Say you installed Windows 10 and took it for a test drive but you aren’t ready to commit or it has some compatibility issues with your programs. Well Microsoft provides a way for you to rollback from Windows 10 to your previous install. However, that means you miss out on great new features such as the Microsoft Edge browser, a reworked Start menu, and the much improved task switcher (Alt + Tab). If you’re like me and think Windows Media Center was too good to give up, read on to find out how to go back to a previous version of Windows.
To uninstall Windows 10 using the tool provided by Microsoft, you need to meet the following requirements:
- Installed Windows 10 no more than 30 days ago.
- Performed an upgrade install and not a clean install.
- Upgraded from Windows 7 or 8.1.
- Did not delete your Windows.old folder.
How to Uninstall Windows 10 from the Settings menu
The tool provided by Microsoft allows you to keep most of your programs and documents and largely automates the process with the exception of a few confirmation dialog boxes. As rollbacks go, it is fairly painless.
- Open the Start menu and click on Settings.
- Click Update & Security.
- From the Update & Security menu, navigate to the Recovery
- You will see the option Go back to Windows 7 or Go back to Windows 8.1, depending on which version you upgraded from. Click Get Started to begin the process.
- You will be asked why you wish to uninstall Windows 10. Click Next to continue.
- A few more confirmation windows will appear and ask you if you wish to uninstall Windows 10.
How to Uninstall Windows 10 Manually
If you do not see the option to uninstall Windows 10 from the Settings menu, it could be because your system came with Windows 10, you did a clean install for Windows 10, or you did not meet the requirements above. Either way, you need to perform a clean install of Windows 7/8.1. Backup whatever data you need to keep, format the drive, and perform a clean install as usual.
Even if you don’t have your original Windows 7/8.1 disc, you can download the ISOs directly from Microsoft after entering the product key. You did keep the product key, right? You can check for the Certificate of Authenticity sticker, but the Windows 10 registry file won’t have you old product keys.
Final Words
If you wish to rollback your Windows 10 installation, be sure to do it within 30 days or else you need to back up your documents and perform a clean install. The rollback tool on the other hand makes it very easy and also provides an incentive to perform an upgrade rather than clean install of Windows 10.
We’re curious, 75 million users downloaded Microsoft’s latest OS in the first month and for the most part it has been positively received, why are you deciding to uninstall Windows 10?
