Windows 11 23H2 is the latest operating system from Microsoft, but it may not be for everyone. Some users may prefer the familiar interface and features of Windows 10 or may have compatibility issues with hardware or software. If you are one of them, you may want to Go Back to Windows 10 from Windows 11. Fortunately, Microsoft offers to downgrade Windows 11 to 10, but you need to act fast. You only have 10 days after installing Windows 11 to go back to Windows 10 without losing your files and settings. After that, you will need to perform a clean installation of Windows 10, which will erase everything on your PC. This article, explains how to go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11 without losing data (within the 10-day window). We will also explain what you need to do if you miss the deadline or if you want to keep both operating systems on your PC.
How to downgrade to Windows 10
Before initiating the downgrading Windows 11 to 10 process, it’s crucial to back up your important files and create a system restore point. This precautionary step will provide a safety net in case anything goes wrong during the rollback process.
You can use the built-in File History feature or third-party backup tools to create a backup of your important files, documents, and media.
How to Go back to Windows 10 Within 10 Days
If you have upgraded to Windows 11 from Windows 10 within the last 10 days, you can use the built-in recovery option to go back to your previous version of Windows. This is because Windows keeps your previous and old files for 10 days only. After 10-day time frame Windows automatically removes files from the internal drive to free up space.
- Open the Settings app on your Windows 11 PC by pressing the Windows key + I
- Click on System and then select Recovery from the left sidebar.
- Under Recovery options, you will see a section that says “Previous version of Windows“. Click on the Go back button.
NOTE: You will see this option only if you are doing it within 10 days.
- You will be asked why you want to Go back to Windows 10. Choose an option from the list and click Next.
- You will see a screen that warns you about some things you need to know before going back. Read it carefully and click Next.
- You will see another screen that reminds you to back up your files and update your password. Click Next.
- Finally, you will see a screen that says “Thanks for trying out this build”. Click Go back to the earlier build to start the process.
- Your PC will restart and begin restoring Windows 10. This may take some time, so be patient and don’t turn off your PC.
- Once the process is complete, you will see the Windows 10 login screen. Enter your password and enjoy your old operating system.
How to Go back to Windows 10 After 10 Days
If you have upgraded to Windows 11 from Windows 10 more than 10 days ago, or if you have deleted the Windows.old folder that contains your previous version of Windows, you will not be able to use the recovery option mentioned above. In that case, you will need to perform a clean installation of Windows 10, which will erase everything on your PC.
If you decide to downgrade your Windows 11 after 10 days, you will have to reinstall Windows 10.
Before you do that, make sure you have a backup of your important files and a valid product key for Windows 10. You will also need a USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of space and another PC with internet access.
- First visit the official Windows 10 Download page here, click on Download now under Create Windows 10 installation media.
- Locate and Run the downloaded file and accept the license terms.
- On the What do you want to do? page, select Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC and click Next.
- On the Select Language, architecture, and Edition page, choose the options that match your current or desired version of Windows 10 and click Next.
- On the Choose which media to use page, select USB flash drive and click Next.
- On the Select a USB flash drive page, choose your USB flash drive from the list and click Next.
- The tool will download and create a bootable USB flash drive with Windows 10 installation files. This may take some time, so be patient and don’t disconnect your USB flash drive.
- When the process is complete, click Finish and eject your USB flash drive safely.
- On your Windows 11 PC, insert your USB flash drive and restart your PC.
- Press any key when prompted to boot from the USB flash drive.
- On the Windows Setup page, select your language, time currency format, and keyboard layout and click Next.
Click on Install Now and enter your product key for Windows 10 when prompted. If you don’t have one, click on I don’t have a product key and choose the edition of Windows 10 that matches your previous or desired version.
- Accept the license terms and click Next. Which type of installation do you want page, select Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).
- Where do you want to install Windows? page, delete all the partitions on your hard drive, and select the unallocated space. Click Next.
- The installation of Windows 10 will begin. This may take some time, so be patient and don’t turn off your PC.
- Once the installation is complete, you will see the Windows 10 setup screen. Follow the instructions to customize your settings and create your user account.
- You have successfully installed Windows 10 on your PC. You can now restore your files from your backup and reinstall your apps.
How to Keep Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 on Your PC
If you want to have the best of both worlds, you can keep both Windows 10 and Windows 11 on your PC by creating a dual-boot system. This means you can choose which operating system to use every time you start your PC.
To do this, you will need a USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of space, another PC with internet access, and enough free space on your hard drive to create a new partition for Windows 11.
- First, visit the official Windows 11 download page here, and click on Download now under Create Windows 11 Installation Media.
- Run the downloaded file and accept the license terms. On the What do you want to do? page, select Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC and click Next.
- On the Select Language, architecture, and Edition page, choose the options that match your current or desired version of Windows 11 and click Next.
- On the Choose which media to use page, select USB flash drive and click Next.
On the Select a USB flash drive page, choose your USB flash drive from the list and click Next.
- The tool will download and create a bootable USB flash drive with Windows 11 installation files. This may take some time, so be patient and don’t disconnect your USB flash drive.
- When the process is complete, click Finish and eject your USB flash drive safely. On your Windows 10 PC, insert your USB flash drive and open File Explorer.
- Double-click on the USB flash drive and run the setup.exe file. On the Get Important Updates page, choose whether you want to download updates or not and click Next.
- Accept the license terms and click Next. On the Choose What to Keep page, select Nothing and click Next.
- On the Ready to Install page, click on Change what to keep. On the Choose What to Keep page, select Keep personal files only and click Next.
- On the Ready to Install page, click on Install. The installation of Windows 11 will begin. This may take some time, so be patient and don’t turn off your PC.
- Once the installation is complete, you will see the Windows 11 setup screen. Follow the instructions to customize your settings and create your user account.
- You have successfully installed Windows 11 on your PC alongside Windows 10. You can now choose which operating system to use every time you start your PC by selecting it from the boot menu.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11 within 10 days, after 10 days, or how to keep both operating systems on your PC. We hope this guide has been helpful for you.
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