Microsoft pushes out KB4023057 yet again to force Windows 10 feature updates

Many of the updates and patches Microsoft releases for Windows 10 prove to be unpopular, usually because of the new problems they can introduce. But with the KB4023057 update, people have another reason to consider avoiding installing it.

KB4023057 has been pushed out by Microsoft several times before, and the company has just started to push it again. The aim of the patch is to address issues that have been preventing some people from upgrading to newer versions of Windows 10, and also override any blocks that users have put in place to stop feature updates from being installed. The problem is that there are many people with good reason to stick with an older build of Windows 10, but KB4023057 is ready to ride roughshod over such plans.

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Having made a conscious choice to avoid upgrading to the latest build of Windows 10, anyone installing KB4023057 will be disappointed to find that the patch ultimately results in build 2004 being installed. The update applies to many builds of Windows 10 -- specifically 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, 1803, 1809, 1903 and 1909 -- showing just how eager Microsoft is to get more people upgraded to the latest version.

Microsoft explains that the update "includes reliability improvements to Windows Update Service components in consumer Windows 10". The company goes on to say:

It may take steps to free up disk space on your device if you do not have enough disk space to install Windows updates.

This update includes files and resources that address issues that affect the update processes in Windows 10 that may prevent important Windows updates from being installed. These improvements help make sure that updates are installed seamlessly on your device, and they help improve the reliability and security of devices that are running Windows 10.

What this means in practice is that Windows may run the Disk Cleanup tool to free up space, as well as compressing files. While this is something that you may feel uncomfortable having done for you, it is noted that "this update may try to reset network settings if problems are detected, and it will clean up registry keys that may be preventing updates from being installed successfully".

This means that Microsoft is actively ignoring clear decisions taken by users, so if you do not want to be forcibly upgraded to a newer build of Windows 10, the advice is simple: avoid KB4023057.

Image credit: Walter Cicchetti / Shutterstock