How to Specify Target Feature Update Version in Windows 10  

Brink,

Do we know enough about the reported cases of automatic Windows 11 updates to know if this Target feature update method can prevent it?

By the way, the latest Windows 11 Version 22H2 update compatibility checks Key is HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\TargetVersionUpgradeExperienceIndicators\NI22H2


All the best,
Denis

Try3 said:

Brink,

Do we know enough about the reported cases of automatic Windows 11 updates to know if this Target feature update method can prevent it?

By the way, the latest Windows 11 Version 22H2 update compatibility checks Key is HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\TargetVersionUpgradeExperienceIndicators\NI22H2


All the best,
Denis

Hello Denis,

I'm afraid this is only a delay.

If you specify a TargetReleaseVersion the same as the current version, Windows 10 will stay on this version until it reaches end of service. Afterwards, it could still update.

I know it is only a delay but I was interested in any knowledge about whether it only prevents [alright, delays] unsolicited Windows 10 Version updates or it also prevents [alright, delays] an unsolicited update to Windows 11.
There have been a few reports of unsolicited updates to Windows 11 but perhaps not enough is known about the mechanisms involved.

If it does also prevent [alright, delays] unsolicited Windows 11 updates then an explicit statement to that effect in the intro would seem to be worthwhile.
A useful TargetReleaseVersion for this purpose might be 24H2, for now. What Version numbering system will be in use then is unknown so any entry would have to be revisited anyway.
I appreciate that any prevention [alright, delay] would cease to have any effect when Windows 10 falls out of support in 2025.


All the best,
Denis

Try3 said:

I know it is only a delay but I was interested in any knowledge about whether it only prevents [alright, delays] unsolicited Windows 10 Version updates or it also prevents [alright, delays] an unsolicited update to Windows 11.
There have been a few reports of unsolicited updates to Windows 11 but perhaps not enough is known about the mechanisms involved.

If it does also prevent [alright, delays] unsolicited Windows 11 updates then an explicit statement to that effect in the intro would seem to be worthwhile.
A useful TargetReleaseVersion for this purpose might be 24H2, for now. What Version numbering system will be in use then is unknown so any entry would have to be revisited anyway.
I appreciate that any prevention [alright, delay] would cease to have any effect when Windows 10 falls out of support in 2025.


All the best,
Denis

Specifying the TargetReleaseVersion as the same current version of Windows 10 installed like in the tutorial should normally block the automatic update to Windows 11, and still get any available updates for W10.

However, there's never a 100% guarantee if Microsoft should change something to bypass this to force W11.

Brink said:

However, there's never a 100% guarantee if Microsoft should change something to bypass this to force W11.

I decided to experiment.

I've just set it on one of my computers [which asked me if I wanted Windows 11 only this morning].
- I had to create the TargetReleaseVersionInfo entry [New, String value]
- I set it to 25H2 in the hope that it does not need changing.
- If the Windows 11 threat re-appears I'll change it to 22H2 [my current Version] to see if that's any better.


I'll post again if anything happens.


When the Version numbering system changed after 2004, there were problems with Repair installs because Windows did not recognise 20H2 as a bigger number than 2004***. I don't know if this Registry Key is going to suffer from the same malaise.
*** Which led to the introduction of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion entry DisplayVersion for use in place of the now-redundant ReleaseId.


All the best,
Denis

I just seen that my above reference to a possible Version 25H2 makes no sense because 22H2 is the last Version of Windows 10.
I'll still leave things as they are until something happens.

Windows 10 Home, Pro EoS - MSLearn

MS said:

The current version, 22H2, will be the final version of Windows 10

Thanks @Porthos

Denis

asheroto,

That computer has not attempted to update to Windows 11 since I set that parameter.
I know nothing about the other subjects you posted about.

All the best,
Denis