Forum Discussion
Am not receiving Windows 11 beta update
Windows 11 hasn't yet hit the Beta Channel. It's in the Dev Channel right now. If you want Windows 11 Insider Program you'll have to go into Dev or at least try to go into Dev Channel. Dev gives you earlier access to builds that come before Beta, but can sometimes be buggy, glitchy, or can be unstable builds at times as the builds haven't yet hit Beta Channel. However unlike Beta once you're in Dev you can't exit the Insider Program or go back down to Beta Channel or the Release Preview Channel unless you do a Windows 10 clean install. You can go Release Preview to/or Beta and/or to Dev, but you can't go from Dev to Beta or Release Preview. Eventually Windows 11 will hit Beta, but at the time of this post it's still in Dev Channel builds. Here's more information about Dev vs Beta to help you decide which channel of Windows Insider Program might be best for you: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/flighting
Anthony What about when the Beta comes out, can I update to it then. If I can't- what about the release of Windows 11- Can I just use that?
- If you're presently in Beta Channel, you can just stay in Beta and wait for Windows 11 to eventually arrive to Beta Channel in which case your Windows Update will just update you to the Windows 11 Beta. I'm not sure when it'll reach Beta Channel...I hear sometime this summer. But, it'll eventually arrive to Beta. Windows 11 won't be in the Release Preview Channel as that's staying Windows 10 updates. You can exit Beta if you like and try again in Beta later on or exit Beta and just wait for the general stable release (if you're computer meets the system requirements) or stay in Beta and just wait for Windows 11 to arrive to Beta and your computer to do a Windows Update at that point in time.
- May I know will I update and upgrade to the official release version of Windows 11 if I decided stay at Beta?
Means without clean installIf your computer meets the requirements for Windows 11 and you're in the Beta Channel already getting Windows 11 beta builds, then you'll continue to get the the beta builds of Windows 11 even after the stable general version is released to the public. If you no longer want the beta builds of Windows 11 and just want the general stable release version of Windows 11 after it's released then you'll go in and unenroll via Windows Update / Windows Insider Program settings in which case the next time a major release build of Windows 11 comes out you'll stop receiving beta builds after that and be out of the Insider Program, and on just the general release version without having to uninstall. This is only for Beta Channel though. Dev Channel you'll have to do a clean install to get out of Insider Program back into general release version. Here's a picture of that screen option from my own computer which explains it (it says Windows 10 because we aren't yet on Windows 11 in beta or general release.) The reason it's grayed out for me is because I'm in the Dev Channel. After ten days of going from Windows 10 to Windows 11 you won't be able to go back to Windows 10 without a clean install no matter what insider channel you're on.
- Also check this link out for more information: https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/06/24/preparing-for-insider-preview-builds-of-windows-11/
- Ok. So I'm using the Dev build now, it's pretty cool. You said I can't go back without doing a clean install.
When the full version releases this Fall, can I switch to that out of the Dev build?If you're just joining the Insider Program from Windows 10 or coming out of Windows 10 Beta to Windows 11 Dev, you have ten days to go back to Windows 10 without clean install. It'll simply roll you back to Windows 10 as if you never left (any changes made or files added while on Windows 11 won't come with you) and it should show you as being in Beta again (because you rolled back before you joined Dev). However, you only have ten days. If you just went from Windows 10 to Windows 11 it starts as soon as you updated over. After ten days you can't go back without a clean reinstall of the full version of Windows 10. To do this go to Settings, Windows Updates, Advanced Options, Recovery, Go Back and click that option and it should allow you to revert back to Windows 10 without clean install. This will allow you to roll back to Windows 10 where you left off before upgrading if you just came from Windows 10. HOWEVER if you're not sure yet and want to play around with Windows 11 for a day or two in the mean time do not use Disk Cleanup to remove any files that references Windows Updates or Old Windows Files, and do not delete the file "windows.old" from your C drive. If you delete windows.old from C drive and/or disk cleanup any Windows Update or Old Windows files even an hour after upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 than you won't be able to roll back even within the ten days. After ten days the files will delete themselves. You can also do what you mentioned. Stay in Dev into Windows 11 comes out in full general release later this year. Then find the full Win 11 ISO on Microsoft website and clean install out of Dev with the new full general version of Windows 11 just as you would if you were in Windows 10 Dev and wanted out of Dev or Insider Program and cleaned install full version of Windows 10. From there you can stay in non-insider program version or simply go back into Beta. Dev builds usually come out every week (around Wednesday or Thursday), so make sure your Windows Update is on automatic. To see what build of Windows 11 Dev you're on go to run and type in winver. Each new build works to fixes reported bugs, glitches, and comes with any new added features to Windows 11 that's being tested out.
