Windows 11 updates, while intended to improve stability and performance, can sometimes introduce unforeseen issues like feature malfunctions or compatibility conflicts. When an update causes problems, knowing how to manually uninstall it becomes essential.
Here are several methods you can use to remove updates on Windows 11:
- Uninstall update on Windows 11 from WinRE
- Uninstall update on Windows 11 from Safe Mode
- Uninstall update on Windows 11 from Command Prompt
- Uninstall update on Windows 11 from PowerShell
- Uninstall update on Windows 11 from Settings
Uninstall update on Windows 11 from WinRE
The Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is particularly useful when an update prevents your system from starting correctly.
Step 1: Start your PC in WinRE.
Quick tip: You can find several methods to access the recovery settings online.
Step 2: Click on Troubleshoot.
Step 3: Click on Advanced options.
Step 4: Click on Uninstall Updates.
Step 5: Click the "Uninstall latest quality update" option.
Step 6: Sign in using your administrator credentials.
Step 7: Click the "Uninstall quality update" button.
After completing these steps, your computer will uninstall the most recent quality update.
Uninstall update on Windows 11 from Safe Mode
Uninstalling updates in Safe Mode can be effective for resolving issues caused by problematic updates.
Step 1: Open Start.
Step 2: Search for msconfig and click on System Configuration to open the app.
Step 3: Click the Boot tab.
Step 4: Check the Safe boot option under the “Boot options” section.
Step 5: Choose the Minimal option to start Windows 11 in Safe Mode. You can also select the Network option to boot Windows 11 with networking support.
Step 6: Click the Apply button.
Step 7: Click the OK button.
Step 8: Restart the computer.
Step 9: Sign in to your account.
Step 10: Use the "Windows key + R" keyboard shortcut to open the Run command.
Step 11: Type Control Panel and click the OK button.
Step 12: Click on Programs.
Step 13: Click the "View installed updates" option.
Step 14: Select the "KB" update to remove.
Step 15: Click the Uninstall button.
Step 16: Click the Yes button.
Step 17: Restart the computer.
Windows 11 will continue to boot into Safe Mode until you revert the changes. After resolving the problem, you can revert the changes using the same instructions, but in step 4, clear the "Safe Boot" option.
In Safe Mode, you can also use Command Prompt and PowerShell commands to remove updates from Windows 11.
Uninstall update on Windows 11 from Command Prompt
Command Prompt provides a direct way to uninstall updates using specific commands.
Step 1: Open Start.
Step 2: Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Step 3: Type the following command to view the update history and press Enter:
wmic qfe list brief /format:table
Step 4: Check the Windows Update history of your device, and identify the update using its HotFixID and InstalledOn information.
Step 5: Type the following command to uninstall the update from the computer and press Enter:
wusa /uninstall /kb:KBNUMBER
In the command, replace "KBNUMBER" with the KB number corresponding to the update to uninstall. For example:
wusa /uninstall /kb:5050090
Step 6: Click the Yes button.
Step 7: Follow the on-screen prompts (if any).
After completing these steps, the update will be removed.
Uninstall update on Windows 11 from PowerShell
PowerShell offers another command-line method to uninstall updates, providing more flexibility.
Step 1: Open Start.
Step 2: Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Step 3: Type the following command to install the PowerShell module to update Windows 11 and press Enter:
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate
Step 4: Type "Y" to accept and press Enter.
Step 5: Type "A" to install the module and press Enter.
Step 6: Type the following command to allow scripts to run on PowerShell and press Enter:
Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
Step 7: Type the following command to import the installed module (if applicable) and press Enter:
Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate
Step 8: Type the following command to view a list of the 20 most recent updates and press Enter:
Get-WUHistory | Select-Object -First 20
Step 9: Type the following command to select and remove the update with PowerShell and press Enter:
Remove-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KBNUMBER
In the command, replace "KBNUMBER" with the update number you want to block. For example:
Remove-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KB5050090
Step 10: Type "A" to accept and install the module and press Enter.
The device may need to restart to complete the process.
If the above instructions do not work, the Command Prompt instructions should also work with PowerShell.
Uninstall update on Windows 11 from Settings
The Settings app provides a user-friendly interface for uninstalling recent updates.
Step 1: Open Settings on Windows 11.
Step 2: Click on Windows Update.
Step 3: Click the Update history page.
Step 4: Click the Uninstall updates setting under the “Related settings” section.
Step 5: Click the Uninstall option to remove the update from Windows 11.
After you complete the steps, the problematic update will be removed from the device, and the computer may require a restart.
Additional Considerations
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Backup your files: Before uninstalling any update, back up your data to prevent potential data loss.
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Understand the risks: Uninstalling security updates may expose your system to vulnerabilities.
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Reinstall the update: Consider reinstalling the update after troubleshooting.
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Limitations: Some updates are essential for the OS to run and cannot be uninstalled.
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You can no longer uninstall quality updates from the Control Panel, as the experience is now managed by the Settings app.
System updates differ from driver updates. For driver issues, the process to remove a driver update is different. Microsoft also offers feature updates, which you can uninstall to roll back to the previous version, but the steps vary, and you may even need to perform a clean installation of Windows 11.
Knowing how to remove problematic updates helps ensure a stable and functional Windows 11 experience.