When Microsoft launched Windows 10 over five years ago, it took drastic steps to ensure that users swiftly adopted the new operating system (much to the chagrin of Windows 7 users, in particular). According to Bleeping Computer Microsoft seem to be taking the same approach with Windows 11 with its latest update, KB5005463, that was pushed out to Windows 10 users via Windows Update last week.
KB5005463 includes the PC Health Check tool, which determines if a Windows 10 system meets the minimum system requirements to install Windows 11. Previously, the PC Health Check tool was only available as a separate download from Microsoft's Windows 11 landing page, which attests to its "optional" status for users.
By rolling it into KB5005463, Microsoft is essentially saving Windows 10 users a bit of time if they are interested in upgrading to Windows 11. For its part, Microsoft says that users can simply uninstall the update if they are bothered by its presence. However, it's not that simple, according to BleepingComputer.
Users who have tried to uninstall the app manually indicated that the PC Health Check tool reinstalls itself the next time the PC checks for updates. Attempting to uninstall the KB5005463 presents an incorrect error message: "The update KB5005463 is not installed on this computer."
If you're adamant against having the PC Health Check tool installed on your system, BleepingComputer has instructions on editing your registry to prevent it from repeatedly reinstalling. But it should be noted the app itself is relatively harmless. Its primary task is to check for Windows 11 compatibility, and it does not run automatically at startup. In other words, it's primarily out of mind and out of sight.
Microsoft rolled out a limited release of Windows 11 on October 5th, and most eligible Windows 10 PCs should have the update by the first half of 2022. However, for those who plan to stick with Windows 10 for the long haul, there's no rush to upgrade to Windows 11 – Microsoft says it will continue supporting the legacy operating system through late 2025.