Getting rid of Windows 11

[Shel_B]

Recently, I purchased a laptop that has Win 11 installed. I hate the program and would like to replace it with Win 10. Does the SSD drive have to be reformatted in order to do this? Is it possible to just replace the O/S without destroying or damaging other files? Is it even possible to go "backward" with the O/S?

 

[goingplacesanddoingstuff]

Not possible to do without a reformat, unless you want to dual boot. But then you waste all the space taken up by Win 11.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

You can only go back if you upgraded from Windows 10 to 11 and haven't run Disk Cleanup that gets rid of all the OS files. Since you bought it new with Windows 11 on it you don't have that option.

It's entirely possible a newer laptop was designed with only Windows 11 in mind and may no have proper Windows 10 drivers available for certain components anyway. And your Windows license probably wouldn't work so that's an issue.

Windows 11 is the 'current future' so I'd say don't fight it and just get used to it. I'm not a fan either to be honest.

 

[dogememe]

Just leave it alone. What exactly do you hate about 11?

 

[JavierH19]

It's pretty easy and i did it myself and im no computer guy. Download windows media creation tool on the windows website and it's pretty straightforward to put it on a usb. I assume you're logged in with a Microsoft account of some sort so the windows activation shouldn't be an issue. There is an easy way to get the windows key from the computer just google search it. it involved using command i think if you're not logged in. But i had no issues and didn't need to do anything with the key since it did it automatically. But after that figuring out how to boot into the usb is the next thing that needs to be done but i watched a YouTube vid on my phone and figured it out in a few minutes and booted into the windows installer and deleted all the partitions and did a fresh install. End result was a clean low storage using windows 10 instillation. Before over half my ram was always used up and it took up over 80gb. After that my ram usage was a only a quarter and the storage after updates and such was i think 24gb. It also booted up and ran a lot faster without all the pre installed viruses all computer manufactures shoe horn into them. It is absolutely worth doing. Doing the "restart" within the OS did nothing to remove any pre installed garbage that slowed everything down, just about all of it is useless anyway. i only re installed the dell update program and that was it. Made my new laptop so great, i almost returned it.

 

[Jetronic]

keep declining the upgrade to win11 myself.

no microsoft account either

 

[skyactiv]

I think you can change things to make Windows 11 more like Windows 10. It might require registry key edits?

 

[Leo99]

keep declining the upgrade to win11 myself.

no microsoft account either

My PC is not adequate for Windows 11. Didn't think it was that old...

 

[Furious]

Windows 10 end of support is not too far away so you might as well get used to Windows 11 there is actually no more windows 10 version updates only security updates.

Windows 12 is in the making. But if you are really wanting to downgrade you will have to perform a fresh install and you may need to purchase a product key.

 

[Furious]

My PC is not adequate for Windows 11. Didn't think it was that old...

There is a good bit of processors that are currently and may never be supported and you also need TPM 2.0 enabled.

 

[paulri]

I don't know how long the OP wants to keep this computer, but MS says they will support W10 with security updates through Oct 2025:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-10-home-and-pro

2 years doesn't sound like much time for that to me.

Windows 10 end of support is not too far away so you might as well get used to Windows 11 there is actually no more windows 10 version updates only security updates.

Windows 12 is in the making. But if you are really wanting to downgrade you will have to perform a fresh install and you may need to purchase a product key.

 

[OVERKILL]

There is a good bit of processors that are currently and may never be supported and you also need TPM 2.0 enabled.

Yes, this was ridiculous, as was the short-EOL'ing of Windows 10. Hell, Server 2012 R2 is still getting updates until later this year, and it's ancient!

 

[simple_gifts]

"linux users look forward to upgrades; windows users try to avoid them"

 

[cptbarkey]

Technically OP its only possible if there are complimentary Windows 10 drivers available for your laptop. You did not include the brand or model number so none of us can check for you. If they are available, download them and install Windows 10. Good luck.

 

[Kalle.J]

Recently, I purchased a laptop that has Win 11 installed. I hate the program and would like to replace it with Win 10. Does the SSD drive have to be reformatted in order to do this? Is it possible to just replace the O/S without destroying or damaging other files? Is it even possible to go "backward" with the O/S?

I mean if you have to ask on a forum about how to do it... It would probably be easier to just learn to live with W11,
Look up some tweaks for it.

 

[Pablo]

Just leave it alone. What exactly do you hate about 11?

This.

Not worth the hassle, IMHO

 

[I<3oil]

W11 > W10

 

[Shel_B]

Never mind.

 

[Shel_B]

This.

Not worth the hassle, IMHO

Perhaps it's not worth it to you. It'll be no hassle for me now that I know what can be expected.

 

[Shel_B]

Windows 10 end of support is not too far away so you might as well get used to Windows 11 there is actually no more windows 10 version updates only security updates.

Windows 12 is in the making. But if you are really wanting to downgrade you will have to perform a fresh install and you may need to purchase a product key.

Product key is covered.