Microsoft has identified a “code issue” as the culprit behind the unintended rollout of Windows 11 to devices that were not designated for the upgrade. This situation arose from a flaw within Intune, the company’s device management software tailored for enterprise environments. Reports indicate that a “latent code issue” within Intune inadvertently triggered upgrades on devices, despite existing policies intended to prevent such occurrences.
According to BleepingComputer, Microsoft is actively working on a fix to mitigate the situation. In the interim, the company has advised organizations to pause Windows updates via Intune to prevent further complications. Additionally, any devices that have already received the Windows 11 upgrade erroneously will require manual intervention to revert to their previous Windows version. Microsoft emphasized, “While we work to address the issue, admins in impacted organizations may be able to circumvent impact by pausing Windows Feature Updates until the code fix has been developed, tested, and deployed.”
This bug emerges as Microsoft intensifies its efforts to promote Windows 11, aiming to boost adoption rates ahead of the impending end of support for Windows 10. The company has employed various strategies, including frequent prompts to users and restricting new Copilot features to Windows 11, among other tactics.
Not the first unwanted Microsoft upgrade
The recent Intune flaw is reminiscent of a previous incident in November 2024, when Microsoft customers experienced unexpected upgrades from Windows Server 2022 to Windows Server 2025 without their consent or payment. Shortly after the launch of Windows Server 2025, users reported that their older software versions were either upgrading automatically or preparing to do so.
One small business administrator expressed their surprise at the situation, stating, “This obviously came as a shock as we’re not at the point to do so for many reasons and the required licensing would not be present.” Microsoft attributed this incident to the use of third-party products for managing server updates, although Heimdal, a software management company, suggested that the issue might stem from an incorrect label that misclassified the Microsoft release.
In a related event just a month prior, Microsoft had to retract a preview update for Windows 11 due to severe issues that caused computers to crash, resulting in the infamous “blue screen of death.” This series of events highlights the challenges Microsoft faces in managing software updates and maintaining user trust amidst its ongoing transition to newer operating systems.
