Return or Roll Back Windows 11 to Windows 10 | 4 Ways

Having problems with Windows 11?

Microsoft has launched a new operating system Windows 11. Compared with the old version, the new system has made significant updates in these areas: the new start menu, notification center, system tray, redesigned task bar and rounded corners.

However, after installing Windows 11, some users want to go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11. Why they want to do that?

• User Interface Preference: Some users are not able to adapt to the new interface, and they are fonder of the old one.
• Bugs or Stability: As with any new software, there will inevitably be bugs, missing features and stability issues in Windows 11.
• Compatibility Issues: Some older hardware or software might not be compatible with the newer Windows 11, leading to functionality problems.

4 effective ways to return Windows 11 to Windows 10

To roll back Windows 11 to Windows 10, there are four effective solutions for your reference:

👉 #1. Go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11’s Settings menu🔥
👉 #2. Downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 with Uninstall Updates
👉 #3. Roll back Windows 11 after 10 days via Clean Install
👉 #4. System restore Windows 11 to Windows 10 using AOMEI Backupper🔥

Tip: Before you try one of the following methods, it is recommended to keep a backup of your files in case of losing anything important.

#1. Go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11’s Settings menu

Microsoft says Windows 10 users who upgrade to Windows 11 will have 10 days to easily roll back the update. So, you can return Windows 11 from Microsoft’s own setting, which is the quickest and easiest option. Follow the steps below.

1. Go to "Settings".

2. Choose “System” and then click "Recovery".

3. You will see "Previous version of Windows" under "Recovery options". Click "Go back" to continue.

4. Choose one of the reasons why you are going back or tell Microsoft more, and click "Next".

5. You will see a notice asking you to check for updates. Choose “No, thanks”.

6. Read what you need to know, and then click "Next".

7. Read the notice about password and click "Next".

8. Choose "Go back to earlier build".

After you complete the instructions, the setup process will take over and return your system from Windows 11 to Windows 10.

#2. Downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 with Uninstall Updates

Windows 11 Go back or Reset this PC not working is a known issue in build 22000.71, which has been mentioned in the official blog. It's said that you can uninstall Windows 11 in the Windows 11 recovery environment. Then, let's learn the detailed steps.

1. Type "Recovery" in the search box and select "Recovery options". Then, press "Restart now" under "Advanced startup" to access the Windows recovery environment.

2. In the Windows recovery environment, choose "Troubleshoot” >  “Advanced options”.

3. In the Advanced options window, select "Uninstall Updates" > "Uninstall latest feature update".

#3. Roll back Windows 11 after 10 days via Clean Install

Windows 11 only allows you to go back to Windows 10 within 10 days, after which your old system files will be permanently deleted and can’t be restored. Thus, users who’ve been using Windows 11 for a few weeks may find Windows 11 Go back not working. In this case, you have two options: clean install or restore Windows 10 system image to your hard drive. Here I'll show you the first method. 

1. Download Windows 10 Media Creation Tool on the Microsoft official site and run its .exe file.

2. Click "Accept" if you are asked to agree with its license terms.

3. In the first Windows 10 Setup window, select "Upgrade this PC now" option. Then, click “Next“.

4. click the “Accept” button again. 

5. When you get to the Ready to install page, click “Change what to keep” and select the "Nothing" option to perform a clean install. Then, click “Next”.

6. Finally, click the "Install" button.

#4. System restore Windows 11 to Windows 10 using AOMEI Backupper

As mentioned earlier, if you want to go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11 after 10 days, you have two options. Here I'll show you the second method- restore Windows 10 system image to your hard drive. It has 2 situations, and you need to choose how to restore depending on your situation.

Situation 1: You have created a system image backup with free backup software - AOMEI Backupper Standard. In this situation, you can directly restore system image to your hard drive with the Restore feature. For detailed steps, please see Part 2.

Situation 2: You haven't created a system image in advance. In this case, you can choose to create a system image in another Windows 10 computer and then restore it to your current computer. You will use the "Universal Restore" feature in the professional version to resolve the driver incompatibility issue. 

Before start, let's learn more about AOMEI Backupper Standard. It is reliable third-party software with all-in-one backup solutions for Windows 7/8/10/11.

🌟 System Backup: to image system partitions including system files, boot files and data on these partitions.
🌟 Disk Backup: to back up all partitions including the system partition, boot partition, and data partitions on a specific disk.
🌟 Partition Backup: to image a single partition such as C, D, E: etc.
🌟 File Backup: to backup specific files/folders to various locations.
🌟 Cloud Backup: to backup specific files/folders to AOMEI Cloud.

With the created backup image file, you can easily restore your system and data in case of computer crash or file loss. Free download AOMEI Backupper to have a try now!

AOMEI Backupper

Best free Windows backup and restore software for personal use.

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Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7

Part 1: Create Windows 10 system image

1. Choose “Backup” on the left side and then click “System Backup”. As System Backup is a one-click solution, your system partition(s) will be selected as backup source automatically.

2. Select a destination path to save image files.

3. Click “Start Backup”.

4. Please wait kindly for the process done. When it’s completed, click “Finish”.

Attention: ALL the backup steps must be done before you update your operating system to Windows 11; otherwise, you will face data loss or other irreversible results.

Part 2: Revert Windows 11 to Windows 10

1. Select “Restore” on the left side and then click “Select Task”.

2. Select the Windows 10 system backup task and click “Next”.

3. Choose to restore the entire image and check “Restore system to other location”. Then click “Next”.

4. Choose the system drive where Windows 11 is installed as the destination path and click “Next”.

5. Click “Start Restore” to go back to Windows 10 from Windows 11. Then, wait kindly for the process done. If you are in Situation 2, please remember to tick the "Universal Restore" option to ensure a secure boot after recovery.

💡 Helpful tips on fast system recovery:

Besides, this software is still powerful disk clone software. Before you upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11, you can make an exact copy of your current disk with its Disk Clone feature. When you find Windows 11 doesn't work as expected, you can switch the current disk with the cloned one and directly boot from it. No restoration process is needed. (To clone a disk containing OS, please upgrade to AOMEI Backupper Professional or higher.)

Summary

This article has listed 4 methods of returning Windows 11 to Windows 10. You can choose one of them as per your need. If you don't know which one is proper, please refer to the overall evaluation in the following. No matter which method you choose, remember to keep a backup habit.

★ The first method has a very strict time limit of 10 days, and for any unpredictable data loss, you have to backup your important files first.

★ The second focuses on Windows 11 Go back or Reset this PC not working and also limited to 10 days.

★ The third is to install Windows 10 from scratch and require reinstallation of all your programs later. You can do this at any time when you want to roll back to Windows 10.

★ The fourth method is more suggested, for it’s a powerful all-in-one backup helper. You can reduce data loss to a minimum after restoring a system image. And it does not have a deadline limitation.