using their clients as guinea pigs"

Then follow these threads... I'm nearly starting to use windows 10 because now I Know what to shut off without breaking it.

From a pure production point of view... 90% of our workforce is still on Windows 7... Why?... Because you can do fast technical work without interuption... Install hundreds if not thousands of softwares before it breaks... And that GUI is Streamlined to the point that I seen people going so fast in there You could not see anything.... Yet to come with windows 10.

Call me old shool... But between Windows 2000 and Windows 7 and so on, there's not been much of a Whorty Windows?... And I dont expect it to come back soon.

So begun the unbloaters age... A good unbloated Windows 10 is... Like Windows 7...

Sorry guys, I have to go to bed...

Hello all. I thank you all for your replies, but respectfully no one answered my questions:
Is the method described in my original post effective at blocking win11 instalation, and is it safe?
Best regards!

BreadedChicken said:

Hello all. I thank you all for your replies, but respectfully no one answered my questions:
Is the method described in my original post effective at blocking win11 instalation, and is it safe?
Best regards!

Yes. How's that for an answer?