You’ll also need the Windows product key for whichever version you chose - this is the 25-digit code that came with your Windows retail box or purchase receipt from Microsoft. Alternatively, you can create a bootable USB drive with a Windows ISO. If you’re installing an older version of Windows, you’ll need the original disc (and possibly an external CD or DVD burner if your newer laptop doesn’t have a disc drive). For Windows 8.1, Microsoft provides a download service that allows you to send the installation files to a new DVD or even use a flash drive. Next, get installation media for Windows itself. Windows does a good job of grabbing drivers automatically, but make sure to download any networking, motherboard, or graphics cards driver installation files and store them on a USB drive. You might want to gather installation files for the various drivers your computer will need. It’s also worth noting that Microsoft doesn’t support Windows 8 anymore, only Windows 8.1, as it was part of an automatic update cycle.

Unfortunately, Windows can’t preserve programs or settings when flashing to an older version (only a newer one), so you’ll also want to get installation media for any crucial programs, especially those that require serial numbers. An external drive or a cloud storage service is excellent, so long as it’s physically disconnected from the Windows computer you’ll be working on. Step 1: Backing up and creating installation mediaīefore beginning anything else, back up your important computer files to a separate location. That said, we have an alternate method for rolling back to Windows 8.1 in the event you’ve just recently upgraded to Windows 10. With Microsoft ending support for Windows 8 long ago, you have to fully uninstall Windows 10 to rollback to a previous version. Be aware, too, that new computers (especially tablets) may contain components that weren’t manufactured when older Windows versions like Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 were being sold. Though the guide below is written with rolling back to Windows 8.1 in mind, the basic steps work for any Windows operating system going as far back as Windows XP - though we don’t recommend going that far back, as Microsoft ended support for it some time ago.

Windows 10 has been a critical success since its release, but if you need or want to revert to an older version of Windows, you can uninstall Windows 10 and downgrade to Windows 8.1.

Downgrade windows 10 64 bit to 32 bit