Updates to Windows 10 have been on the users’ lips since the operating system was launched in 2015. To this day, they continue to be one of the most controversial elements of Windows, especially due to the problems they cause and the lack of control that users have on them. Additionally, with the release of the 2004 version of Windows 10, Microsoft has eliminated the ability to choose how long to delay updates to the Pro version of its operating system. However, what the company has not said is that Windows 10 hides a much better “trick” to choose which version we want to stay in.
After removing the options to delay and postpone updates, users have started looking for ways to regain control over updates. Some of them, like the possibility to configure it from group policies, are quite complicated. And others, such as the use of third-party programs, are not recommended at all.
However, thanks to one of the hidden novelties of Windows , with a simple change in the registry we will be able to choose which version of Windows we want to stay so that, even if new feature updates come out, they will not be downloaded and installed automatically never more.
The trick that we are going to see next is available for Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise users , from version 1803 onwards. Windows 10 Home users, or those using a build prior to 2018, will not be able to take advantage of the following trick.
So you can control Windows Update updates
To activate and use this trick in Windows 10 it is necessary to make two simple changes in the Windows registry. To do this, the first thing to do is open the registry editor by typing “regedit” in the search bar and opening the registry editor from there.
Once inside, the next thing we will do is navigate to the following registration path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Policies>Microsoft>Windows>WindowsUpdate
Once here, we right-click in the white space on the right and create a new 32-bit DWORD value, and name it “TargetReleaseVersion”. Once created, we double click on it to assign the value “1”,
Once created, the next step will be to create a new string value, which we will give the name “TargetReleaseVersionInfo”. Once created, we double-click on it and assign it the value we want depending on the version of Windows in which we want to stay .
Which version to choose
We must make sure to choose a valid version of Windows so that this function can work normally. In addition, it is necessary to choose a version equal to, or later, than the one we have installed.
For example, if we have version 2004, May 2020 Update installed, and we do not want to update beyond it, we must enter the value “2004” in this registry entry. Or if we are in 1909, November 2019 Update, and we don’t want to update to 2004, we will introduce the value “1909”.
What will not work is if we are using version 2004 and enter the value 1909 in the TargetReleaseVersion. It must be the same version, or later, than the one we are using. Otherwise, it will do nothing.
We restart the computer and voila. From this moment, our Windows will not be updated beyond the version that we have indicated. When a new Windows update comes out, our PC will not update automatically. At least until the version we are using reaches its end of support . Once this moment has arrived, Microsoft will force the update to the new version for security.
How to update Windows again
In case we later regret it and want to receive the new versions of the operating system again, the previous configuration is completely reversible. Therefore, when we want to receive the new versions of Windows as usual, all we have to do is go back to the two entries that we created in the previous step within the registry and delete them. Nothing else.
To be clear, the registry entries to be cleared are “TargetReleaseVersion” and “TargetReleaseVersionInfo”. Both are found under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE> SOFTWARE> Policies> Microsoft> Windows> WindowsUpdate. We must be careful to delete registry entries without knowing, since it can affect the correct operation of the PC.
Once these registry entries are deleted, we restart the computer and that’s it. The TargetReleaseVersion function will already be deactivated and, therefore, we will be able to receive Windows versions and updates again as usual.