Be quick, if you want to downgrade from Windows 11

Windows 11 Time

You’ll need to be Johnny on the spot! Windows 11 looks set to be one of the most exciting releases from Microsoft yet, and that’s saying something considering the colorful history of the operating system.

And save for extreme system requirements, the new OS has been well received by the community.

The new platform goes live later this year.

One thing that invariably happens with each new release of Windows is that not everyone will be a fan from the start. Some people might not like the new operating system, others may find their workflow disrupted, others yet could run into driver or compatibility issues regarding their peripherals.

Long story short, Microsoft provides a way around this conundrum. For those that don’t like a new version of Windows, the company gives them a set window to roll back to their previous OS while keeping their files and data.

However, this time around, that window is short — very short.

As outlined in the FAQ section at the bottom of the company’s page introducing Windows 11, Microsoft states that you will only have 10 days to revert back to Windows 10 after the upgrade if you don’t like the new operating system:

“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, obviously, refers to people who upgrade when the operating system rolls out to general availability later this year. Besides, Windows 10 will be supported until October 2025, so it’s not like there will be a rush to upgrade to the new Windows 11 right after release.

Beyond these 10 days, you will still have the option of rolling back to Windows 10, of course. But for that, you will have to back up your files and do a clean install. This is a longer process, but definitely not an impossible one.

The window of convenience is there, only it is a short one this time around.