On all devices running Windows 10 soon the Creators Update will download and install automatically. However, if you’re having problems, came across a nasty bug, or you’re simply not ready for the new version, it’s possible to uninstall the Creators Update from your device and go back (or rollback) to previous version (Windows 10 Anniversary Update).
The Windows 10 Creators Update is a big update with a lot of new features and changes, such as new support for 3D and mixed reality, 4K gaming and Beam integration. Tweaks in the Start menu and Cortana, new Microsoft Edge features, new security improvements, including the new Windows Defender Security Center, and a lot more.
Although it’s a significant update, in the early days, it’s expected that some users will come across some problems and bugs during and after the installation.
If your device has been upgraded using Windows Update, Update Assistant, or you use the Media Creation Tool to do an in-place upgrade, you can uninstall the Windows 10 Creators Update using the recovery options to go back to previous version.
In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to rollback your PC to the previous version of Windows 10.
- How to uninstall Windows 10 Creators Update
- Go back to the previous version of Windows 10 option not available
How to uninstall Windows 10 Creators Update
Before you proceed to uninstall the update, you should always check for new update, as there may already be a fix for the problem. If you’re dealing with an specific issue, make sure you do your online research, and it could be an easy fix. When nothing seems to work, you can use the steps below (or the video above) to get rid of the Windows 10 Creators Update.
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Open Settings.
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Click on Update & security.
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Click on Recovery.
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Under “Go back to the previous version of Windows 10,” click the Get started button.
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Answer the question and click Next to continue.
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Windows 10 will offer you the chance to check for update in case that a new update is available to fix the current issue you’re having. If you’re ready to roll back, click No, thanks to continue.
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Read carefully what’s going to happen when you uninstall the Windows 10 Creators Update from your PC, and click Next to continue.
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Remember that you’ll need the password you used to sign in to your previous version of Windows 10. Click Next to continue.
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Click Go back to earlier build to begin the rollback.
Once you completed the steps, the setup will take over and roll back your PC to the previous version of the OS.
Go back to the previous version of Windows 10 option not available
If you don’t see the option to go back to a previous version of Windows 10, then a few things may be happening.
During the upgrade, the OS automatically saves a copy of the previous version on the C:\ drive on a folder called Windows.old. This is in case that the installation fails and rollback is necessary.
If the installation completes successfully, the Windows.old folder will stay on your system, so you can use the steps mentioned above to manually remove the Creators Update from your computer.
If you don’t have the Windows.old folder, you won’t be able to uninstall the update. Period.
The other possibility is that you may be trying to uninstall the Windows 10 Creators Update after 10 days of the original installation. The Windows.old folder takes a lot of space on your device, and to free up space for more important files, Windows 10 automatically deletes the Windows.old folder after 10 days. If this is your case, you won’t be able to go back to a previous version.
If you have the Windows.old folder, but you don’t see the option to go back to a previous version. Then there is something else going on in your device.
Alternatively, you can always downgrade your operating system by doing a clean install of Windows 10. In this case, you’ll need to find an ISO file that has the older version of Windows 10.
Once you’re back to an earlier version of Windows 10, you can try reinstalling the Creators Update again. If you don’t want to upgrade, you can always defer the Windows 10 Creators Update using these steps.
You can also use the following resources to learn more about the Creators Update:
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].