Over time, I have seen many instances of people suggesting the use of a sledgehammer to pound in a finishing nail when it comes to Windows. I cannot begin to list the number of times where the simplest solution turned out to be the correct course of action. I see it here in this thread too: drastic measures such as complete reinstallation of one's OS requiring multiple steps to fix an issue that, with a bit of cleverness, can be solved by the simplest of means.
Normally I don't post on forums, but I made an account here specifically because this solution needs to be exposed to the greatest number of individuals. It appears to me that this the most helpful thread addressing the issue, so I thought it would be best to resurrect it.
I've had the same issue as many here: Windows Update was not offering 24H2 to me, no matter what I tried. There's a lot of great advice in this thread regarding how to ascertain whether a Safeguard Hold has been placed on a system and other useful test-script. I used them all and found that I have no blocks whatsoever. Still, I could not get Windows Update to offer me 24H2. Since there are so many documented issues with 24H2, I didn't care to get it for the longest time, but with the release of 25H2 I decided it was time to figure out the issue because 24H2 has to precede 25H2 or 25H2 cannot be acquired (as I understand it).
Here is what I concluded:
Modify Group Policies
- Open Local Group Policy Editor.
- Navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage updates offered from Windows Update.
- In the right panel, double-click Select the target Feature Update version.
- In the new window, select the Enabled option. In the “Which Windows produce version would you like to receive feature updates for” section, type Windows 11. Under “Target Version for Feature Updates”, type 24H2. Click Apply.
- Restart your computer and check if Windows 11 24H2 shows up.
Modify Registry Values
If you are using Windows Home editions, there may be no Local Group Policy Editor. In this case, you can use Registry Editor to complete the same task.
- Open regedit.
- Go to: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate (if WindowsUpdate does not exist, right-click the Windows key, choose New > Key, and name it WindowsUpdate).
- Right-click WindowsUpdate and select New > String Value.
- Name the value ProductVersion, set its value data to Windows 11, and click OK to save it.
- Create another string value in the right panel. Name it TargetReleaseVersionInfo and set its value data to 24H2.
- Right-click on the blank area and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it TargetReleaseVersion, set its value data to 1, and save the change.
- Restart your computer and Windows 11 24H2 should appear in Windows Update.
Personally, I used the Group Policy method and it worked like a charm. No disk imaging or other drastic action required. After a restart, 24H2 showed up instantly. Once it completed (and even while it was installing) I went ahead and changed “
Target Version for Feature Updates” to 25H2, and as soon as 24H2 restart-mania completed, Windows Update instantly offered me 25H2, which installed without a hitch. A few 'catch-up-dates' later, and I am running the latest build.
PLEASE NOTE WELL: Upon completion of this process,
be sure to return the Group Policy setting to
Not Configured. If 24H2 (or 25H2, or any 'XXH2') is left active, it will block any future 'XXH2' from being offered and instead maintain the status quo (this according to the description in the Policy itself). If you used the regedit method, just delete the keys and values you created (success means you don't need them anymore anyway). ((The fact that this might be used (or misused) to prevent new "Feature Updates" from ever being offered is not lost on me, but that's a different thread))
I hope this helps anyone who is struggling with this issue, seemingly to no avail. Personally, I found very few search results that were related specifically to not being offered 24H2.
Best wishes to all.
