Microsoft confirms Windows 11 availability on ineligible devices

Windows 11 Upgrade Issues: Microsoft’s Admission and Solutions

Recently, Windows 10 users faced unexpected prompts to upgrade to Windows 11, even on devices that should not qualify for the new operating system. Microsoft has acknowledged that a technical glitch in their systems caused this confusion, resulting in some PCs receiving upgrade offers despite being blocked by IT administrators through Intune policies.

Understanding the “Latent Code Issue”

Microsoft has attributed this mix-up to a “latent code issue”that has persisted since April 12, 2025. According to reports from Bleeping Computer, this problem has emerged as a concern for both users and IT managers alike. As a corrective measure, the company is now rolling out a fix designed to prevent Windows 10 machines from inadvertently upgrading to Windows 11.

Steps for Affected Users

If you find yourself on Windows 11 despite your organization’s settings, you’ll need to manually revert to Windows 10. Microsoft also advises users to pause Windows feature updates until the patch is fully tested and implemented. In their guidance, they state:

While we work to address the issue, admins in impacted organizations may be able to circumvent impact by pausing Windows Feature Updates until the code fix has been developed, tested, and deployed. Note that devices which have already erroneously received the Windows 11 upgrade will need to be manually rolled back to the correct Windows version.

Additional Resources for IT Administrators

IT professionals looking for more details on this matter can refer to IT10561350 in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, which provides in-depth information about the ongoing issue.

Recurring Upgrade Issues and Future Trends

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has encountered problems related to unwanted upgrades. In a previous incident, the company upgraded Windows Server environments to Windows Server 2025 on systems lacking the appropriate licenses. Although such errors are unintended, they highlight the complexities of automated update systems.

As Microsoft continues to address these challenges, the consumer landscape is shifting. The adoption of Windows 11 is expected to escalate, especially as support for Windows 10 is set to conclude in October 2025. As it stands, Windows 11 is rapidly gaining popularity, with some regions already seeing it become the most widely used operating system among PCs.

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