diff --git a/api/openapi-spec/swagger.json b/api/openapi-spec/swagger.json
index c66df3721d2..3310c3058c5 100644
--- a/api/openapi-spec/swagger.json
+++ b/api/openapi-spec/swagger.json
@@ -16340,7 +16340,7 @@
           "type": "array"
         },
         "strategy": {
-          "description": "`strategy` specifies the conversion strategy. Allowed values are: - `None`: The converter only change the apiVersion and would not touch any other field in the CR. - `Webhook`: API Server will call to an external webhook to do the conversion. Additional information is needed for this option.",
+          "description": "`strategy` specifies the conversion strategy. Allowed values are: - `None`: The converter only change the apiVersion and would not touch any other field in the CR. - `Webhook`: API Server will call to an external webhook to do the conversion. Additional information\n  is needed for this option. This requires spec.preserveUnknownFields to be false.",
           "type": "string"
         },
         "webhookClientConfig": {
diff --git a/pkg/features/kube_features.go b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
index 911f8c5a4c1..7b72759d1f9 100644
--- a/pkg/features/kube_features.go
+++ b/pkg/features/kube_features.go
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ var defaultKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate.FeatureS
 	// unintentionally on either side:
 	apiextensionsfeatures.CustomResourceValidation:        {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	apiextensionsfeatures.CustomResourceSubresources:      {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
-	apiextensionsfeatures.CustomResourceWebhookConversion: {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
+	apiextensionsfeatures.CustomResourceWebhookConversion: {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	apiextensionsfeatures.CustomResourcePublishOpenAPI:    {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	apiextensionsfeatures.CustomResourceDefaulting:        {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
 
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1beta1/generated.proto b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1beta1/generated.proto
index 9308988f70e..47c06a296ad 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1beta1/generated.proto
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/apis/apiextensions/v1beta1/generated.proto
@@ -107,7 +107,8 @@ message CustomResourceColumnDefinition {
 message CustomResourceConversion {
   // `strategy` specifies the conversion strategy. Allowed values are:
   // - `None`: The converter only change the apiVersion and would not touch any other field in the CR.
-  // - `Webhook`: API Server will call to an external webhook to do the conversion. Additional information is needed for this option.
+  // - `Webhook`: API Server will call to an external webhook to do the conversion. Additional information
+  //   is needed for this option. This requires spec.preserveUnknownFields to be false.
   optional string strategy = 1;
 
   // `webhookClientConfig` is the instructions for how to call the webhook if strategy is `Webhook`. This field is
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go
index e5ed44f3cbf..e72a3c18e07 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiextensions-apiserver/pkg/features/kube_features.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func init() {
 var defaultKubernetesFeatureGates = map[featuregate.Feature]featuregate.FeatureSpec{
 	CustomResourceValidation:        {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	CustomResourceSubresources:      {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
-	CustomResourceWebhookConversion: {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
+	CustomResourceWebhookConversion: {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	CustomResourcePublishOpenAPI:    {Default: true, PreRelease: featuregate.Beta},
 	CustomResourceDefaulting:        {Default: false, PreRelease: featuregate.Alpha},
 }