Windows 10 version 1803 (April 2018 Update) will be rolling out automatically as a free update on compatible desktops, laptops, and tablets in April 2018. However, the deployment of a new feature update usually never goes without a glitch as a result of bugs or some sort of compatibility issues.
During the first few months, it’s expected that a small number of devices will encounter problems, and for that reason, Windows 10 includes an option that allows anyone to uninstall the April 2018 Update to go back to the previous version. You can use this option if you’re having problems, or if you’re not ready for the update, and you want to wait a little longer.
In the case your computer has been upgraded to version 1803 using Windows Update, Update Assistant, or using the Media Creation Tool (in-place upgrade), during the first ten days since the upgrade was installed, you can quickly uninstall the update using the recovery options.
In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to remove the latest upgrade and go back to the previous version of Windows 10.
If you no longer have the option to rollback, you can use this guide to configure your device to keep the previous installation for a longer period so you have more time to uninstall an upgrade of Windows 10 the next time around.
- How to uninstall Windows 10 April 2018 Update (version 1803)
- ‘Go back to the previous version of Windows 10’ option not available
How to uninstall Windows 10 April 2018 Update (version 1803)
The process to rollback to the previous version after installing the Windows 10 April 2018 Update from your PC is straightforward, but you should always consider checking for new updates first, as there could be already a fix for the problem you’re having.
If you’re dealing with an specific issue, research online first, as the problem could have an easy fix. When nothing seems to fix the problem, you can use the steps below (or the video above) to rollback and get rid of the Windows 10 version 1803. Here’s how:
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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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Select an answer why you’re going back.
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Click the Next button.
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Click the No, thanks button.
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Check out what’s going to happen when you uninstall the Windows 10 April 2018 Update from your PC, and click the Next button.
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Click the Next button.
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Click Go back to earlier build to begin the rollback.
Once you’ve completed the steps, the setup will take over and roll back your PC to the previous version of Windows 10.
‘Go back to the previous version of Windows 10’ 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.
Windows 10 automatically saves a copy of the previous version on the C:\ drive, on a folder called Windows.old, on every upgrade in case the installation fails and rollback is necessary.
If the installation completes successfully, the Windows.old folder will stay on your device, and you can use the above instructions to manually remove Windows 10 version 1803 from your computer.
If you don’t have the Windows.old folder, you won’t be able to uninstall the update using the steps mentioned above.
There’s also a chance that you may be trying to uninstall the Windows 10 April 2018 Update after the 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 automatically deletes the previous version files folder after 10 days of the installation. 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’s something else going on in your device, and you’ll need to downgrade using clean install of Windows 10 using an ISO file that contains the older version you want to use.
Once you’re back on the previous version, you can try reinstalling the feature update again. If you don’t want to upgrade, you can always block the Windows 10 version 1803 using these steps.
You can also use the following resources to learn more about the April 2018 Update:
- What’s Windows 10 April 2018 Update, and why you should upgrade?
- Windows 10 version 1803: All the new features
- Windows 10 version 1803: 10 best new features
- Windows 10 version 1803: 7 best hidden features
- Windows 10 version release history tracker
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].