In summary:
- Microsoft is forcing Windows 11 Home and Pro users to update to version 25H2 using machine learning algorithms, with no opt-out option available.
- PCWorld reports this mandatory update occurs because Windows 11 24H2 support ends October 13th, requiring users to move to the newer version.
- While users cannot avoid the update entirely, they can temporarily postpone it, though IT-managed PCs remain exempt from immediate forced updates.
Support for version 24H2 of Windows 11 is officially slated to end on October 13th, but it’s already clear that some users will soon be prompted to make a mandatory update to version 25H2.
While this move is controversial, the supposed aim is to ensure that users continue to have access to the latest security patches.
According to the Windows 11 25H2 support page, machine learning is being used to “intelligently roll out” the forced update to “all devices running Home and Pro editions of Windows 11, version 24H2 that are not managed by IT departments.” PCs managed by IT departments are being given a pass for now as they may have good reasons to stay on 24H2.
That “machine learning” mention on the support page is doing a lot of heavy lifting, with zero transparency as to what it’s using as criteria to determine which PCs are “ready” to automatically receive the update.
As a user, no action is required from you—you’ll be forcibly moved up to Windows 11 25H2 when Microsoft thinks your time has arrived. If you don’t want the update, you won’t be able to opt out entirely, but you can postpone it via the instructions on this support page.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC för Alla and was translated and localized from Swedish.
Author: Mikael Markander, Contributor, PCWorld
Mikael writes news across all our consumer tech categories. He has previously worked with Macworld, but today mainly writes for our sister sites PC för Alla and M3. Mikael has a firm grasp on which gadgets are released, and what is happening with the streaming services and the latest AI tools.