Fix Windows Insider Get Started Button Greyed Out

If the Get Started button is greyed out in the Windows Insider Program settings on Windows 10, it usually means your Microsoft account isn’t linked to the program or your device isn’t meeting the minimum requirements. The fix is to sign in with the correct Microsoft account, verify your device meets the requirements, and then restart the Settings app or your PC.

What Causes the Greyed-Out Get Started Button?

The Windows Insider Program lets you test pre-release builds of Windows 10. The Get Started button in Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program is the entry point to enroll your device. When it’s greyed out, the system is telling you that something is blocking enrollment. Common causes include:

You are not signed in with a Microsoft account (a local account won’t work).
The Microsoft account you’re using hasn’t accepted the Insider Program agreement.
Your device doesn’t meet the minimum hardware requirements (e.g., insufficient RAM, storage, or a processor that doesn’t support required features).
Your Windows 10 version is too old or not activated.
Group Policy or organizational settings are preventing enrollment.
A temporary glitch in the Settings app or Windows Update service.

Step-by-Step Fixes to Try

Work through these fixes in order. Most users resolve the issue with the first or second step.

Sign in with a Microsoft account. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info. If it says “Local account,” click Sign in with a Microsoft account and follow the prompts. After signing in, restart the Settings app.
Register your Microsoft account for Insider. Visit the Windows Insider registration page in a browser, sign in with the same Microsoft account, and accept the program agreement. Then go back to Settings and check if the button is active.
Check your Windows version. Press Win + R, type winver, and press Enter. You need at least Windows 10 version 1903 or later. If you’re on an older version, run Windows Update to install the latest updates first.
Verify device requirements. The Insider Program requires a 64-bit processor, 4 GB of RAM minimum (8 GB recommended), and at least 20 GB of free storage. Check your specs in Settings > System > About.
Restart the Windows Update service. Press Win + R, type services.msc, find Windows Update, right-click and select Restart. Then try again.
Run the Windows Update troubleshooter. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters, run the Windows Update troubleshooter, and restart your PC.
Check Group Policy (Pro/Enterprise only). Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and navigate to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update. Ensure “Manage preview builds” is set to Not Configured or Enabled with “Enable preview builds” selected.

What If the Button Is Still Greyed Out?

If none of the above works, try these additional steps:

Create a new Microsoft account (or use a different one) and try enrolling with that. Sometimes an account gets flagged or has an issue on Microsoft’s side.
Reinstall the Settings app via PowerShell: right-click the Start button, open Windows PowerShell (Admin), and run Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.Windows.Settings | Remove-AppxPackage, then reinstall it with Add-AppxPackage -Register "$env:windir\SystemApps\Settings_*\AppxManifest.xml" -DisableDevelopmentMode. Restart your PC.
Use the Windows Insider Program website. Log in at microsoft.com/windowsinsider and select your channel (Dev, Beta, or Release Preview). Sometimes enrolling online then signing in on the PC works.
Check for disk space. The Insider Program needs at least 20 GB free. If you’re low, clean up temporary files using Disk Cleanup or Storage Sense.

Understanding Insider Channels

Once you get the button working, you’ll be asked to choose a channel. Windows 10 offers three:

Dev Channel: Earliest builds, most experimental, highest risk of bugs and crashes. Suitable for developers and very tech-savvy users.
Beta Channel: More reliable than Dev, still gets features before the general public. Good for early adopters who want stability.
Release Preview: The most stable, essentially the next public update. Best for those who want to test final fixes before they roll out.

You can switch channels later, but moving from a higher-risk channel (Dev) to a lower-risk one (Beta) may require a clean install of Windows. Choose wisely.

Risks and Precautions of Insider Builds

Enrolling in the Insider Program means you’ll receive pre-release software. This can lead to:

System instability, random crashes, or blue screens.
Incompatibility with certain drivers or software.
Data loss in rare cases.
Bugs that affect daily use.

Before enrolling, back up your important files to an external drive or cloud storage. Also, consider creating a system restore point (search for “Create a restore point” in the Start menu). If you later want to leave the program, you can do so in the same Settings page, but you may need to reinstall Windows to return to a stable build.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Get Started button greyed out even after signing in with a Microsoft account?

If you’ve signed in but the button is still greyed out, the account may not be registered for the Insider Program. Go to the Windows Insider website and accept the agreement. Also, ensure your Windows is activated—unactivated copies often block Insider enrollment.

Can I enroll in the Insider Program without a Microsoft account?

No. A Microsoft account is mandatory. You can create one for free at account.microsoft.com. Local accounts are not supported for Insider builds.

Will I lose my files if I install an Insider build?

Usually no—updates install over your current system, preserving files and apps. However, there’s always a risk of data corruption. Always back up before installing a pre-release build.

How do I leave the Windows Insider Program?

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program and click “Stop Insider Preview builds.” You can choose to stop after the next release or immediately. To get back to a stable build, you may need to reinstall Windows.

Does the greyed-out button mean my PC is too old?

Not necessarily. It could be a temporary glitch or an account issue. But if your PC doesn’t meet the minimum requirements (4 GB RAM, 64-bit CPU, 20 GB free space), the button will be disabled. Check your specs first.

Can I fix this by reinstalling Windows?

Reinstalling Windows can resolve underlying system corruption, but it’s a last resort. Try the simpler fixes first. If you do reinstall, make sure to back up everything and then re-enroll in the Insider Program after the clean install.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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