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The correct rollback method depends on what changed. To remove one recent monthly, security, driver, or preview update, open Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates. To undo a major Windows version upgrade, use Settings > System > Recovery > Go back. If Windows will not start, use Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) > Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall Updates.
These are different operations: uninstalling one package does not have the same time limit or consequences as returning to a previous Windows release.
Before you roll back: identify the change
Note when the problem started, then open Settings > Windows Update > Update history. Look for updates installed immediately beforehand and record the KB number, installation date, and update type. Do not assume the newest update caused the problem; a driver, firmware update, application, or security tool may be responsible.
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| What happened? | Use this first |
|---|---|
| One recent monthly, security, preview, or other package caused a problem | Update history > Uninstall updates |
| A major Windows version upgrade caused incompatibility | System > Recovery > Go back |
| Windows no longer starts normally | WinRE > Uninstall Updates |
| The rollback option is unavailable or the problem is broader | System Restore, repair, reset, or reinstall options |
Microsoft’s recovery guidance distinguishes these choices in its Windows recovery-options guide.
What to do before uninstalling an update
- Back up important files and save unsynced work.
- Record the KB number, update date, Windows version, and build.
- Keep the computer connected to power and disconnect unnecessary external devices.
- If possible, create a restore point or system image.
- Make sure you can retrieve the BitLocker recovery key.
- If the PC belongs to an organization, ask IT before changing its update state.
Be particularly cautious with security updates. Removing one may restore compatibility but reopen a vulnerability. Check for a replacement update or Microsoft workaround, and plan to reinstall a corrected update when it becomes available.
Uninstall one update from Settings
Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Windows Update.
- Select Update history.
- Under related settings, select Uninstall updates.
- Select the update you identified and choose Uninstall.
- Approve the confirmation and restart if Windows requests it.
Windows 10
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Select View update history.
- Select Uninstall updates.
- Choose the update, select Uninstall, and restart if prompted.
See Microsoft’s current instructions for uninstalling a Windows update. Some updates cannot be removed. An update may be absent because it is permanent, has been superseded, was integrated into the Windows image, has lost its uninstall files, or is controlled by organizational policy. It may also mean that the update is not the cause of the problem.
After restarting, test the original failure and check Update history. Windows may offer or reinstall the removed update later; uninstalling it is a recovery action, not a permanent consumer update-blocking mechanism.
Uninstall an update when Windows will not boot
WinRE provides recovery tools outside the normal Windows desktop. If you can still reach the sign-in screen, hold Shift while selecting Power > Restart. From a working desktop, use Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now.
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Then select:
- Troubleshoot
- Advanced options
- Uninstall Updates
- Uninstall latest quality update for a recent monthly or cumulative update, or Uninstall latest feature update for a major Windows-version upgrade, if that option is shown
Follow the prompts and restart. Microsoft’s Windows Recovery Environment documentation explains additional entry methods and tools.
On some computers, WinRE will ask for the BitLocker recovery key. Retrieve it before starting recovery. If Windows does not enter WinRE automatically after failed starts, use a recovery drive, Windows installation media, or the manufacturer’s recovery method. Avoid repeatedly interrupting startup unless necessary.
Undo a major Windows version upgrade
Use this route when you installed a new Windows release or feature update—not when a single monthly KB update caused the problem.
- Open Settings > System > Recovery.
- Select Go back, if it is available.
- Choose a reason for returning.
- When prompted, check for updates or continue if the update itself is the problem.
- Read the warnings about applications and drivers, then select Go back to the previous version.
Microsoft normally makes this option available for 10 days after an upgrade, provided the previous-installation files remain. The limit applies to returning to a previous Windows version; it is not a universal 10-day limit for uninstalling every individual update.
The rollback is designed to keep personal files, but it may remove applications and drivers installed after the upgrade and reverse settings changes made afterward. User accounts added after the upgrade may need to be removed before the operation can proceed. The previous installation, including files such as Windows.old and $Windows.~BT, must still be available. Disk Cleanup, a reset, or a later reinstall can remove the required files. Do not try to recreate Windows.old manually.
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Read Microsoft’s guide to going back to a previous Windows version for the applicable prerequisites.
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For administrators and advanced users: these commands roll back a Windows installation upgrade. They do not remove an arbitrary monthly KB update.
Open Command Prompt as administrator and check the remaining operating-system rollback window:
DISM /Online /Get-OSUninstallWindowTo initiate the rollback:
DISM /Online /Initiate-OSUninstallOptional switches include:
DISM /Online /Initiate-OSUninstall /NoRestart
DISM /Online /Initiate-OSUninstall /QuietYou can set the uninstall window within Microsoft’s documented limits:
DISM /Online /Set-OSUninstallWindow /Value:30Values below 2 or above 60 revert to the default 10-day window, so this is not an unlimited rollback facility. The /NoRestart and /Quiet switches are documented as available beginning with Windows 10 version 2004. See Microsoft’s DISM operating-system uninstall options.
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Advanced package removal with DISM
If Settings does not expose a package, an administrator can inspect installed packages:
DISM /Online /Get-PackagesA specific package can then be removed by its exact package name:
DISM /Online /Remove-Package /PackageName:<package-name>PowerShell provides a corresponding command:
Remove-WindowsPackage -Online -PackageName "<package-name>"These are package-servicing operations, not general-purpose shortcuts. The PowerShell cmdlet uses package information such as a CAB package rather than treating an MSU file as the package itself. Consult Microsoft’s documentation for DISM package servicing and Remove-WindowsPackage.
Do not assume wusa /uninstall /kb:... works for every modern update. Some combined servicing-stack and cumulative packages require removing the LCU with DISM, while the servicing-stack component cannot be removed independently. Microsoft documents this limitation in its servicing guidance.
Also avoid running this casually while you may still need rollback:
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Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBaseMicrosoft warns that /ResetBase removes superseded component versions and prevents existing superseded update packages from being uninstalled. See the WinSxS cleanup guidance.
If the update cannot be removed
Choose the least destructive option that matches the symptom:
- Only a driver is failing: roll back or reinstall that device driver instead of removing the entire Windows update.
- Windows boots but is unstable: try Safe Mode, remove a recently installed application, use System Restore, or repair Windows.
- Windows cannot boot: use WinRE’s Startup Repair, System Restore, or Command Prompt.
- Rollback files or the feature rollback window are gone: use a repair reinstall, Reset this PC, or installation media.
- Windows may be corrupted or infected: use a more comprehensive repair or reinstall rather than repeatedly removing updates.
System Restore is not the same as uninstalling a KB update. It restores system files, drivers, registry settings, and installed-program state to a restore point and may undo several changes made afterward. Reset this PC reinstalls Windows and can remove applications, settings, and—depending on the selected option—personal files.
If Windows still will not start after an attempted uninstall, return to WinRE and try Startup Repair or System Restore. A failed rollback can also indicate pending servicing operations, disk corruption, a driver fault, or failing hardware.
After a successful rollback
- Restart and test the original problem.
- Check Update history to confirm what changed.
- Install drivers from the computer or component manufacturer when appropriate.
- Watch for a replacement or corrected Windows update.
- Create a backup or restore point before retrying the update.
- Do not leave a security update removed permanently without understanding the exposure.
Windows 10 support status
Microsoft ended normal Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. As of August 18, 2026, Windows 10 no longer receives normal free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes. The rollback controls may still exist on Windows 10 installations, but Windows 11 paths and current support expectations are not identical.
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