When you can, but don’t really want to.
I often hear from two groups of people concerning Windows 11.
- Those who can’t upgrade to it (perhaps because of hardware compatibility issues) but want to.
- Those who can upgrade to it but don’t want to.
This article is for those who want to stay with Windows 10 even though their machine could support Windows 11.
Blocking the Windows 11 upgrade
Use GRC’s InControl app to prevent Windows from automatically upgrading beyond your current release. Run it and click “Take Control,” and your system will stay at its current version and release until you choose otherwise. You might still see upgrade notifications, but they can be ignored.
InControl
The solution is a simple app from GRC1 called InControl.
This app prevents an upgrade from any specific Windows version/release.
By default, you are not in control — meaning you’re not in control of what happens to your system. Your operating system can be upgraded without warning.
Using InControl
In the lower left is a “Version / Release” entry that displays your current Windows version (10, in the example above), and release (22H2, the last Windows 10 release).
Click Take Control.
The Version / Release entry fields are now greyed. Windows will not be upgraded past this specific combination.
If you’re on Windows 10, you’re on Windows 10 until you say otherwise.
InControl and Windows 11
InControl isn’t about staying on Windows 10 specifically; it’s about any upgrade. For example, here’s a screenshot of a machine running Windows 11.
This Windows 11 machine will now not upgrade beyond Windows 11 24H2…
…until, of course, you click Release Control, after which Windows will do whatever Windows does.
It prevents upgrades, but possibly not nags
InControl prevents your system from being upgraded past a specified release.
However, Windows may still encourage you to upgrade. You can safely ignore those notifications.
Do this
I generally recommend upgrading to Windows 11 (if you can) and taking the latest releases as they come out.
If you need or want to stick with Windows 10 — which will keep working after support ends — now you have a way to prevent any automatic upgrade.
Subscribe to Confident Computing! Less frustration and more confidence, solutions, answers, and tips in your inbox every week.
Podcast audio
Related Video
Footnotes & References
1: Almost all apps from GRC are small and simple. 
If a user has Windows 10 Pro, they could use Local Group Policy (gpedit.msc) to accomplish the same thing.
Under Local Group Policy, the path is Computer Configuration>Administrative Templates>Windows Components>Windows Update>Manage updates offered from Windows Update>Select the Target Feature Update version.
There the user can specify Windows 10 22H2 and that will keep Windows Update from trying to install any other feature updates.
I used it on one of my computers to keep it from updating to Windows 11 24H2 until I was able to resolve some issues that kept it in a loop trying to install the update, failing, and trying again over and over.
Again, users need to be running Windows10 Pro to do this. Group Policy Editor isn’t available on Windows 10 Home.
That’s true, but most Ask Leo! readers use a Windows Home edition. We have no stats on that but most Windows users use Home versions.
As I understand it, that’s pretty much what this utility does, in a much simpler form. The download page includes all the details.
I have a win 11 capable computer that I don’t want to upgrade YET. If I use this app would it allow regular updates to win 10 until they run out. I assume so, but just want to make sure.