Sometimes, upgrading to Windows 11 24H2 can cause a performance hit or weird bugs, especially if your hardware is a bit of a dinosaur or just not playing nice with the new stuff. Downgrading back to 23H2 can be a lifesaver, and surprisingly, it’s doable without losing all your files. But yeah, it’s not as simple as hitting uninstall—there’s some steps involved, and the process varies depending on how deep you are into the upgrade and what symptoms you’re seeing. If things aren’t working right or Windows is just crashing more often after the update, trying to roll back might be worth a shot, especially if you’re still within that 10-day window for an easy revert.
The goal here is to help folks who’ve hit a wall or don’t want to do a full clean install but need their old setup back without losing everything, which happens more often than you’d think. So here’s a breakdown of a couple of ways to jump back—from the quick reset in settings to the nuclear option of a clean install if things are really messed up.
How to Revert Using the ‘Go Back’ Feature in Settings
Why this method helps
This is the easiest way because Windows keeps a copy of the old version in a hidden folder called Windows.old for up to 10 days after upgrading. It’s mainly for those who don’t want to mess with outside sources or boot disks and just want to undo the recent upgrade without doing too much fuss. If you’re still within that window and your system isn’t entirely broken, this method is probably your best shot. Expect your personal files and most custom settings to stay put, but be aware some newer apps or updates might not survive this trip back.
When to try this
- If your PC is slow, crashing, or generally behaving weird after upgrading
- Within 10 days of upgrade (the cut-off for easy rollback)
- Preferably if you haven’t installed new apps post-upgrade that you want to keep
Steps to roll back
- Open Start Menu, click on Settings (gear icon), then go to System and select Recovery. Or just type “Recovery” into the search bar.
- Find the section called Recovery options and look for Go back. If it shows up, great. If not, the window is probably too old, or you’ve already lost the backup due to the time window.
- Hit Go back. You’ll see a prompt asking why you’re reverting—that’s just for telemetry, so pick a reason or skip if you can.
- You might get some tips about what to keep and what to delete—think twice here. Then hit Next. Windows might prepare a few farewell messages about reinstalling drivers or apps.
- Finally, click Go back to an earlier build to begin the process. Your PC will restart, and Windows will begin rolling back to 23H2. It’s normal for this to take a little extra time, so don’t panic if it seems stuck for a bit.
This works well because it uses those existing files from your previous Windows install, stored in Windows.old. But, warning—if it’s been more than 10 days or if you’ve cleaned up that folder, this option might be gone.
Another route: Use Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)
Why and when it helps
This is kind of the nuclear option. If your PC won’t boot normally after the upgrade, or if the ‘Go Back’ option isn’t available anymore, then booting into WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment) is the next best choice. It lets you uninstall recent updates without fully booting into Windows. Been there, done that, and it’s surprisingly straightforward if you know where to click. On some setups, this might fail the first go, or you’ll need to try twice, but it often gets you out of a jam.
Steps to access and use WinRE
- Power on your PC, then force shut down by holding Power button as soon as Windows loads. Repeat this two more times until you see “Preparing Automatic Repair”. If you’re lucky, it’ll automatically launch into WinRE. Otherwise, maybe try booting with a Windows install USB handy, just in case.
- In WinRE, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options.
- Choose Uninstall Updates — it’s usually under advanced troubleshooting options.
- Click on Uninstall the latest feature update (this is what they call the upgrade version) and confirm.
- Follow the prompts, and it’ll roll back the update. After it completes, restart—you should be back to 23H2 and hopefully with less of that upgrade-induced chaos.
This escape hatch is good if your PC is totally uncooperative, or if you’re stuck outside Windows from some weird crash. Of course, it requires a bit more finesse, but it’s worth trying if the simple method fails.
When all else fails: Clean install of Windows 11 23H2
Why it helps
If you’re past the 10-day cut-off for rolling back or the above options are wrecked, then doing a clean install is basically wiping the slate clean and starting fresh. This method erases everything on your primary drive, so backup is mandatory unless you want to be very sorry later. It’s kinda like hitting reset on your PC, but it guarantees that no remnants of the upgrade bug or compatibility issues remain.
What’s involved
- First, make sure any crucial files are saved to an external drive or cloud. This process nukes your data, so better safe than sorry.
- Download the official Windows 11 23H2 ISO from the Microsoft site or trusted sources like UUP Dump. Make sure to pick the right version for your architecture (32-bit or 64-bit).
- Get a USB flash drive (8+ GB), back up anything you want to keep because it’s about to get wiped.
- Download and open Rufus. It’ll help you create a bootable USB from the ISO.
- In Rufus, select your USB drive, then click Select next to ‘Boot selection’ and browse to your downloaded ISO.
- Set the Partition scheme to GPT for UEFI firmware—or MBR for legacy BIOS—based on your system. Usually, newer systems use GPT/UEFI.
- Choose NTFS file system for bigger files or FAT32 if you need compatibility for older systems. Hit Start and confirm that all data on your USB will be erased.
- Once Rufus finishes, reboot your PC, and enter BIOS/UEFI (via F2, F12, DEL, or ESC) during startup.
- Change the boot order to prioritize booting from USB. Save and exit.
- Follow the Windows installation wizard—choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced), select your primary partition, and format if necessary. This is where you wipe everything, so be sure your backups are safe.
- Let it install, then restore your data from backups afterward. It’s tedious but guarantees a fresh start without pesky old bugs hanging around.
Not the fastest, but sometimes this brutal method saves you more headache than trying to fix issues piecemeal. Just be prepared for a fresh setup and reinstallation of apps afterward—it’s like going back to square one but way cleaner.