How to Uninstall Problematic Windows 11 Updates

Have you ever faced a situation where your system was updated, and instead of improving, the update made it worse to use?

Yeah, that situation is actually pretty common. You wake up one day, and your system has just finished updating. Instead of running smoothly, it suddenly feels slower or starts acting strangely. Maybe a program stops working right, or your Wi-Fi drops for no reason.

The good thing is that Microsoft knows this can happen and gives you a few ways to undo those updates. In this article, we'll look at different methods for uninstalling those troublesome updates on Windows 11 and bring balance to the system. Let’s get started.

Different Ways to Uninstall Updates on Windows 11

• Uninstall Updates on Windows 11 using the Windows Settings
• Uninstalling Updates on Windows 11 using the Control Panel
• Use Command Line Tools like Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell to Uninstall recently installed Updates on Windows 11
• Uninstall Windows Updates using wushowhide.diagcab (Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter)

A General Idea of Updates on Windows 11

Before getting into the uninstallation process, it is wise to know the types of updates you can expect on Windows 11. Sometimes, the issue can be with a small security patch, a driver update, or a large feature update. Understanding the Windows 11 updates will allow us to choose the right method for uninstalling updates on Windows 11.

Feature Update

A major update that adds new features, improvements, and interface changes beyond regular security or bug fixes.

Quality Update

An update that provides security patches, bug fixes, and performance improvements without introducing new features.

Driver Updates

Updates that install newer versions of driver software, allowing Windows to communicate properly with hardware devices like graphics cards, displays, printers, and network adapters.

Definition Updates

The latest security intelligence for Windows Defender and other antivirus tools, helping them detect and remove new viruses, malware, and other threats.

Other Updates

Miscellaneous updates that don’t fit into the main categories, such as .NET Framework updates, optional patches, and more.

Uninstall Updates on Windows 11 using the Windows Settings

• Go to the Windows Settings using the following keyboard combination WinKey + I.
• In the Windows Settings, from the left pane, click on Windows Updates.
• Under Windows Updates More Options, you can find the option Update History. Click on that.
• In the Update History, you can find all the installed updates. The updates include Feature Updates, Quality Updates, Driver Updates, Definition Updates, and Other Updates.
• Scroll down and under Related Settings, you can find the option Uninstall Updates. Select Uninstall Updates.
• Here, you can find the installed updates that can be uninstalled. Kindly note that not all the updates can be uninstalled. Uninstalling some updates will put the PC at risk. For example, uninstalling security updates might put the PC at risk.
• The system will guide you through the process. Kindly follow the same. That’s it.

Uninstalling Windows 11 Updates using the Control Panel

Microsoft is in the process of moving almost all the Control Panel Settings to the Windows Settings as a measure of improvement. In this method, we will use the Control Panel and navigate to the Windows Settings to uninstall updates on Windows 11.

• Open the Control Panel on Windows 11. You can either use the Start menu or use the Run (WinKey + R), and execute the command control.
• In the Control Panel, switch the view to Category.
• Click on Programs.
• Under Programs and Features, click on “View Installed Updates“.
• Now, the Uninstall Updates on Windows 11 option will open.
• From the list of available updates, you can choose the update to be uninstalled.

Uninstall Updates on Windows 11 using Command Line Tools

In this section, we will check out the detailed steps on uninstalling updates on Windows 11 using Command Line Tools like Command Prompt and Windows PowerShell.

Using Command Prompt:

Uninstalling Updates on Windows 11 is an elevated process, and hence, it requires elevated privileges. Hence, we have to ensure that we are running the Command Prompt with Administrative Privileges. Kindly follow the steps below.

• Go to the Run Command using the keyboard shortcut WinKey + R and type cmd, and press CTRl + SHIFT + ENTER
• The User Account Control will be triggered, and once confirmed, the system will open the Command Prompt with Administrative Privileges.
• In the Command Prompt, we can view the list of updates installed and can be uninstalled using the following command. wmic qfe list brief /format:table
• This will show a list of installed updates with their KB numbers. KB number stands for Knowledge Base number, and it helps identify individual updates or patches. It is a unique number with the syntax of KBXXXXXX.
• Once the required KB Number is identified from the list, you can uninstall that particular update using the Windows Update Standalone Installer command. wusa /uninstall /kb:XXXXXXX
• The system will now uninstall the required update on your Windows 11.

Replace kbXXXXXXX with the actual KB number.

Using Windows PowerShell

To view the installed updates using PowerShell, there is no direct command, and hence, we will use the PowerShell Gallery. PSGallery is Microsoft’s official online repository for PowerShell Modules, Resources, and Scripts. It includes official modules and trusted third-party modules.

• Let’s run PowerShell with Administrative Privileges. To do so, go to the Run Command using the shortcut WinKey + R and type powershell and then press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER.
• Now, we will connect to the PowerShell Gallery to download and install the PSGallery Module using the following command. Get-PSRepository
• PSGallery is added as a source in Windows PowerShell. However, it may be marked as untrusted until we approve it. To approve it, execute the following command in PowerShell. Set-PSRepository -Name "PSGallery" -InstallationPolicy Trusted
• Upon executing the above command, you may receive a message indicating that PowerShell Get requires a NuGet provider to interact with NuGet-based repositories. Continue installing the NuGet provider by entering Y.
• After the installation, please restart Windows PowerShell, make sure to close the program, and open it with Elevated Privileges.
• Next, we will list the installed Windows Updates using the following command. Get-WindowsUpdate
• This command will list all installed Windows Updates in PowerShell.
• Now, we will uninstall the desired Windows Updates using their KB Number. The command is as follows wusa /uninstall /kb:1234567
• To hide the update from showing up again after being removed, you can hide the update from showing up again using the following command. Hide-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KB1234567 -Hide

Uninstall Windows Updates using wushowhide.diagcab (Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter)

This method is the least recommended, as Microsoft has moved Troubleshooters, and this tool will be retired soon. As of now, this method is also an alternate way to uninstall or hide Windows Updates on Windows 11.

• You can download the wushowhide.diagcab using the official Microsoft Link.
• Run the downloaded file. Click Next to continue with the Show or Hide Troubleshoot.
• Windows will search for the existing problems and available hidden updates.
• Unlike the above methods, where we can uninstall the installed Windows Updates, here, we can only hide the available updates. Click on Hide Updates.
• You can then select the available updates and hide them. That’s it.

Have Queries?

The above article provides detailed information on how to uninstall Updates on Windows 11 using different methods and clearly explained steps. We hope you are satisfied with our article, and if you have any queries, kindly let us know in the comments. For more interesting articles, stay tuned to Winsides.com. Happy Computing! Peace out!