Is upgrading from Win 11 to Win 10 easy as just a clean install?


  1. abibee
    Posts : 42
    Windows 10 Pro
       New #1

    Is upgrading from Win 11 to Win 10 easy as just a clean install?


    I'm wanting to 'downgrade' from Windows 11 Pro to WIndows 10 Pro. I have my original Win 10 Pro licence key. I've had enough of the limitations on the user interface, and the workaround I used is not working anymore on Win 11 22H2. I'm coincidentally getting a larger ssd and intend to use this as my new C:. Is it straight forward as clean installing Windows 10, and logging into my account? Or will Windows notice I'm going from 11 to 10 and try and upset things?

    Edit: I figured it belonged here more than the Win 11 forum, as I'm moving back to 10.
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  3. Bree
    Posts : 31,729
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       New #2

    Yes, it's easy. Your PC has a digital licence on the Microsoft activation servers that is valid for Windows 10/11 in the edition you have already installed and activated (Home or Pro). Just clean install the same edition and as soon as it can contact the activation servers it will activate.

    10 or 11, it's the same digital licence and will activate either. You don't even need to use your Microsoft account to sign in. The digital licence will activate a machine that only uses local accounts. Linking the digital licence to your Microsoft account is an optional extra.
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  4. abibee
    Posts : 42
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #3

    Thank you. I thought it might be straight forward, but I wanted to know as well if there might be problems.

    I'm already frustrated and annoyed with Win 11, if I encountered an issue going back to 10 I might blow a fuse.
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  6. Bree
    Posts : 31,729
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       New #4

    abibee said:
    Thank you. I thought it might be straight forward, but I wanted to know as well if there might be problems.
    I'm already frustrated and annoyed with Win 11, if I encountered an issue going back to 10 I might blow a fuse.
    I'm sorry to hear that you can't get on with 11. I have some machines on 10 and others on 11, I find them both easy to use.

    You can even dual boot 10 and 11 on the same machine and the digital licence will activate both, I do that on some of my machines.
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  7. abibee
    Posts : 42
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       New #5

    For me, I can live with the simplified start menu, I like the centered taskbar icons. I tried for ages to cope with the simplified file explorer ribbon, and the crippled right-click menu. However I do a lot with files every day, so these limitations were frustrating enough that I found a tweaker tool to restore that functionality. Tonight I upgraded to 22H2, and my 'restore classic ribbon' is no longer working, so I'm finished with the hassle.
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  8. Megahertz
    Posts : 6,379
    Windows 11 Pro - Windows 7 HP - Lubuntu
       New #6

    Please edit your profile with ALL your hardware specs. It will help us to help you
    System Specs - Fill in at Ten Forums


    Windows can be installed in two ways: Legacy-MBR or UEFI-GPT
    To install as Legacy-MBR you must boot the installation drive as Legacy
    To install as UEFI-GPT you must boot the installation drive as UEFI.

    If you have a UEFI BIOS, you should install as UEFI-GPT
    Detach any other drives (SATA or Power cable) from the MB.

    During POST, press F12(?) to launch the boot menu. You will see two options for the USB drive. USB UEFI (Name) and USB (Name). Select USB UEFI (Name).
    Go to install and delete ALL partitions on the main drive till you have one and only one unallocated space and then proceed.
    If you don't want to use MS account, don't enable updates or connect to the internet during installation.
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