What you need to know
- If you upgrade to Windows 11, you'll have 10 days to roll back to Windows 10 while keeping your files and data.
- You can still roll back to Windows 10 after 10 days, but you'll have to back up your data and do a clean install of the operating system.
- Windows 10 will be supported until October 2025.
Windows 11 rolls out later this year, but some people might not like the new operating system. If you upgrade to Windows 11 and don't like it, you'll have 10 days to roll back to Windows 10 while keeping your files and data.
After you've used Windows 11 for 10 days, you'll still be able to roll back to Windows 10, but you'll have to back up your files and do a clean install. That will be a longer process, but it certainly isn't impossible. We have a complete guide on how to do a clean installation of Windows 10 if you decide to go that route.
All of this is outlined in Microsoft's page introducing Windows 11. Towards the bottom of the page, there's an FAQ section. In response to the question, "Can I go back to Windows 10 after I upgrade if I don't like Windows 11?" Microsoft states:
Yes. After you have installed the Windows 11 upgrade, there is a 10-day period where you can move back to Windows 10 while keeping files and data that you brought along with you. After the 10 days, you will need to back up your data and do a 'clean install' to move back to Windows 10.
This appears to refer to people who upgrade when the operating system rolls out to general availability later this year.
Windows 10 will be supported until October 2025, so people don't have to rush to upgrade to Windows 11.
