Microsoft has recently started rolling out Windows 11 23H2 (Preview), which is expected to be available during Q4 of 2023. Suppose you have upgraded to Windows 23H2 and encountered any issues due to bugs, compatibility, or other problems. In that case, you can roll back to your previous version of Windows 11, such as Windows 11 22H2 or Windows 11 21H2, from Windows 11 23H2.
In this article, we will share a guide on uninstalling Windows 11 23H2 to roll back to the previous version of Windows 11 without losing personal files. The company ensures there won’t be any issues, for which Microsoft has tested multiple previews before rolling out the stable version. Still, to ensure compatibility or a better experience, take your time before upgrading to Windows 11 23H2.
How to Roll Back to Windows 11 22H2 or 21H2 from Windows 11 23H2.
Uninstalling Windows 11 23H2 depends on the version from which you upgraded on your computer and the method you used to upgrade to Windows 11 23H2.
- If you upgraded from Windows 11 22H2 to 23H2, you only need to remove the enablement package from Windows Update Settings.
- If you upgraded using the Installation Assistant tool or another upgrade method to Windows 11 23H2.
- If you upgraded from Windows 11, you need to use recovery settings.
- A clean installation won’t work when rolling back to a previous version. To roll back, you must perform a fresh installation with an older version.
Remember that recovery settings only work for the first ten days of upgrading. After uninstalling, you may not need to reinstall some apps, but you may lose settings you must reconfigure when using the new release.
Downgrade Windows 11 23H2 from Windows Update.
You can easily roll back to the previous version of Windows 11 (23H2) by upgrading from Windows 22H2. Here is a guide on how to uninstall the 23H2 update and move back to version 22H2:
- Open Windows Settings and go to Windows Update.
- Go to the Update History tab, and within the Related Settings section, select Uninstall Update Settings.
- Click on the Uninstall option for the “Feature Update to Windows 23H2 via Enablement Packages” update.
- That’s it!
This is how you can easily remove Windows 11 23H2 and roll it back to Windows 11 22H2.
Rollback to Windows 11 23H2 using the Recovery Method
If you upgraded to Windows 11 23H2 from 22H2 or 21H2 using the Installation Assistant tool or any other upgrade method, or if you upgraded from Windows 10, you can use Recovery Settings to downgrade Windows 11 23H2 and rollback to the previous version of Windows 11.
Here are the steps.
- Open Windows Settings and go to System.
- Click on the recovery page in the right sidebar.
- Within the Recovery Options, click on Go Back.
- A pop-up screen will appear, asking you to choose why you want to uninstall Windows 11 23H2.
- After selecting the reason, click Next, then click No, Thanks, and then click Next again.
- Click on Next, and then click on Go back to an earlier build to uninstall Windows 11 23H2.
This will take you to the previous version of Windows 11 and remove the Windows 11 23H2 update. Rolling back will not release your files or most of your settings and apps. You can continue downgrading if no rollback option is available for your PC. Otherwise, you will need to perform a clean installation of Windows 11 and restore your files from a previous backup.