The latest buzz among Windows users is the newly released Windows 11 operating system. It comes with a fresh new look and innovative features, but it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. You might prefer to stick to Windows 10 or lower versions of the operating system. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about downgrading from Windows 11 to Windows 10 or even lower versions of the operating system, without losing any data.
Steps to Downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10
If you have upgraded to Windows 11 from Windows 10, but now you want to switch back, you can do so by following these simple steps.
- Open the Start Menu, and click on the Settings icon (gear icon) located beside the Power button.
- Select the “System” option from the settings menu.
- Click on the “Recovery” tab located on the left side of the window.
- Under the “Go back to the previous version of Windows 10” section, click on the “Get started” button.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the downgrade process.
Once you have completed the process, your computer will restart, and you will be back to using Windows 10.
Steps to Downgrade from Windows 11 to Lower Versions of Windows (e.g. Windows 7)
If you want to downgrade to a lower version of Windows, like Windows 7, you can do so, but the process is slightly different from the above steps. You will need to create a bootable USB drive with the version of Windows you want to downgrade to. Here are the steps to follow.
- Visit Microsoft’s website and download the ISO file for the version of Windows you want to downgrade to.
- Insert a USB drive into your computer and format it. Make sure it has at least 8GB of storage space.
- Download Rufus, a free tool that helps you create bootable USB drives.
- Launch Rufus and select the USB drive you want to use.
- Under the “Boot selection” option, click on the “Select” button, and choose the Windows ISO file you downloaded in the first step.
- Click on the “Start” button to begin the creation of the bootable USB drive.
- Once the process is complete, restart your computer and boot from the USB drive. You can do this by pressing the appropriate key (usually F2 or F12) during startup.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to install the version of Windows you want to downgrade to.
It is essential to note that when you install a lower version of Windows, all your data and files will be deleted. Therefore, it is advised to back up your data before you begin the downgrade process. You can use an external hard drive, cloud storage, or any other backup method that you prefer.
FAQ
1. Can I downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 8 or lower versions?
Yes, technically, you can downgrade from Windows 11 to any version of Windows that you want. However, Microsoft only provides official support for downgrading to Windows 10. To downgrade to a lower version, you will need to create a bootable USB drive with the version of Windows you want to install, as explained above.
2. Will I lose any data during the downgrade process?
If you follow the steps mentioned above, you should not lose any data during the downgrade process. However, it is still recommended to back up your data before you begin the process, as things can go wrong, and you don’t want to lose any essential files.
Watch this video for more information on how to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10:
