7 Critical Facts About Unauthorized Windows 11 Upgrades Ignoring Intune Blocks

Overview of the Windows 11 Upgrade Issue

Despite specific Intune policies intended to halt upgrades, an alarming glitch has resulted in multiple Windows devices receiving unauthorized Windows 11 upgrades. Microsoft acknowledges this issue and is urgently deploying a fix to prevent further occurrences.

Impact and Cause

The disruption began on Saturday, April 12, as Windows desktops unexpectedly offered Windows 11 upgrades. Microsoft identified the problem as stemming from a latent code error, disrupting the normal Intune policy enforcement.

Immediate Actions and Recommendations

Microsoft strongly advises system administrators to pause Windows feature updates via Intune Windows Update client policies. This precaution should remain until the complete rollout of the code correction to all affected systems.

Manual Reversion Required

Devices that have inadvertently upgraded to Windows 11 must be manually restored to their previous version to correct the error.

Historical Context of Upgrade Issues

The recent incident is not the first instance of such upgrade issues. Previously, similar unexpected upgrades occurred with Windows Server platforms in November 2024, affecting versions 2019 and 2022.

Response to Server Upgrade Complaints

Following widespread concern among network administrators, Microsoft acknowledged the problem but has provided limited guidance on reversing these unauthorized server upgrades.

Focused Solution on Upgrade Notifications

Microsoft has since rectified a related issue, ensuring upgrade prompts for Windows Server 2025 are accurately displayed and intended only for systems seeking in-place upgrades.