On the face of it, Windows 10’s October 2020 update makes a number of useful tweaks, and there are relatively few known issues at the time of writing. However, that doesn’t always make for a better user experience. If you’re regretting upgrading and would rather go back to the previous version, you’ll be glad to hear there’s an easy way to do just that. The only potential catch is that it’s only available for 10 days after updating. After this time, Microsoft removes the option, making it much more complicated to revert to the previous version.
How to uninstall the Windows 10 October 2020 update
If you can’t see the option, it probably means more than 10 days have passed since the update was installed. In this scenario, we’d recommend being patient and waiting for Microsoft to release a patch if at all possible.
How to uninstall the Windows 10 update if your PC won’t boot
If you can’t access the settings menu, you can also uninstall updates via Safe Mode. If Windows detects the device is having issues booting, it will usually offer this option automatically. Otherwise, from the lock screen, click the power icon and then hold shift while clicking the ‘Restart’ button. Once in Safe Mode, select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates and choose ‘Uninstall latest feature update’. Follow the instructions on-screen, which may require you to enter the administrator username and password.
What to do if you can’t uninstall the update
If neither of these methods are working for you, there are two more things to try: resetting your PC or reinstalling Windows. It’s far from a perfect solution, but might mean you can get your device in a usable state once again. Of course, make sure you back up your device if at all possible. As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.
