Is Microsoft forcing users to upgrade to the latest version of Windows? This question is currently being asked after several reports of unauthorized Windows updates made the rounds. IT expert Günther Born has collected these reports on his blog.
There are several known cases in which PCs running Windows 11 24H2 were suddenly updated to version 25H2 without their respective users initiating the update. He also received a report of a case in which a system was updated from Windows 10 to Windows 11.
Sometimes these unwanted updates happen overnight, sometimes in the middle of the day. We also recently reported on the case of one Reddit user whose PC upgraded to Windows 11 while he was in the shower.
Born refers to this as “too many coincidences” and therefore assumes that there’s an underlying reason for the pattern. There’s suspicion that Microsoft might be forcing updates, but it could also be a bug.
If you want to switch to Windows 11, we recommend the Pro version, which we explain why in this article. The Windows 11 upgrade is available in the PCWorld Software Store for the low price of $59 (was $99).
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Faulty Windows update packages?
One possible reason for these unwanted updates could be that Microsoft is using so-called enablement packages to make version changes faster and smoother. When switching from Windows 11 24H2 to 25H2, for example, the KB5054156 package is used.
Since both versions share a common code base, the new version essentially only needs to be activated by the package. This prevents long download and installation times for updates, and will thus also be used more often in the upcoming Windows 11 26H2 version.
It’s possible that affected users received the enablement package for 25H2 due to an error, which triggered the installation of the latest Windows version on their PC. However, it’s unclear exactly how this could happen. Most users stated that they had disabled the installation of the latest updates on their system.
User error or malicious intent
At this point, we can only speculate whether these are really just isolated cases in which a user may have clicked the wrong button, or whether Microsoft can be accused of a certain intent. In any case, the sudden update to 25H2 is not a known bug.
Fortunately, the update to a newer version is not final. You can undo individual Windows 11 updates and switch back from Windows 11 to Windows 10 (the latter must be done within 10 days).
If you want to prevent updates from being installed without your knowledge, disable automatic updates under Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Pause updates. Check this setting regularly, as the maximum duration is only 5 weeks.