- To roll back to Windows 10 from 11, open Settings > System > Recovery, click “Go Back,” skip the update check, click “Next,” and click “Go back to Windows 10.”
- The process will take several minutes to roll back to Windows 10.
UPDATED 12/20/2023: If you upgraded to Windows 11, you could roll back to Windows 10 without losing your files through the “Recovery” settings in case the new version is causing problems or you are not ready.
The only caveat is that the option is only available for the first ten days from the initial upgrade. After this period, Windows 11 will delete the files from the previous installation to free up hard drive space to store more of your files. You may need to reinstall some apps and lose some settings configured while using the newer release after rolling back from Windows 11.
In this guide, I will teach you the steps to quickly revert your computer to Windows 10 after upgrading to Windows 11.
Rollback to Windows 10 from Windows 11
To remove Windows 11 and revert to Windows 10 after an upgrade, use these steps:
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Open Start on Windows 11.
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Search for Settings and click the top result to open the app.
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Click on System.
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Click the Recovery page.
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Under the “Recovery options” section, click the “Go back” button.
Quick note: This feature is only available during the first ten days after the upgrade, and after this period, the system will delete the previous installation files and gray out the option. -
Select the reason for uninstalling Windows 11 and downgrading to Windows 10.
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Click the Next button.
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Click the “No, thanks” button.
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Click the Next button.
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Click the Next button again.
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Click the “Go back to Windows 10” (or “Go back to earlier build”) button.
Once you complete the steps, the system will roll back to Windows 10 while keeping your files and most of your settings and apps.
If the recovery option has the “this option is no longer available on this PC” message, you can still downgrade to Windows 10. However, the only way you can do this is by backing up your files, performing a clean installation of Windows 10, and restoring the files from the backup.
Update December 20, 2023: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process. It’s important to note that depending on the version of Windows 11, the rollback wizard may look a little different, but the process is the same.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.