Why cant I get Windows 11 update?

If you’ve been waiting for the Windows 11 22H2 update or just noticed that one computer hasn’t been asking you to update while others have, there could be a very good reason for the delay. If you’ve been tempted to manually install the latest version by using the Update Now button or the Media Creation Tool, Microsoft recommends against it.

According to Microsoft, the Windows 11 22H2 update could interfere with signing in with Windows Hello in some circumstances. Microsoft notes that the trouble arises on devices that have Windows Hello enabled before installing the update. However, setting up Windows Hello afterward doesn’t cause any issues.

Why cant I get Windows 11 update?

If you’ve already upgraded to Windows 11, version 22H2, and are having trouble with Windows Hello, the workaround is to simply sign-in with your password. That means it isn’t a huge problem for an individual but could be a nightmare for organizations with hundreds or thousands of computers that have Windows Hello.

The safeguard hold is scheduled to be removed next week so the wait isn’t very long. You can save yourself the trouble of looking up your password, if you hold on a little longer and wait for the prompt to update. You can also open Windows Update Settings and select Check for updates. If you see the option to Download and install, it’s okay to proceed.

For those unfamiliar with Windows Hello, it’s a secure, visual login system based on biometric data, relying on an infrared facial scan, a fingerprint, or a PIN code to identify authorized users. It’s a fast and reliable system that speeds up unlocking and using your Windows PC.

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Windows 10 users who want to upgrade to Windows 11 via Windows Update, can simply check for updates on their device to see whether the Windows 11 update is available. However, some Windows 10 users are reporting that Windows 11 is not showing up in Windows Update settings even though the device passed the PC Health Check test for Windows 11 requirements. In this post, we offer suggestions on how to resolve this issue.

Why cant I get Windows 11 update?

Keep in mind that this might not be an issue per se, because Microsoft doesn’t push Windows 11 to all PC users at the same time. The Windows Upgrade is usually throttled – so If your computer doesn’t receive Windows 11 in Windows Update, it usually means that your device is not ready for Windows 11 – however, you can get Windows 11 immediately if you want by any of the following ways:

  • Use Windows 11 Installation Assistant to install Windows 11.
  • Create Windows 11 bootable installation media for installation.
  • Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) file from Microsoft and then install Windows 11 on your device using the ISO file.

The following are reasons why Windows 11 might not show up in Windows Update Settings on your device:

  • Damaged Temporary files.
  • There is something wrong with the Windows Update service.
  • You are not in the proper Channel of the Windows Insider Program.

So, if you notice Windows 11 is not showing up in Windows Update Settings on your device, you can try our recommended solutions below in no particular order and see if that helps to resolve the issue.

  1. Restart PC
  2. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
  3. Check if Pause Updates is turned on
  4. Turn on/off VPN (if applicable)
  5. Modify Registry
  6. Change Telemetry settings
  7. Wait for Microsoft to roll out Windows 11 update to your PC

Let’s take a look at the description of the process involved concerning each of the listed solutions.

1] Restart PC

A quick restart of your PC and then re-run of Windows Update may help you if the Windows 11 is not showing up in Windows Update Settings. Try the next suggestion if this action didn’t work.

2] Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

This solution requires you to run the inbuilt Windows Update Troubleshooter and see if the automated wizard helps to resolve the issue.

3] Check if Pause Updates is turned on

This solution requires you to check if Pause Updates is turned on. If the option is enabled on your device you need to disable or turn it off and see if that fixes the issue at hand.

4] Turn on/off VPN (if applicable)

Usually, it’s the other way round; but some affected PC users reported that what worked for them is connecting via VPN, they were able to upgrade to Windows 11. But in the event you’re already connected via VPN and you’re faced with the Windows 11 update issue, you can turn off or try uninstalling your VPN software or remove any proxy server from your computer and see if that resolves the issue.

5] Modify Registry

Why cant I get Windows 11 update?

This solution applies to PC users running Windows Preview Builds on their device.

Since this is a registry operation, it is recommended that you back up the registry or create a system restore point as necessary precautionary measures. Once done, you can proceed as follows:

  • Press Windows key + R to invoke the Run dialog.
  • In the Run dialog box, type regedit and hit Enter to open Registry Editor.
  • Navigate or jump to the registry key path below:
Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsSelfHost\Applicability
  • At the location, on the right pane, make sure the following registry keys are matched with the appropriate values as shown on the image above.

6] Change Telemetry settings

This solution requires you to simply change or reconfigure the current telemetry settings on your Windows PC.

7] Wait for Microsoft to roll out Windows 11 update to your PC

At this point, if Windows 11 update isn’t still available for your PC, and you don’t want to manually upgrade, there’s no cause for alarm as Microsoft is in the process of rolling out the Windows 11 update slowly to all PCs that meet the system requirements for the upgrade. In this case, all you can do is wait – the update should be available for your PC by mid-2022.

Hope you find this post informative and helpful enough!

Why can I not update to Windows 11?

To troubleshoot Windows Update Issues for Windows 11, you can try the following: Make sure you have enough free space on your C drive to install/update to Windows 11. Restart the Windows PC to make sure the previous updates are installed. Re-run the Windows updates again from Settings > Windows Updates > Check for updates.

Are there any issues with Windows 11?

There are quite a number of Windows 11 Known issues and problems, including compatibility issues with some Intel “Killer” and “SmartByte” networking software and Windows 11. Devices with the affected software might drop User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets under certain conditions. This creates performance and other problems for protocols based on UDP.

Related post: How to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware.

Why can't I get Windows 11 update?

The main obstacles to upgrading devices to Windows 11 are the CPU and the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), which was either not present or not enabled in the research. Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 and approved CPUs.

How do I get Windows 11 to update?

To check if Windows 11 is ready for your device, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates. If the upgrade is available for your device and you want to proceed, download and install it.

Can't update to Windows 11 even though I meet requirements?

Fix #1: Make sure you are meeting all the requirements Ensure that you have at least 9GB of free disk space on your system so that you can download Windows 11 on your local storage using the Assistant. Ensure that you run the Installation Assistant as an administrator. Processor: 1GHz or faster with 2 or more cores.