Two Ways to Roll back from Windows 11 to Windows 10

If you are not satisfied with the current status of freshly installed Windows 11 on your computer, there are two ways to switch back to Windows 10 version.

YES……….. It is possible.

Although, the Windows 11 previews are already available on various platforms which instigated many users to install it on their devices. Yet, there might surface some issues related to compatibility, bugs, etc since these are pre-releases that are often released with unfinished features. This, in the long run, can affect your system negatively.

So, if you are confronting troubles with your recent build, and wish to roll back to the stable Windows 10 OS version, you can do that, provided certain conditions are met in the process.

The process of switching back to Windows 10 depends on the way you upgraded your system in the first place. You can use the Recovery Settings, where the backup created the previous installation of Windows 10 automatically while you were upgrading the system. The only issue is that the backup is available for only 10 days after the upgrade is done. After this period, the system will automatically remove the backup installation file to free up space.

In case, this option is not available anymore, there is still an alternative to roll back to Windows 10. But you have to perform full re-installation of the system.

In this article, we will walk you through both the ways, first via Recovery Settings, and second by full reinstallation.

Method #1: How to Rollback to Windows 10 via Settings

As mentioned earlier, this method is only applicable within 10 days of your upgrade. So, if you are in that period, follow the steps of this method:

Step 1. Go to “Settings”.
Step 2. Click on the “System” option.
Step 3. Click on the “Recovery” panel on the right side.

Step 4. Under the “Recovery options” on the right side, click on the “Go back” button in the “Previous version of Windows”.

NOTE: In case, this option is not available, then you are left with no choice but to perform a reinstallation of the OS.
Step 5. A blue screen with various options will turn up. Tick the “Earlier builds seemed more reliable” checkbox.

Step 6. Click the “Next” button.
Step 7. Click the “No, thanks” option on being asked for more updates.

Step 8. Again, click the “Next” button.

Step 9. Click the “Next” button on the “Don’t get locked out” page.

Step 10. Finally, on the last page of successive operations, click the “Go back to earlier build button”.

Once you are done with these steps, the system will revert back to the previous Windows 10 OS version using the back installation file.

Though, the process does really do the wonder but don’t rely on it completely. Always keep a backup on a hard drive or cloud storage device. So that you don’t have to wait for this 10 days shortage period. You can do perform the same job 10 days later also.

Method #2: How to Roll back to Windows 10 Via Reinstallation

If it’s been more than 10 days since you upgraded to Windows 11 OS, the system has most probably removed the necessary files from the previous installation. In that case, the only plausible way to degrade back to Windows 10 is to perform a reinstallation of Windows 10.
Use the steps detailed below with utter precision to avoid any technical mishap:

Step 1. Go to “Windows 10 download” page.
Step 2. Click the “Download tool now” option under the “Create Windows 10 install media” label.

Step 3. Now, you have to double-click the “MediaCreationTool21H1.exe” file. This will commence the setup.
Step 4. Click on the “Accept” button and then choose the “Upgrade this PC now” option.

Step 5. So, click the “Next” button again, and then the “Accept” button once more. Quite a pesky job I know…##@@
Step 6. Now, choose the “Nothing” option as we are about to do a clean and total reinstallation.

Step 7. Click the “Next” and then the “Install” button.

And this is where it actually ends.

Sigh of relief.

So, once these many steps are completed, Windows 10 OS will be restored on your computer as the fresh operating system installation.
Now, you have to create a new user account, configure your preferences. You can then try fetching the previous personal files from your backup IF POSSIBLE.

Conclusion:

Let’s just suppose, you don’t wish to follow the long tracks of the second method, then alternatively, you can use USB media to perform the same reinstallation. The only condition, in this case, is that you need to possess an already prepared USB stick with Windows 10 installation files.
How to do that?
Well, we will discuss it in another article. Till then, try the methods discussed above, and keep visiting our website to follow up more guided articles.