Windows 11, the newest version of the Windows operating system, has been around for nearly two years. Although Windows 10 still dominates the market share, Windows 11 is slowly but steadily gaining new users.
Windows 11 is a free upgrade to Windows 10 users provided that their Windows 10 running PCs meet the minimum system requirements of Windows 11. Because of the strict hardware requirements, Windows 11 adoption has been slower than Windows 10.
If you have upgraded your Windows 10 installation to Windows 11 and now looking to downgrade to Windows 10 for some reason, you might be interested in this guide.
For users who are unhappy with Windows 11, there is an option to downgrade to Windows 10, provided that you upgraded the Windows 10 installation to Windows 11. However, the catch is that you cannot downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 11 after the first ten days. That is, you cannot downgrade the Windows 11 installation to Windows 10 after 10 days by keeping files and installed apps.
Why you cannot downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 after 10 days?
Let me explain. When you upgrade your Windows 10 installation to Windows 11, the Windows setup creates a backup of your Windows 10 installation files, and this backup is automatically deleted after 10 days.
This is the reason why we here at IntoWindows recommend users configure Windows not to automatically delete the backup file. You can read the directions in our how to go back to the previous version of Windows 10/11 after 10 days guide where we explain how to stop Windows from automatically deleting the previous version installation files after 10 days.
Uninstall Windows 11 and downgrade to Windows 10 after 10 days
Yes, it’s possible to uninstall Windows 11 and downgrade to Windows 10 after the initial ten days, even if the backup is missing. However, you cannot keep your personal files as you must perform a clean/fresh install of Windows 10.
During the Windows 10 install, we uninstall Windows 11 by erasing the Windows 11 installed drive. After the installation, you can sign in with your Microsoft account to activate your copy of Windows 10. This is nothing but reinstalling Windows 10.
Here is how to uninstall Windows 11 and install Windows 10 after ten days.
IMPORTANT: Follow this guide only if you know what you are doing.
NOTE: Ensure your Windows 11 copy is activated before installing Windows 10 for a smooth experience.
Step 1: Since we need to erase the Windows 11 drive (unless you have 50 GB+ free space on the drive), you should back up all files to an external drive or another partition on the internal drive.
So, once again, back up your data.
NOTE: Back up all data from your Windows 11 drive (such as Desktop, Documents, and Downloads folders) to a safe drive or cloud before following this guide.
Step 2: Next step is to download the Windows 10 ISO file from Microsoft. Use the official Media Creation Tool to download the ISO. Refer to our how to download Windows 10 ISO guide for directions.
Step 3: Now that you have the ISO file, download and use the free Rufus software to prepare the bootable USB. Refer to our how-to use the Rufus software to prepare Windows 10 bootable USB guide for step-by-step directions.
Step 4: Restart your PC. If you used another computer to prepare the bootable USB drive, please connect it to your PC where you want to uninstall Windows 11 and reinstall Windows 10.
Step 5: Boot into the BIOS/UEFI settings to make the necessary changes to boot from the USB drive. Refer to our how to boot from a USB drive for directions.
Step 6: When you see the “Press any key to continue” on the screen, press a keyboard key.
Step 7: Follow the usual on-screen directions. You will be asked to accept the license, select the keyboard language, and your region.
Step 8: When you see the drive selection screen, select the drive where Windows 11 is currently installed. If you have over 50 GB of free space, select the drive and continue.
And if you have less than 50 GB of space, select the Windows 11 installed drive, and click Format.
Step 9: Finally, select the drive and click the Next button to install Windows 10. Follow the on-screen directions to complete the installation. If you want step-by-step directions, refer to our how to install Windows 10 guide.
If you are asked to enter the product key, please click on the Skip button.
Step 10: After installing Windows 10, go to Settings > Update & security > Windows Update page and click the Check for updates button to install Windows 10 updates and device drivers. Once drivers are installed, install your favourite apps.
Also, navigate to Settings > Update & security > Activation and make sure that your copy of Windows 10 is activated. Windows 10 should be automatically activated if your Windows 11 copy was activated.
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