How to Uninstall a Windows 11 Update (Settings, CMD and wusa)

To uninstall a Windows 11 update, open Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates, pick the update and select Uninstall. If Windows won’t start, use the Recovery Environment instead. From the command line, wusa /uninstall /kb: handles most updates, and DISM removes the newer combined cumulative packages that wusa can’t.

Should you uninstall a Windows 11 update?

Only uninstall a Windows 11 update when you can link a specific problem to it, such as a printer that stopped working, a game that crashes, or boot failures that started the day it installed. Monthly updates carry security fixes, so removing one leaves the PC exposed until a corrected patch arrives.

Before you remove anything, check the date in Update history against when the problem began. A common support ticket we see blames the latest update for something that was really a driver or a full disk. If the fault is general corruption rather than one patch, running a repair such as DISM /RestoreHealth is often the better first move.

Quality updates vs feature updates

Windows 11 gets two main kinds of update, and they’re removed in different ways.

If a version upgrade is the culprit, it helps to know what changed. Our overview of Windows 11 26H2 features covers the latest release.

How to uninstall a Windows 11 update from Settings

To uninstall a Windows 11 update from Settings, go to Settings > Windows Update > Update history, scroll to Related settings and select Uninstall updates. Find the KB number in the list, select Uninstall next to it, confirm, and restart. This is Microsoft’s recommended route and suits most home users.

1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Select Windows Update, then Update history under More options.
3. Note the KB number and install date of the suspect update under Quality updates.
4. Scroll down to Related settings and select Uninstall updates.
5. Select Uninstall beside the update, then confirm.
6. Restart the PC when prompted and test whether the problem has gone.

Microsoft’s own guide on how to uninstall a Windows update notes that some updates can’t be uninstalled. If the Uninstall button is missing for the patch you want, move on to the command-line methods below.

How to uninstall a KB update with Command Prompt (wusa)

To uninstall a KB update from Command Prompt, open Terminal as administrator and run wusa /uninstall /kb:5xxxxxx, replacing the number with the update’s KB ID without the letters “KB”. Add /quiet /norestart to run it silently and restart later. It’s ideal for scripts or remote support sessions.

1. Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin).
2. List installed updates with Get-HotFix | Sort-Object InstalledOn in PowerShell, or systeminfo in Command Prompt.
3. Run wusa /uninstall /kb:5xxxxxx and accept the prompt.
4. Restart when asked, or add /quiet /norestart and restart manually later.

The switches below come from Microsoft’s Windows Update Standalone Installer documentation.

One caution: with /quiet and no /norestart, the PC can restart immediately. Save open work first.

What if wusa says the update can’t be removed?

If wusa fails, the update is probably a combined servicing stack and cumulative package. Microsoft states that running wusa with /uninstall on these combined packages won’t work. Instead, find the cumulative update’s package name with DISM /Online /Get-Packages and remove it with DISM /Online /Remove-Package.

1. Open Terminal (Admin).
2. Run DISM /Online /Get-Packages /Format:Table.
3. Look for an entry starting Package_for_RollupFix whose install time matches the bad update.
4. Copy its full package identity and run DISM /Online /Remove-Package /PackageName:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~26100.xxxx.x.x, pasting your own name.
5. Restart when DISM finishes.

Microsoft’s cumulative update release notes, such as this example for Windows 11, describe the same method. They also confirm that the servicing stack part can’t be removed after installation. That’s expected behaviour, and it doesn’t stop the rollback of the cumulative update itself.

How to remove an update when Windows won’t start

When Windows 11 won’t start after an update, boot into the Windows Recovery Environment and choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates. You can then remove the latest quality update or the latest feature update without reaching the desktop. Windows usually opens recovery automatically after repeated failed boots.

1. Power the PC on and off during boot two or three times, or hold Shift while selecting Restart if you can reach the sign-in screen.
2. On the blue recovery screen, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates.
3. Select Uninstall latest quality update (monthly patch) or Uninstall latest feature update (version upgrade).
4. Sign in with an administrator account when asked, then let it finish and restart.

If the drive is encrypted, you may be asked for the BitLocker recovery key, so have it to hand from your Microsoft account. If the PC can’t reach recovery at all, boot from a Windows 11 bootable USB and choose Repair your computer to get the same menu.

Going back to the previous Windows 11 version

For feature updates there’s also Settings > System > Recovery > Go back. This option is only available for a short period after the upgrade (10 days by default). Once Windows deletes the old version’s files, the button disappears.

How to stop the update reinstalling itself

To stop an uninstalled update coming straight back, go to Settings > Windows Update and choose a period under Pause updates. Each pause lasts up to five weeks on most PCs. This gives Microsoft time to release a fixed version, which usually replaces the faulty patch in the next monthly cycle.

• Pause updates: Select Pause for 1 week or use the drop-down to choose longer. Microsoft has been testing, and rolling out, options that let you extend the pause repeatedly, so your PC may offer more flexibility.
• Hide one specific update: Microsoft’s “Show or hide updates” troubleshooter (wushowhide.diagcab) can hide a single update. It’s an older tool, so treat it as a fallback.
• Watch release health: Microsoft publishes known issues for each update. Once a fix is listed, resume updates and install it.

Don’t leave updates paused indefinitely. A PC that misses months of security patches carries a far bigger risk than most update bugs do. If the machine has general slowdowns rather than one bad patch, our guide to speeding up Windows 11 is a better place to start.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to uninstall a Windows 11 update?

It’s generally safe to uninstall a quality update that’s causing a clear problem, and Windows supports doing so. The risk is security: you lose the fixes that update contained. Pause updates afterwards, then install the corrected version once Microsoft releases it, usually within a few weeks.

Why is there no Uninstall button for an update?

Some updates can’t be removed through Settings, including servicing stack updates and some combined packages. Microsoft confirms that certain updates can’t be uninstalled. For a combined cumulative update, use DISM /Online /Get-Packages to find the package name, then remove it with DISM /Online /Remove-Package.

How do I find the KB number of the latest update?

Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history. Each entry under Quality updates shows its KB number and install date. In PowerShell, Get-HotFix | Sort-Object InstalledOn lists the same information, which is useful when you plan to remove the update with wusa.

Will uninstalling an update delete my files?

No. Uninstalling a quality or feature update removes system changes, not your documents, photos or apps. That said, rollbacks can fail, especially on a PC that’s already unstable. Backing up important files before any recovery work is sensible and only takes a few minutes.

Does uninstalling an update affect Windows activation?

Removing an update doesn’t normally change activation, because the licence is tied to your hardware or Microsoft account, not to a particular patch. If Windows shows as unactivated afterwards, check Settings > System > Activation and use the Activation troubleshooter before assuming the key has a problem.

How long can I go back after a Windows 11 feature update?

The Go back option in Settings > System > Recovery is available for a limited window after a feature update, 10 days by default. After that, Windows removes the previous version’s files. The Recovery Environment’s “Uninstall latest feature update” option is subject to the same limit.

The bottom line

For most people, Settings > Update history > Uninstall updates is all it takes. Use wusa for scripting, DISM for combined cumulative packages, and the Recovery Environment when Windows won’t boot. Then pause updates until a fix arrives, and if you need a clean start, our Windows 11 Pro install and activation guide walks you through it.

Useful links