How to Downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10

If you upgraded your PC to Windows 11 and want to go back to Windows 10, There are two ways to do this depending on how long ago you upgraded to Windows 11.

There is a time limit to downgrade. Because Windows only keeps your old operating system files for 10 days. You have 10 days to use the Go back function to roll back to Windows 10 keeping all files and data that you brought along with you.

Option 1: Go Back to Windows 10 via Settings

1. Open the Settings app or press (Windows + i)

2. Navigate to System.

3. Recovery on the right.

4. Under “Recovery options“, next to “Previous version of Windows” click the Go back button.

Note: If the option is not available, you may need to Clean Install Windows 10.

5. Select any of the reasons available.

6. Click the Next button.

7. Click the No, thanks button.

8 Click the Next button.

9. Click the Next button again.

10. Click the Go back to earlier build button.

Once you complete the steps, the setup process will take over. You will be booted into your previous Windows 10 environment.

Option 2: Downgrade Windows 11 to Windows 10 after 10 days

This Process requires a full reinstallation of Windows 10, although this is more complicated than it sounds. However, you’ll need to do a backup first – this process will only work with a clean installation of Windows 10.

Installing Windows 10 is straight forward task, This step-by-step guide demonstrates how to do a clean installation of Windows 10 on a computer with one hard drive installed using a USB drive. This process applies for all versions of Windows 10.

Before you format and install Windows 10 it’s very important that you back up your files and Disable UEFI.

You also need to know whether your current Windows OS is 32 or 64 bit. To know this just right click This PC -> Properties, you’ll find it under System.

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Video Tutorial:

Now head over to the Windows 10 download section to download the corresponding OS (32 or 64 bit). In my sample since my current OS is a 64 bit version I need click to download the 64 bit version of windows 10.

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This would download a Media creation tool this is an executable file.

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Once downloaded locate and run the Tool.

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Create Installation USB

This tool will open the Windows 10 setup. Here select Create installation Media for another PC even though we’ll be using it for this PC.

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Select select Language, Edition, Architecture.

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Under Choose which media to use select USB flash drive. Before you click on next make sure to have the USB flash drive installed on your PC.

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The setup will auto detect the USB drive, if you have multiple USB’s make sure to select the right one. This process will delete and format the USB flash drive, make sure is backed up or empty.

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Once you click on next, you’ll go into the downloading and creation process, creating an installable Windows 10 USB.

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When the Windows 10 USB has been Created, all is left is to change the boot sequence in the BIOS to boot from the USB.

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Once the settings are saved. upon reboot you’ll immediately boot from the USB and start installing Windows 10.

Install Windows 10

The next screen select language, time and, keyboard or input method. Choose your required settings and click next to continue.

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On the next screen Click on “Install now” to install Windows 10.

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Read the license terms and check mark “I accept license terms”. Then click next to continue.

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You will be prompted with two options. Upgrade or Custom (Advanced). Since we are doing a clean install we will select Custom (Advanced).

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If you have a previous Windows operating system installed it would look like the following image:

In our installation we are doing a clean install so you need to delete drive partition so click Drive options (advance).

Select the (C:) partitions usually called “Disk 0 Partition 1 System Reserved” and “Disk 0 Partition 2”click on Delete.

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A pop up will appear to warn you that the partition might contain recovery files and system files. Confirm the deletion, Click on OK. Not to worry cause the installation will re-create all system files.

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Do the same with the System Reserved partition. delete it, and click on ok when prompted with the confirmation pop up.

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Once the partitions have been deleted you should see only one Unallocated disk, choose the unallocated disk and click next to install Windows 10.

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Windows 10 installation process will start copying all the necessary files to your hard drive as shown on the image below.

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The computer system will re-boot several times, do not press any key during the boot process so Windows 10 will continue with the installation.

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After the reboot your computer will be prepared for first use.

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Select Use Express settings from the Get going fast window.

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Select I own it and click next.

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Type the product key that came with Windows 10 and click next. If you do not enter the product key you can still proceed by clicking on Do this later.

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In the make it yours window if you have a live, msn or hotmail emal account enter the email and password belonging to that account. If you would like to create a local account then click on skip this step.

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Now enter the name and password of the person who is going to be using this PC, you can just enter the username the password is optional.

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Windows will now finalize the settings for your computer and restart.

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After the final restart Windows 10 will start to boot up.

If you placed a password in the installation process you’ll be prompted to enter a password at the logon screen. If not then it will take you straight to your desktop.

After you have logged on to Windows 10 start using your computer.

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Miguel

I started this tech blog back in 2011 as a place to write down processes I took to fix my client systems and network. Now I write some tips and tricks to help others with the tech issues that one might encounter.

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