Windows 11 Keeps Downloading After Rollback

If you change your mind after upgrading to Windows 11, you have a ten-day window to roll back to Windows 10. All you need to do is go to Settings, click on Windows Update, navigate to Recovery, and then hit the Go Back button. But even after following these steps, many users complained Windows 11 kept downloading on their devices. Let’s see what you can do to prevent your computer from searching for updates and downloading Windows 11 again.

What to Do if Windows 11 Keeps Downloading After Rollback

Pause Updates for 35 Days

If you want to temporarily go back to Windows 10 but you’re planning to upgrade to Windows 11 again in the near future, you can simply pause the updates.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select Update & Security.
3. Click on Windows Updates.
4. Then, go to Advanced options.
5. Pause Windows Update for 35 days.

Disable Windows Update

You can also disable the Windows Update service to prevent your computer from searching for updates. You can use the Services App or Registry Editor to get the job done.

How to Disable Windows Update via Services

1. Click on the Search icon and type services.
2. Double-click on the Services app to launch it.
3. Scroll down to the Windows Update service.
4. Select the General tab.
5. Click on Startup Type.
6. Set Startup Type to Disabled.
7. Restart your machine to apply the changes.

Disable Windows Update Using the Registry Editor

1. Open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows
3. Right-click on the Windows folder.
4. Select New → Key.
5. Name the new key WindowsUpdate.
6. Right-click on WindowsUpdate, and select New → Key.
7. Name it AU.
8. Right-click on the AU key, and select New → DWORD (32-bit).
9. Name the new key NoAutoUpdate.
10. Double-click on NoAutoUpdate, and edit the Value field from 0 to 1.
11. Save the settings, and restart your computer.

Enforce the TargetedRelease Group Policy

You can also enforce the TargetedRelease policy to prevent Windows 11 from installing.

1. Launch PowerShell with admin rights.
2. Then, type cmd.exe to open CMD inside Powershell.
3. Run the following command to enable the Targeted Release policy: reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversion /t REG_DWORD /d 1
4. Depending on your Windows version, run one of the commands below to indicate the target version you want to use:
   • If you’re running Windows 10 version 21H2, enter reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversionInfo /t REG_SZ /d 21H2
   • For Windows 10 version 21H1, run reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversionInfo /t REG_SZ /d 21H1
   • For Windows 10 version 20H2, enter reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate /v TargetReleaseversionInfo /t REG_SZ /d 20H2
5. Restart your computer.

Thanks to this command, your computer will remain on the Windows 10 version you specified until that release reaches end of service.

Conclusion

To prevent Windows 11 from installing on your computer after rolling back to Windows 10, pause updates for 35  days. Additionally, disable the Windows Update service via the Services app or using the Registry Editor. If Windows 11 still keeps downloading, enforce the TargetedRelease Policy to force your PC to remain on Windows 10 until end of service.

Which of the methods above helped you prevent Windows 11 from downloading on your machine? Let us know in the comments below.