How to Downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 (There’s a Problem)

Almost all new PCs sold in the retail channel today come with Windows 11 preinstalled. The hardware was designed to work with Microsoft’s latest operating system, and most models built for the consumer market don’t offer the option to install the older Windows 10. (PCs built for the enterprise market sometimes offer this option, but the price is usually higher for these business-class PCs.)

If you really don’t like Windows 11, can you buy one of those new PCs and downgrade it to Windows 10? well sort of.

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Although you can easily upgrade a Windows 10 PC to Windows 11, preserving installed apps, settings, and data files, you can’t do the opposite. If you want to “downgrade” from Windows 11 to Windows 10, you’ll need to perform a clean install, which requires backing up and restoring your data files and reinstalling all your apps. But your license for Windows 11 will be enough to activate Windows 10 (and vice versa), which means you’ll have the option to upgrade to Windows 11 later, after Microsoft (one hopes) fixes the things that are bothering you now. ,

If this is a new PC that came with Windows 11 preinstalled, you’ll probably want to think twice whether you really want to do this. It’s possible that you’ll encounter glitches and hardware incompatibilities when you install Windows 10, and those problems can be even more annoying than any problems you have with Windows 11.

On the other hand, if the PC was originally designed to run Windows 10, your chances of successfully installing Windows 10 are much better. In any case, you should make a complete backup of your system before proceeding. (For recommendations of third-party software, including some excellent free options, see “Best Backup Software: Top Picks for Windows and Mac.”)

The ideal way to perform a clean install is by downloading a Windows 10 recovery image made specifically for your PC model. To find out if this solution is available for your PC, see this article: “How to get a free Windows (or Linux) recovery image for your OEM PC.”

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If you can’t find the recovery image, you’ll need to download and install Windows 10 manually. To create bootable installation media, you’ll need a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of capacity. Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool will erase and format the drive, so make sure it’s free of any important files.

Put the warnings aside, here’s how to proceed

1. Insert the USB flash drive into your Windows 11 PC and disconnect any other non-essential USB devices; then go to https://ak.ms/downloadwindows10, Note that you can do this on a PC running any Windows version.
2. Under the “Create Windows 10 installation media” heading, click Download now.
3. Run the Media Creation Tool installer and follow the prompts to create a bootable Windows 10 installation media using your USB flash drive. Leave the drive attached to your Windows 11 PC.
4. Go to Settings > System > Recovery. Under the Advanced startup heading, click Restart now.
5. On the Windows 11 Recovery menu, choose Use a device and select your USB drive. When you see the prompt to boot from the USB drive, tap the Spacebar to start Windows Setup.
6. Follow the prompts to install Windows 10. When you get to the step where you’re asked to enter your product key, click I don’t have a product key, and then be sure to select the edition (Home or Pro) you’re “downgrading” to.

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When the installation is complete, you should boot into Windows 10, and the operating system should be activated automatically. You’ll need to install the latest updates, and you may need to download some drivers from the PC manufacturer’s website. Once you’ve restored your data files and reinstalled any apps, you can get back to work.