Windows 24H2 Build 26100.1591 - HELP! Accidentally switched to Dev Channel from Release Preview but it is NOT yet installed!

I've been on the Release Preview of Windows 11 Pro for a number of years with no issues. I am currently on Windows 11 Pro 24H2 Build 26100.1591 which is the latest cumulative update for the Release Preview.

Yesterday, I accidentally clicked on the Dev option under Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Programme > Choose your Insider settings while trying to select the Beta option, which I didn't realise was actually greyed out. I did this because I have an issue with Star Wars: Outlaws crashing on the current build of 24H2 and wanted to try the next tier up (which is listed as 'Recommended' anyway).

The problem is that I got zero warning when clicked on it even though I did nothing else such as closing the window. Once I clicked on Dev Channel then the Release Preview option became immediately greyed out with no way to reselect it. How stupid is that?

Anyway, I decided to roll back my PC using a system restore point from earlier on that afternoon and post-restart it seemed that the Release Preview was again selected, although it was greyed out. At that point, I decided to opt out of the preview builds by selecting Unenroll this device when the next version of Windows releases. I thought I had it all sorted and I was back on the Release Preview until 24H2 was officially released.

Wrong!

I have just checked Windows Update again and it seems that it had tried to install the dev channel build (26120.xxxx) of Windows 11 24H2 but failed with an error, even though the Release Preview was showing when I checked earlier this morning. Now it shows the Dev Channel selected under Choose your Inside settings but it is greyed out also as are all the options, presumably because Stop getting preview builds is showing Queued for unenrollment.

I have temporarily paused the updates for now but how do I revert back to the Release Preview please? Not that I am still on the RP build 26100.1591 so the Dev Channel build is NOT installed.

Is there a registry tweak I can use to force this? What baffles me is that I could not change back to the Release Preview after clicking on the Dev Channel. What kind of lousy design is that where you are locked into a choice by just clicking on it with no warning or option to switch back while the window is still option?

I'm not on Insiders and I'm running 26100xxx through Windows Update.

Currently on 26100.1591

There are registry entries to make changes to the insider flights, they might be found somewhere on this forum. A quick way which may work for you is to use the GitHub script to change it back to Preview. When you're done, it might be a good idea to sign-out of Windows Insider:


If you have a system image saved from prior to the change in flights, it might also work for you.

Dirtyflash said:

There are registry entries to make changes to the insider flights, they might be found somewhere on this forum. A quick way which may work for you is to use the GitHub script to change it back to Preview. When you're done, it might be a good idea to sign-out of Windows Insider:

GitHub - abbodi1406/offlineinsiderenroll: OfflineInsiderEnroll - A script to enable access to the Windows Insider Program on machines not signed in with Microsoft Account

OfflineInsiderEnroll - A script to enable access to the Windows Insider Program on machines not signed in with Microsoft Account - abbodi1406/offlineinsiderenroll

github.com

If you have a system image saved from prior to the change in flights, it might also work for you.

Click to expand...

A million thanks for this. This script seems to have down the trick better than the individual BAT scripts that were available elsewhere on this site.