Downgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 8.1

[TheTallGuy]

Hi guys, is it possible to downgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 8.1 while keeping all of your files that are already on the computer?

Thanks already

[Viper9]

It depends, if you've updated from Windows 8.1 to W10 you should have 30 days to downgrade to W8.1, but why you want to do that?

[Lenovo1984]

You'd be better off doing a clean install. Just backup your files first. 

[Syrune54]

 

11 minutes ago, TheTallGuy said:

Hi guys, is it possible to downgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 8.1 while keeping all of your files that are already on the computer?

Thanks already

if youve upgraded from windows 8.1 to windows 10 using the upgrade assistant then there's an option in the control panel or settings to go back to your previous windows  

if youve upgraded from windows 8.1 to windows 10 without using the upgrade assistant then its best to just clean install and backup everything first like what @Lenovo1984 just said

[Ashleyyyy]

50 minutes ago, Viper9 said:

but why you want to do that?

Because it's a much more stable os and doesn't force you to reboot for updates, it doesn't automatically install bloatware like candy crush.... 

[Viper9]

38 minutes ago, Twilight said:

Because it's a much more stable os and doesn't force you to reboot for updates, it doesn't automatically install bloatware like candy crush.... 

I never had these kind of issues with Windows 10 and you can uninstall the "bloatware". For the updates, you just need to schedule them properly and you're good to go. 

 

At some point you won't have any choice to upgrade anyway, so might has well upgrade now. The newest version of Windows 10 (1909) is stable, I've installed the new build on a lot of PCs and it works great. 

[Ashleyyyy]

46 minutes ago, Viper9 said:

I never had these kind of issues with Windows 10 and you can uninstall the "bloatware".

i know how it works. the software will reinstall itself. you can do a registry edit to stop it but that resets itself whenever you update. 

[TheTallGuy]

I did not upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 using the upgrade assistant. I bought the laptop with Windows 10 installed on it.

The reason why I want to ''downgrade'' to Windows 8.1 is that for some reason it seems like Windows 8.1 is a lot more responsive than Windows 10. In my opinion, it is more stable and I don't get loaded with bloatware as @Twilight said.

Yes, I know that you can uninstall it, but let's be fair, Microsoft should just not load the OS with all these nonsense apps.

[TheTallGuy]

So if I understand it correctly. If I make a backup of my entire drive, and clean install Windows 8.1 onto my laptop. I can drag and drop my files to Windows 8.1 from the backup I made. Or is this gonna create trouble?

[Viper9]

Just now, TheTallGuy said:

I did not upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 using the upgrade assistant. I bought the laptop with Windows 10 installed on it.

The reason why I want to ''downgrade'' to Windows 8.1 is that for some reason it seems like Windows 8.1 is a lot more responsive than Windows 10. In my opinion, it is more stable and I don't get loaded with bloatware as @Twilight said.

Yes, I know that you can uninstall it, but let's be fair, Microsoft should just not load the OS with all these nonsense apps.

The answer is no you can't downgrade. You will need to clean install Windows 8.1 and buy a licence.

 

What are the specs of your laptop? 

[TheTallGuy]

9 minutes ago, Viper9 said:

The answer is no you can't downgrade. You will need to clean install Windows 8.1 and buy a licence.

 

What are the specs of your laptop? 

I already have Windows 8.1 on an USB stick, and I have a license.

But like I said in my comment above, clean install.

 

Specs are:

I7-7500U

16GB ram

500GB SSD

[Viper9]

1 minute ago, TheTallGuy said:

I already have Windows 8.1 on an USB stick, and I have a license.

But like I said in my comment above, clean install.

 

Specs are:

I7-7500U

16GB ram

250GB SSD

When you bought the laptop did you clean install Windows 10 on it or you've used to manufacturer bloatware version of W10?

 

Because I would suggest to clean install Windows 10 on your device and install the latest version (1909) you can create a bootable usb stick with this tool:

 

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

 

I would give it a try before going back to a dead OS. 

[TheTallGuy]

Just now, Viper9 said:

When you bought the laptop did you clean install Windows 10 on it or you've used to manufacturer bloatware version of W10?

 

Because I would suggest to clean install Windows 10 on your device and install the latest version (1909) you can create a bootable usb stick with this tool:

 

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

 

I would give it a try before going back to a dead OS. 

I installed Windows 10 myself, but I don't just like it. I just want to go back to Windows 8.1.

[GoodBytes]

8 hours ago, TheTallGuy said:

The reason why I want to ''downgrade'' to Windows 8.1 is that for some reason it seems like Windows 8.1 is a lot more responsive than Windows 10.

Yes, Windows 10 has a lot more features than Windows 8.x. You can also put MS-DOS, and despite 0 drivers, it will fly as the OS is insanely small... you can't multi-task, but hey, you can't complain.

 

8 hours ago, TheTallGuy said:

In my opinion, it is more stable and I don't get loaded with bloatware as @Twilight said.

The "blotware" you refer to, only appears when you load for the first time your account, and it is up to you if you find it bloat or not. For one, I find Spotify and Netflix not bloat. But anyway, these apps don't affect your system performance. They only consume storage space. So unless your storage is filled to capacity, it is none issue. Also, when you uninstall them every single trace of the app is removed from the system, thanks to UWP framework which containerizes the application install. Similar to your phone apps.

 

To answer your question, no there is no downgrade path from Windows 10 to 8. You'll need to clean install, and use Windows 8/8.1 compatible drivers.

[TheTallGuy]

Thanks, guys for trying to let me stick with Windows 10 but that was not the question I asked. I asked if there was a way to go back to Windows 8.1 while I can keep all the files that are already on the computer. But apparently there is not. I will not stick with Windows 10, despite all the reasons you guys gave me. I just don't like Windows 10.

Thanks for the help!

 

[LogicalDrm]

59 minutes ago, TheTallGuy said:

Thanks, guys for trying to let me stick with Windows 10 but that was not the question I asked. I asked if there was a way to go back to Windows 8.1 while I can keep all the files that are already on the computer. But apparently there is not. I will not stick with Windows 10, despite all the reasons you guys gave me. I just don't like Windows 10.

Thanks for the help!

 

You can backup and paste them back in. Just like you could have done with any Windows install since at least XP.

[homeap5]

11 hours ago, TheTallGuy said:

Thanks, guys for trying to let me stick with Windows 10 but that was not the question I asked.

You're right. But when you answered question "why", people start to discuss, which is what forum is for. It's not helpdesk, it's forum.

 

If you cannot configure win10 (I'm not talking about registry hacks, but normal options like turn off automatic apps update), then ok - you can change system. But it will be not because is not possible to prevent updates or automatically installing new apps. It's because you can't configure it.

 

Many bloatware... I mean features are really useful - Your Phone, Messenger, WhatsApp, Netflix etc. are good UWP apps. Other can be useful too - even if you don't use them every day. I never played Solitaire, but I never complain that win98 or XP installs them by default. I don't use Internet Explorer or Edge, but I have them - sometimes they may be useful. The more software you have on your computer, the better. Modern computers can work with hundreds of programs installed and that is great - nothing limits you to do whatever you want on your computer. Do I need 3D Builder? Probably not, but hey - maybe some day I'll use it, it looks like fun. I just tried to made few objects, export them and import to other 3d program. And it worked, so - not bad, right?

 

It's nothing wrong with discovering new things, using new programs etc.