Forum Discussion
How to Downgrade Windows 11 to Windows 10 without Losing data?
Hi all,
I successfully installed Windows 11 on an unsupported PC that was running with Windows 10 in the past. After 30 days of trial and testing, it seems Windows 11 is not the right option me. Now, I want to downgrade Windows 11 to Windows 10 on my PC but the Go Back option was no longer available as 10 days has been pasted.
What is the right option to downgrade Windows 11 to Windows 10 after 10 days without losing data? It could be great the recommended solution could be easy enough for non tech savvy.
Thanks
Backing up your data before downgrading from Windows 11 to Windows 10 is crucial to avoid losing important files during the clean installation process. Start by identifying the files, folders, and software settings that you want to preserve.
After backup, create a Windows 10 bootable USB and reinstall Windows 10 to the computer from bootable USB. If you need more details, please follow the steps listed in this online tutorial:
https://www.recodie.com/downgrade-windows-11-to-windows-10
P.S. It takes about 30 mins to complete the install.
15 Replies
"Downgrade Windows 11 to 10 Go back not available"? There are two mains reasons for this issue.
Exceeded the 10-Day Window: Windows 11 provides only a 10-day window to roll back to Windows 10. If more than 10 days have passed since you upgraded, the system automatically deletes the old version of Windows (stored in a folder called Windows.old) to free up space.
Deleted Windows.old Folder: The Windows.old folder contains your previous version of Windows. If this folder has been deleted (either manually or by a cleanup tool like Disk Cleanup), the system no longer has the files required for the rollback.
To fix this, you need to create Windows 10 bootable USB to downgrade Windows 11 to 10 without go back option.
Even if you can go back within the 10-day window, this method will wipe out all your files, settings, and apps. You'll need to start from scratch. Some apps might not work properly or might not be compatible with Windows 10 after the downgrade. This could cause problems or even render certain apps useless.
In my experience, manually downgrading from Windows 11 to Windows 10 can be a bit more hassle-free, but it still requires some effort. You'll need to:- Back up your important files and data
- Create a bootable Windows 10 installation media
- Perform a clean installation of Windows 10
- Restore your backed-up data
This approach can be more time-consuming, but it's a safer bet if you have important files or data you want to preserve.
DevinZhang To downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10, you have a 10-day time frame after upgrading to Windows 11. During this period, you can roll back to your previous version of Windows without losing any files.
Eligibility: The 10-day rollback window is available if you performed an in-place upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. After the 10 days, the system deletes the old Windows files, making it impossible to downgrade without a clean installation.
How to Downgrade Windows 11 to 10 without losing data: Go to Settings > System > Recovery. Under Recovery options, select Go back (if available). Follow the on-screen instructions to return to Windows 10.
If more than 10 days have passed, you would need to reinstall Windows 10 manually, which involves backing up your data and performing a clean installation.
If you created a system image of your Windows 10 installation before upgrading to Windows 11, you could restore that image.
- Boot from Windows Recovery:
Boot your PC and interrupt the boot process three times to trigger Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
Go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Image Recovery. - Select the Image: Follow the prompts to select the image you created when Windows 10 was installed and restore it.
After downgrading Windows 11 to Windows 10, ensure you install the necessary drivers for your hardware. You can often find the latest drivers on the manufacturer's website.
- Boot from Windows Recovery:
