Rolling back from Windows 10

If you’ve recently updated to Windows and you’re regretting the choice, the good news is that you can easily roll-back to your previous system.

Rolling back from Windows 10 – What you need for that

The first thing to know is that you only have 30 days from installation to revert back and you’ll also need an administrator account to be able to make the necessary changes.

You’ll also need to have the files required for the rollback, which will be stored either in the Windows.old Windows.old or $Windows.~BT and $Windows.~WS folders. These files can be removed via disk clean-up, but you should only do this once you’re sure that you’re happy with Windows 10 because one you’ve removed them, there’s no going back to your old system.

Before undertaking any major piece of work, it’s also a good idea to back-up your data before you get started. If you’re using a laptop or other portable device, you’ll also want to make sure it’s connected to a power source, as the process can take some time.

Once you’re ready to roll back:

Go to the Start Menu and open up ‘Settings’
Select ‘Update & Security’
From the pop-up that opens, choose the ‘Recovery’ option in the left column. You’ll be given the choice to reset your PC (which will reinstall Windows) or to go back to a previous operating system
Choose the option you want and hit the ‘Get started’ button. A blue window should open.
Microsoft will ask you why you want to go back to an old system; choose your reason and select ‘Next’
You’ll be taken to another blue screen. Select ‘Next’ again to start the process.