How to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10

Microsoft announced Windows 11 back in 2021, and the operating system today powers a lot of Windows-based laptops and desktops. However, not everyone may like the look-and-feel of Windows 11. Some users may even have systems with specific configurations or programs that don’t work well with Windows 11. For these users, a good fix is reverting to Windows 10, the previous version of the OS that Microsoft still supports.

However, there’s no straightforward way to head back to Windows 10. If you have a Windows 10 backup, or a system restore point, Microsoft allows you to revert using the same for a limited time. In fact, if you have been using Windows 11 for a longer stretch and have no Windows 10 backup, things aren’t so simple.

ALSO READ: How to buy a Windows 11 license for your laptop or desktop

That is why in today’s guide, we will explore how you can manually get back to Windows 10 on your machine. You will need a laptop/desktop that supports Windows 10, a flash drive (at least 8GB), and a Windows 10 license. Note that the following steps may be too advanced for some users, so do consult professional help if you feel like you can’t follow along. Let’s begin.

Step 1: Backing up your files

Manually reverting back to Windows 10 may result in a complete reset, so it is best to take a backup of all your programs, files, games, media libraries, and basically anything else that you may need a backup of. We suggest you store these files on a cloud storage service of your choice, or simply transfer them locally to an external hard drive.

Step 2: Creating Windows 10 installation media

Head over to the Microsoft website to download the files you will require for creating your own Windows 10 installation media tool. Click on the blue ‘Download tool now’ button to begin downloading the file.

Once completed, run the file. You will be eventually asked to insert your flash drive, so the tool can download the Windows 10 installation files into a physical drive. Once this process is done, you are ready to replace Windows 11 with Windows 10 on your machine.

Step 3: Installing Windows 10

This is where things may get tricky. You need to head over to your BIOS settings to make sure your motherboard reads the Windows installation media (your flash drive) you just created before your system’s built-in hard disk.

Depending on what brand’s system you have, heading into the BIOS settings may require a different process. Run a quick Google search to figure out the same. Inside the BIOS settings navigate to the ‘Boot Order’ section (may be named ‘Boot’ or something else on your system), and look for your flash drive’s listing. Shift this to the very top, save your changes and exit the BIOS settings.

Your system should now restart and this time, should boot directly from the flash drive, leading you straight to the Windows 10 installation page. You can now use the installation interface to select specifics like what drive partition you want the OS to install on. Once you’ve set everything the way you want it, leave the system aside so it can install Windows 10.

ALSO READ: Windows 11 Home vs Windows 11 Pro

You should then see a fresh boot into Windows 10, which has now replaced your Windows 11 OS completely. If Windows did allow you to keep your existing files, they will be placed in a folder called ‘Windows.old’ in your installation drive (The ‘C’ drive for most people).

Congratulations! You have now successfully gone back from Windows 11 to Windows 10. Now, you can begin setting up your favourite programs, restoring your files and customising Windows 10 to your liking!