Microsoft offers a quick way to do that from Settings

Aug 3, 2015 05:26 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft says that Windows 10 is the best Windows version so far and it expects most users to absolutely love it, but it’s no surprise that some like older releases more for a number of reasons.

After trying Windows 10 thanks to the free upgrade offer, some decided that Windows 7 or 8.1 was a better option, so downgrading becomes a priority for all these users.

Fortunately, Microsoft is giving them an option to quickly go back to Windows 7 or 8.1 if they don’t like Windows 10, so follow the steps below to quickly reinstall your previous version of Windows 10.

Before starting, there’s one critical thing that needs to be considered: the downgrade uses the Windows.old folder that the upgrade to Windows 10 automatically creates on your computer.

So in case you removed this folder to free up space, you have no other option than a clean install of Windows 7 or 8.1 using one of the ISOs provided by Microsoft. If you have the product key for your previous Windows version, that is.

“Go back to Windows 7/8.1”

So what you need to do is click on the Start menu, launch Settings, click “Update and Security” and go to the Recovery section.

An option called “Go back to Windows 7/8.1” (its name could vary depending on your previous version of Windows) should be there to let you start the downgrade.

Once you click this option, Microsoft’s asking you for some feedback, trying to determine the reason you go back. You are allowed to choose between “my apps or devices don’t work on Windows 10” and “the old version of Windows seemed easier to use, faster, or more reliable.”

Needless to say, the downgrade process takes a while and you’ll lose all installed apps, so you have to re-install every single program on your computer. Changes made to the system configuration will also be lost.

All your personal files will be kept though, so no backups are needed (nevertheless, they are recommended to make sure you are on the safe side).

Once the downgrade process comes to an end, you should be able to log in back to your old Windows desktop just like before.

You have only 30 days to downgrade to Windows 7 or 8.1 after installing Windows 10.

Microsoft wants to know why you decide to downgrade
Microsoft wants to know why you decide to downgrade

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Users can start the downgrade from the Settings screen
Microsoft wants to know why you decide to downgrade
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