(You can also go to the download page and click “Start update now”.) Then you need to install the Windows 10 Preparation tool for Windows 8.1 or Windows 7. Though, your computer needs to know you want to upgrade, and for this to happen, you need to register to the Windows Insider Program. Upgrading your current operating system version to Windows 10 is pretty simple, everything works as if you were installing an automatic update. Your documents created on Windows 8 / 8.1 will still be present.Īnd your favorites created on Windows 8 / 8.1 in Internet Explorer will still be there too.With the release of Windows 10 January Technical Preview to the Windows Insider Program, Microsoft is now allowing Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users to upgrade to the latest build of Windows 10 via automatic update. If Windows 8 / 8.1 was activated before upgrading to Windows 10, it will still be activated.

Note that the 'Microsoft Edge' shortcut that appeared on the desktop no longer works. Then, you will arrive on your old installation of Windows 8 / 8.1. The usual Windows 8 / 8.1 messages are displayed once during the 1st boot.

The 'Restoring your previous version of Windows' message appears while restoring this one. Make sure you have saved your new data (documents, images. Skip checking for updates, otherwise you'll stay on Windows 10.Īs specified in this step, anything you have done or created after upgrading to Windows 10 will be lost. Note that this choice doesn't matter to you. Indeed, without this folder, going back to Windows 8 / 8.1 using this option will not be possible.Ĭlick on the 'Get started' button and a 'Go back to Windows 8' window will appear. If the above option is grayed out, check that the 'Windows.old' folder is still present in the 'C' partition. If you are coming from Windows 8.1 then the title will obviously be : Go back to Windows 8.1. In the 'Recovery' tab, you will find a 'Go back to Windows 8' section (if you had upgraded from Windows 8 to 10).

Without this folder, this will no longer be possible and the option will be grayed out in Windows 10 settings. In addition, the 'Windows.old' folder must always be present at the root of the 'C' partition. Note that this operation is only possible within 10 days after your upgrade to Windows 10. If you've upgraded from Windows 8 / 8.1 to Windows 10 recently, but finally changed your mind, well here's how to get back to Windows 8 / 8.1 easily and for free.

Upgrade 8.1 to windows 10