How to Uninstall Windows 11 (Step-by-Step Guide)

Windows 11 isn’t the right fit for every setup, and there’s more than one way to step back from it depending on your situation. You might want to return to your previous version of Windows, remove a single update that’s causing problems, or uninstall a driver without touching Windows itself at all. This guide walks through each option and what to check before you start, since availability and exact wording can vary depending on your Windows 11 version and how your device was set up.

Quick steps

1. Decide what you actually need to undo: the whole upgrade to Windows 11, a recent update, or a single driver.
2. Back up your files before making any changes.
3. If you recently upgraded from Windows 10, open Settings and check the recovery options on your device for a way to return to your previous version.
4. If that option isn’t available, consider a clean reinstall of Windows 10 using official Microsoft installation media, or use your Windows Update settings to review and manage a specific update instead.

Before you start

• This mainly applies if your PC was upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11. If Windows 11 came pre-installed on your device, there’s no earlier version stored on it to go back to.
• Back up anything important first. Reverting can affect apps and settings you’ve changed since upgrading, and a clean reinstall erases the drive entirely.
• Any option to return to a previous version of Windows is generally only available for a limited time after upgrading, and it may no longer appear once enough time has passed or once older system files are no longer on the drive. Check your own device rather than assuming it will be there.
• If you keep files in OneDrive, confirm sync is fully up to date before you start. Our guide on how to activate OneDrive AutoSave can help you check that your documents and desktop are backed up.
• Have your Microsoft account sign-in details handy in case you need to sign in again once the process is finished.

Revert to your previous version of Windows

Windows 11 includes recovery options that may let you return to your previous version of Windows without a full reinstall, if you’re still within the time period Microsoft allows after upgrading. Availability and the exact wording of this option can differ depending on your Windows 11 version, so it’s worth checking your own device rather than following steps written for a different build.

1. Open Settings (press Windows key + I).
2. Look for recovery related settings, which are generally grouped under the System section.
3. If an option to return to a previous version of Windows is shown, select it and follow the on-screen prompts. You’ll usually be asked why you’re reverting and reminded that recent changes may be lost.
4. Confirm when prompted, then let your PC restart to complete the process. Don’t turn the PC off while this is happening.

Once it’s finished, check that your apps, drivers, and settings look right. Anything installed after you upgraded to Windows 11 may need to be reinstalled.

If that option isn’t available: clean reinstall of Windows 10

If there’s no built-in option on your PC to return to your previous version, the remaining path back to Windows 10 is a clean installation using official Windows 10 installation media from Microsoft. This wipes the drive, so make sure everything important is backed up first.

1. On another working PC, download official Windows 10 installation media from Microsoft and use it to create a bootable USB drive.
2. Back up your files to OneDrive, an external drive, or both. If you’d rather stop OneDrive syncing while you do this, see how to remove OneDrive from your PC.
3. Insert the USB drive into the Windows 11 PC, restart it, and boot from the USB drive. You may need to change the boot order in your PC’s firmware settings first, often by pressing a key such as F2, F10, Esc, or Del during startup.
4. Follow the on-screen setup prompts to install Windows 10 on the drive where Windows 11 currently sits.
5. Once installation finishes, complete the out-of-box setup, sign in with your Microsoft account, and reinstall your apps.

Because this wipes the drive completely, treat it as a last resort if you don’t already have a backup in place.

Remove a single update instead of the whole OS

Sometimes a specific update is the real cause of your problems rather than Windows 11 itself. In that case you don’t need to revert the whole operating system. Your Windows Update settings let you review your update history and manage how updates are applied to your device. Check the Windows Update section of Settings directly, since the options shown there can vary by Windows version, and see Microsoft’s documentation on managing additional Windows Update settings for background on how these controls work.

1. Open Settings and select Windows Update.
2. Review your update history to see which updates were installed recently.
3. Use the options available in that area of Settings to manage or address the update causing problems, following the current guidance shown on your device.

This is a reasonable option if things were working fine before a specific update, and you’d rather not go through a full downgrade.

Remove a problematic driver instead of the whole OS

If Windows 11 itself is fine but a particular driver is causing crashes or hardware issues, you don’t need to remove Windows at all. You can uninstall just that driver through Device Manager.

1. In the Windows search box, enter Device Manager and open it.
2. Expand the category for the device you’re having trouble with, for example display adapters or network adapters.
3. Right-click the device and select the option to uninstall it.
4. If offered, choose to delete the driver software for that device, then confirm.
5. Restart your PC. Windows will typically reinstall a default driver automatically, or you can install an updated one manually afterward.

If it doesn’t work

There’s no option to return to a previous version of Windows

This usually means the time period for this option has passed, or the files needed for it are no longer present on your drive. In that case, a clean install using Windows 10 installation media is the remaining way back.

The process fails partway through

Make sure your PC has enough free disk space and isn’t interrupted by a power loss while this is running. If it keeps failing, back up your data and move to a clean installation instead.

You can’t remember your old password afterward

If you changed your Microsoft account or local password after upgrading to Windows 11, you’ll need the password you were using before the upgrade to sign back in once you’ve reverted. Use the password recovery option on the sign-in screen if needed.

Apps or files are missing afterward

Software installed after you upgraded to Windows 11 typically won’t carry over when you revert, so you’ll need to reinstall it manually. Personal files in your user folders should remain untouched, but it’s still worth confirming your backups beforehand.

Frequently asked questions

How do I uninstall Windows 11 and keep my files?

Check the recovery options in Settings on your device. If an option to return to your previous version of Windows is available, it’s designed to restore that version without touching your personal files, though you should still back up anything important just in case.

Can I downgrade Windows 11 to Windows 10 after the recovery window closes?

If the built-in option to return to a previous version is no longer available on your device, you’ll need to perform a clean install of Windows 10 using official installation media, which means backing up your files and wiping the drive.

Does rolling back Windows 11 remove my installed apps?

In most cases, yes. Apps and programs installed after you upgraded to Windows 11 generally won’t survive the process, so you’ll need to reinstall them once you’re back on your previous version.

What’s the difference between removing an update and reverting to Windows 10?

Managing updates through your Windows Update settings only affects that specific update while keeping you on Windows 11. Reverting to a previous version, where that option is available, removes Windows 11 entirely and restores your earlier setup.

Why can’t I find an option to go back to my previous version?

It’s generally only available for a limited time after upgrading, and it can stop appearing once that time has passed or once the files needed for it are no longer on your drive. At that point, a clean reinstall is the remaining route back to Windows 10.

Related guides

• How to Activate OneDrive AutoSave
• How to Remove OneDrive from Your PC
• How to Disable OneDrive on Windows 10 and 11

Sources

• Manage additional Windows Update settings
• Using Device Manager to Uninstall Devices and Driver Packages
• Windows client documentation