M365 automatically reverts back to an older version

[David_Watts]

I'm migrating to Monthly Enterprise Channel using the M365 servicing plan which seems to work fine, except for a handful of computers. Their channel changes, but their office version will not stay current. After the version would not change from 2007 to 2211, I uninstalled Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise and installed 2211. The next morning, I checked, and it reverted back to 2007. I've used this same process on several other laptops, and all has worked well. Any ideas why this is occurring?

[#2]

Hi David, I've responded with several suggestions over on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/Office365/comments/11774a9/m365_automatically_reverts_back_to_an_older/?utm...

[#3]

@Martin_Nothnagel_Office_Ranger thank you, but for whatever reason I don't see any comments in Reddit. 

[#4]

Here you go:

Hi, I would start checking these points:
1. Have the Microsoft 365 Apps been deployed using Intune as native M365apps? Might it be that a specific build was selected and now Intune is enforcing said build?
Verify if the device is targeted by Intune with a native M365Apps deployment. If yes, check if the app is configured to be on a specific build in Intune (opposed to being on 'latest'). If this is the case, switch the build to "latest" and save the config.
2. Is "targetversion" set? Search the HKLM\Software registry hive for "updatetargetversion". Is there a hit in a subkey of HKLM\Software\policies\? Then a GPO is setting the targetversion. If the hit is somewhere else, the targetversion might have been set by ODT.
Bonus: Also search HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\Configuration for the build number the device is currently on (16.0.xxxx). Is there a key called something like "updatetoversion"? If yes, this has been set by ODT as well and is keeping the device on this version.
For the latter two issues, the solution is to rename the registry key, restart the C2R service and trigger the update. The device should now update to the latest build and stay there.
If none of the above yields any results, you need to start digging deeper into the logs to understand if the rollback is an update or install action. And then who/what could trigger that.

[#5]

@Martin_Nothnagel_Office_Ranger Sorry it took me so long to respond. Yes, I did deploy with Intune, but I also installed manually even from the office portal. I completely uninstalled, restarted, installed and I thought all was well, but the next morning it reverted back. I validated the settings on the "bad" machine are the same as mine, which is updating properly. 

I did search for "updatetargetversion" and I see it contains the build number it rolled back to. 

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\cloud\office\16.0\Common\officeupdate

I'll give it a try by renaming the key and restarting C2R service. 

I did notice, ClientVersionToReport is 16.0.15726.20196 while VersionToReport is 16.0.15427.20284. BTW, 16.0.15427.20284 is the version which appears for "updatetargetversion".

Thanks for the help and I'll let you know what I find. 

[#6]

ClientVersionToReport and VersionToReport not matching is expected. ClientVersion refers to the C2R service itself, while Version refers to the apps. Those are basically never the exact same and that's ok.

The fact that you found the "updatetargetversion" in the \policies\...\cloud\ means that the device has some information from servicing profiles set. Can you share the values from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\cloud\office\16.0\Common\officeupdate?

[#7]

Hi Martin,
You are a genius.... updatetargetversion was the issue. Once I deleted the key and then ran OfficeC2RClient.exe /update user, the user stepped through the update process. Oddly that key returns after being updated, hopefully I don't have to manually fix this again.
Thank you for your assistance.

[#8]

Thanks 🙂
Unfortunately, a returning targetversion will most likely trigger another downgrade in the future. Can you export the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\cloud\office\16.0\Common\officeupdate key and post the export here?

Are you using Servicing Profiles from the config.office.com portal and is the profile active or paused?