How to Roll Back Builds and Uninstall Updates on Windows 11

If your current Windows build or version, or the most recent quality update is creating problems, you can reverse builds or remove updates for Windows 11.

The New Windows 11 brings the most significant changes in Windows operating system’s history, with significant changes to everything from design, features and performance improvements. The operating system is continuously evolving and improving with each feature update and build upgrade.

There’s always the possibility that the new operating system could introduce bugs, compatibility issues, and a slow performance. If you experience issues with the most recent updates or the most recent builds for Windows 11, you can remove the most recent updates or roll back versions to previous versions of the operating system.

This Windows 11 guide, we will walk you through the process of backing up builds and deinstalling updates for Windows 11.

Uninstall Quality Updates on Windows 11

Microsoft releases high-quality updates for Windows every month to address bugs, stability issues as well as security vulnerabilities and other issues in Windows. Sometimes, however, you might encounter issues or issues following the installation of certain cumulative updates that weren’t available prior to the update. Removal of cumulative update is an simplest solution to resolve the issue. Here’s how to accomplish that:

Then, start Windows Settings. Then, launch Windows Settings app by right-clicking the Start menu and choosing “Settings”.

Within the Settings app, choose Windows Update from the left sidebar, and then click the option ‘Update history’ to the left.

On the Update history page, you will see the complete list of features, quality driver, security, and updates that you just installed to your PC.

Scroll down to the end on your Update History Settings page, and then click ‘Uninstall updates’ in the Related settings.

It will open the “Installed Updates Control Panel. Select the update that is causing the issue from the list and then click the ‘Uninstall’ button to take it off. It is also possible to view the dates when the update was installed, to ensure that you delete the right update.

If the ‘Uninstall an Update’ prompt pops up, select Yes..

Uninstall Feature Updates or Builds in Windows 11

While the quality updates are released every month, the main feature updates are released every two or three times a calendar year (roughly each six-month period) up to Windows 11. These updates update Windows to the most recent version or build, with brand the latest features and security enhancements as well as visual enhancements as well as performance enhancements and much more. Windows 11 versions are also known as builds.

If you encounter serious problems with compatibility or system crashes, bootup issues or any other issues after updating the version of your Windows to the most recent version You can go back to the earlier version or build that was previously installed. Windows 11 OS via Settings.

If you decide to roll over to the earlier build, it is important to know that once you’ve rolled back, you’ll need to install applications and programs that you have installed following the installation of an update. You will also lose all your settings and configurations after installing the most recent build.

But there’s a caveat that you cannot return to the previous version or version of the OS within 10 days following the upgrade. Take these steps in order to Uninstall feature updates on Windows 11.

Then, go to the Start menu, then select the option ‘Settings’.

Then, click on the tab ‘System’ on the left side, and then scroll down to select the option ‘Recovery’.

If it has been under 10 days from the time of installation of the update or the feature update, you’ll be able to see the ‘Go Back button in”Recovery. Click the ‘Go Back’ button.

Then, you will be able to open the ‘Go back to an earlier build’ wizard window. The first screen, choose the reason you’re returning to an earlier version that is Windows 11 and click ‘Next’.

Then, Windows will ask whether you would like to look for the most recent updates for the current build in order to resolve the issues that you’re facing. If you’d like to check for updates then click the “Check for updates” button’.

If you decide to roll over to the prior version, simply click the ‘No, thank you’ button.

Take note of the information on the ‘What you should be aware of’ page. This will tell you what happens if you go back to the previous version. Then, click ‘Next’.

Additionally, you will be advised that the process may take a while to complete So, make sure that your computer is connected and powered on.

If you’ve set an account password or pin in the previous version and have changed it in the last few days, make sure you remember the password that was used in the previous version in order to login to the new version. Then, click ‘Next.

Then, click the ‘Go back to an earlier version’ to begin the process.

The system will automatically reboot and the setup procedure can take some time to finish. After it’s completed the system will go back to the older version of Windows 11.

Method 2:

If the rollback time of 10 days has expired for building projects and the button ‘Go Back’ within the settings for Recovery isn’t accessible or unavailable You can try this method for uninstalling the feature and quality updates.

Start the Settings application by pressing the Win+I shortcut keys, and then selecting the tab ‘System’ on the left side panel. Scroll down, and select the option ‘Recovery’ on the right-hand side.

Then, click the button ‘Restart now’ in the Recovery Options section.

The box will appear that reads “We’ll restart your device so save your work”. Now you can click Restart Now to reboot your computer.

If you’re experiencing issues in the most recent feature update and your PC isn’t starting up correctly to log in and open the Advanced startup option, you could use the trick below to open Windows Recovery Environment. Windows Recovery Environment (Advanced options in the boot menu).

Start by restarting or starting your computer. As you get to your loading screens, press your power key for five seconds to turn off the computer. Repeat the procedure three to four times until you are in into the Windows Recovery Environment window.

Then, your computer will start up in the Windows Recovery Environment. Select the Troubleshoot’ option.

Then, click the Advanced Options option at the bottom of this screen.

From the list of options, choose the option to uninstall updates.

There are two options Uninstall Quality updates’ and Uninstall Updates to Feature’. Select the Uninstall feature update option.

In the final screen, click on the ‘Uninstall the Latest Update to Feature’ button to uninstall the most recent build that is installed onto the Windows 11 computer.

If it’s been longer than 10 days since you updated the version, or if the “Uninstall feature update” option isn’t available under the Advanced option, you’ll have no other choice than to perform an uninstall from Windows 11 or use a backup image to restore the prior version.

Block Windows 11 Version/Build Upgrade using Group Policy Editor

After deinstalling the most recent version or feature update, Windows will update automatically the version whenever the new build is released. If you’re happy with the current version but you do not want to upgrade to the latest one, then you are able to block Windows from automatically updating version by with the Group Policy Editor

However it is true that it is true that the Local Group Policy Editor tool is available only to Professional, Enterprise, and the Education editions of Windows 11 but not for the Home edition. Here’s how to block Windows 11 version upgrade using Group Policy Editor:

Start the Run window, enter gpedit.msc and press Enter to launch Local Group Policy Editor. You can also search for “Edit Group Policy” within the Windows search engine and then launch it.

Navigate to the next location on the navigation left panel in the Local Group Policy Editor:

Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates that are available from Windows Update

Double-click on the ‘Select the Target Feature Update version’ policy to the right of Manage updates in Windows Update. Windows Update folder to edit.

Then, change the policy to enable.

Once it’s enabled, you can enter the following values into the Options:

• Choose the question: ‘What Windows version of the product do you want to receive updates on feature features for?” — Windows 11.
• Set the ‘Target version for Feature updates 21H2 or other versions 21H2 or any other version

In the field for product version in the product version field, type in the OS version, which is Windows 11. In the ‘Target version for Features updates’ field, select the value of the version of feature updates you wish to upgrade to or remain with the same version as 21H2 (latest version) or any other specific version.

After that, click “Apply” to save the changes , and then click OK for the dialogue box to be closed. Then, close the Local Group Policy Editor and restart your system to apply the changes. This will prompt to force the Window to install the feature updates to the version you’ve specified in the event that it doesn’t have it. It will also stop your system from installing any additional Windows 11 version beyond the specific version.

If you’d like to upgrade your Windows 11 system to the most recent version, just select “Not configured” or “Disabled to apply the above policies and then click Apply. After that, restart your computer and look for updates.

Extend Windows 11 Build/Version Rollback Period

As a default feature, Windows 11 allows you to rollback to the earlier version or build that was built Windows 11 within the first 10 days following the installation of the build. If you’d like to test the latest version for longer than 10 days before you decide to make a choice to go back, you can extend the Windows 11 rollback period from 10 days to 30 or 60 days. Here’s how:

Then start typing the command cmd into the Windows search box and then select the “Run as administrator” option to open the terminal with administrator rights.

After that, type the following command to verify the rollback time or remove window, and then press Enter:

DISM /Online /Get-OSUninstallWindow

You will now be able to see the “Uninstall Window”. As you can see, there are only 10 days remaining in the rollback time.

For extending the rollback period by 30 days enter the following command and then press Enter:

DISM /Online /Set-OSUninstallWindow /Value:30

This is where the value of 30 indicates the amount of time you want to use the old version that came with Windows 11.

To confirm and verify the same roll-back timeframe use the same command as earlier. The uninstall window is now modified for 30 days.

For extending the rollback period by 60 days alter your value from 60 to:

DISM /Online /Set-OSUninstallWindow /Value:60

That’s it.