Don’t want Windows 11 26H2? Here’s how to prevent it from installing
On Windows 11 Pro, there is no need to tinker with the Registry. The same option is directly accessible in the Local Group Policy Editor, allowing you to choose which version of Windows to keep without changing system keys by hand.
Type gpedit.msc in Windows search, then go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update.
Open Select target feature update versionenable the policy, and then specify Windows 11 in the field dedicated to the product and 25H2for example, in that of the target version.
Once the change is applied, Windows Update will continue to distribute patches for the chosen version without offering 26H2. If you change your mind, simply change the policy back to Not Configured.
The same policy exists on Enterprise and Education editions, which are generally administered on an organization-wide basis.
A word, finally, if you are still on Windows 11 24H2: avoid getting locked into it. On the Home and Pro editions, its support will end on October 13, 2026, and security updates will stop with it.
And if the idea of having to negotiate with Windows Update for each new version tires you out in advance, perhaps it’s a good time to test Linux, especially since several distributions today offer an interface close enough to Windows so as not to feel out of place.
