How To Go Back To Windows 8

Windows x has been a critical success since its release, just if you demand or desire to revert to an older version of Windows, you tin can uninstall Windows 10 and downgrade to Windows 8.1 or even Windows 7.

Be aware, though, that new computers (particularly tablets) may contain components that weren't manufactured when older Windows versions like Windows viii.1 or Windows 7 were being sold. This might hateful that if you downgrade, yous'll meet driver problems, and your display, keyboard, and networking might not work right.

More than chiefly, Microsoft has likewise ended support for Windows 7, and Windows 8.1 is on its fashion toward the finish of support in January 2023. For the security of your PC, we recommended confronting installing legacy operating systems in place of Windows 10.

The guide beneath is written with rolling dorsum to Windows 8.1 in mind. The basic steps work for any Windows operating system going as far back as Windows XP — though we don't recommend going that far back, as Microsoft ended support for it some fourth dimension agone.

Some other note: With Microsoft ending support for Windows viii long ago, you have to fully uninstall Windows 10 to whorl back to a previous version. But we take an alternate method for rolling back to Windows 8.1 in the event you've but recently upgraded to Windows 10.

Oh, and with Windows 11 being out at present, we have some advice on how y'all can remove Windows 11 at the cease of our guide.

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Support and create installation media

Earlier kickoff anything else, y'all must support your important reckoner files to a divide location. An external drive or a cloud storage service is fantabulous, so long as information technology's physically disconnected from the Windows figurer you'll exist working on. We have a separate piece that dives deeper into how you can back up your PC.

Step i: Unfortunately, Windows can't preserve programs or settings when flashing to an older version (only a newer ane), so y'all'll too want to get installation media for whatsoever crucial programs, specially those that require serial numbers. It's also worth noting that Microsoft doesn't support Windows 8 anymore, but Windows 8.1, as it was function of an automatic update cycle.

Step two: Once you've backed up your PC, get installation media for Windows itself. For Windows 8.one, Microsoft provides a download service that allows you to send the installation files to a new DVD or fifty-fifty employ a flash drive. If y'all're installing an older version of Windows, yous'll demand the original disc (and possibly an external CD or DVD burner if your newer laptop doesn't accept a disc drive). Alternatively, you tin can create a bootable USB drive with a Windows ISO.

You'll also need the Windows product key for whichever version you chose — this is the 25-digit code that came with your Windows retail box or purchase receipt from Microsoft. It may also be located somewhere on your reckoner'south case.

Nosotros as well have an important note on Windows seven. While it may be starting to bear witness its age, Windows vii is even so of occasional utility among ability users looking to replicate or fix old software — or people who are just stuck in their ways. Windows 7 tin't upgrade, install, or keep files when installed on a system already running Windows ten, and then a fresh install is the merely style to achieve such a goal.

Our guide to installing Windows 7 has all links, detailed instructions, and a few caveats nigh using older operating systems that may help you troubleshoot esoteric issues. The Windows 8 process is much simpler.

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Reverting back to Windows eight.1

Once you've finished backing up your files and programs, remove all other external storage drives, cards, or discs, and insert the Windows installation disc or drive. Restart your figurer and boot it from that bulldoze. Here's how.

Footstep i: This usually requires either entering a keyboard control to open up the kick carte du jour or entering the BIOS (or UEFI on newer systems) and manually selecting the drive. Entering the BIOS unremarkably requires hitting the Delete cardinal — not the Backspace key — over and over on your keyboard immediately afterward seeing your reckoner'south splash screen (usually showing the computer manufacturer). Every computer is unlike, and then consult your motherboard manual if you built the reckoner yourself or the computer manual to encounter how to enter the BIOS.

Step two: In one case you're in the BIOS, y'all want to look for a boot order or a boot override. These settings allow you to choose which device your figurer attempts to load first. You lot want your Windows installation media loading earlier your hard drive. For discs, select your CD or DVD drive. For thumb drives, select USB or something like. Again, all motherboards and computers are a little different, then brand certain to have your manual handy.

Step 3: The Windows setup process will then begin. For Windows viii.i, the first screen lets you select your language, location, and keyboard localization. Click Next > Install Now. Look for the setup process to initiate.

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Await for Windows to install

Once the installer is running, you'll have to consummate a few steps. It should have a while as Windows will need to erase your difficult drive and format it.

Stride one: To begin, click I Take The License Terms, then Next on the license screen. The next screen has two options: Upgrade and Custom. Choose Custom — the Windows 8.1 installation system cannot upgrade from a newer version of Windows to an older one.

Step ii: On this screen, you'll accept to select the installation drive or segmentation. If your estimator has but one difficult bulldoze or solid-state drive, then this is the largest partition available. Yous have 2 options here: Click the drive and and then click Next to preserve old Windows files in a folder in the new installation. This is useful as a secondary backup method, but it will non go on installed programs, and in that location may be compatibility or permission issues with accessing the old files. Generally, it'due south better to get-go fresh by formatting the install drive. Practice this by clicking Format, and so OK. Wait for the master drive to exist formatted, and so click Adjacent.

Footstep 3: On the next screen, the setup programme will copy the Windows files from your installation media to your calculator and begin installing the OS itself. This process may take some time, so if you've got something else to exercise for 30 minutes to an hour, it'south fine to leave your computer solitary, so long as information technology's plugged in. Keep an eye on the screen and return when the process is finished. Your figurer may restart on its own.

Stride 4: Subsequently a few minutes, yous should run across Windows 8.1 begin its kickoff bootup process. Here, you'll select a few settings and personal touches. Just follow the on-screen instructions, entering your username and password where prompted. Click Stop.

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Going back through the Windows settings

Microsoft concluded the gratuitous upgrade program from Windows 8.one and 7 to Windows 10 years ago. Even in 2022, though, it'southward still possible to upgrade to Windows 10 for costless. If you've taken advantage of the upgrade, yous can easily scroll back to Windows 8.i without losing any files. That said, it'south even so a good idea to support everything just in case.

The process used to piece of work up to xxx days after the upgrade, but always since the Windows x Anniversary Update, that's been reduced to just ten days after the update. At that place are some claims almost methods of extending that, but we wouldn't rely on them.

Regardless, later the allotted time, the Os will delete the previous Os files to make room on the difficult drive. If you've run Windows 10'southward disk cleanup operation, information technology may accept prematurely deleted those files already, but only if you ran it manually.

This process also won't permit y'all roll back to Windows 8, merely Windows eight.1. Office of the Windows x upgrade process involves moving to eight.1, so that's technically the last OS installed on the system. If you want Windows eight proper, yous'll have to utilize the instructions above, and even then, but if yous have the original installation media and turn off updates.

Step 1: Go to the main Settings *menu in Windows 10, click *Recovery, so click Go Dorsum to Windows viii.1 or Go Dorsum to Windows 7 and follow the on-screen instructions.

Footstep 2: Before whatever instructions pop up, though, you'll see a question asking why you want to return to an earlier Windows version. You tin can answer notwithstanding you'd similar. It won't affect your recovery process; Windows is only collecting data. A message will then inform you lot that your files won't go anywhere in this process. While it'south right that your files won't disappear, it's still up to you to reinstall applications and restore customized settings properly.

Step 3: Reverting to an before Windows can sometimes revert your password, then keep that in heed when the screen prompts a password to log in. You might need to use your erstwhile password if you changed to a new one when you upgraded to Windows 10.

When y'all're ready to brainstorm the recovery procedure, select Go Back to Previous Windows, and the organization volition start rolling back. This operation volition take a while, and your computer volition reboot several times.

Uninstalling Windows eleven

If your PC came with Windows 11, and then yous might want to follow some of these steps and become dorsum to Windows 10. Once more, keep in heed that your new PC might have components not supported past legacy operating systems, so we suggest confronting downgrading. We have ii guides for this. Ane for how to uninstall Windows eleven, and another one for how you can install Windows 11.