Windows 10 version 2004, May 2020 Update, is available as a free upgrade sometime in spring 2020 for compatible devices. However, during the initial rollout, itâs known that unknown bugs, compatibility problems, and other issues can negatively affect experience.Â
If youâre having problems after the upgrade, or the new version isnât for you, during the first ten days since the installation, Windows 10 makes available an option to uninstall the May 2020 Update (20H1) to rollback to the previous version.
In this guide, youâll learn the steps to uninstall the May 2020 Update reverting to the previous version of Windows 10 without losing your files.
- How to uninstall Windows 10 version 2004
- Why âGo back to the previous version of Windows 10â option is missing
How to uninstall Windows 10 version 2004
Rolling back to a previous version after installing Windows 10 version 2004 (May 2020 Update) is an easy process. However, if youâre planning to remove the update because of an issue, itâs recommended to check for updates before rolling back in case thereâs already a fix for the problem that youâre experiencing.
Warning: Youâll be modifying your current installation, as such make sure to create a full backup of your system in case something critical happens and you need to undo these changes.
Also, if youâre dealing with a specific issue, search online or use the forums to find help, as the problem could have an easy fix. When nothing seems to work, you can get rid of version 2004 using the instructions below.
Uninstall the Windows 10 May 2020 Update (version 2004):
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Open Settings.
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Click on Update & Security.
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Click on Recovery.
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Under âGo back to previous version of Windows 10,â click the Get started button.
Windows 10 version 2004 recovery options
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Select a reason why youâre uninstalling version 2004.
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Click the Next button.
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Click the No, thanks button.
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Click the Next button.
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Click the Next button again.
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Click the Go back to earlier build button.
Uninstall Windows 10 May 2020 Update option
Once you complete the steps, the device will remove the latest feature update, and itâll revert to the previous version whether itâs version 1909, 1903, or an older release.
Why âGo back to the previous version of Windows 10â option is missing
Windows 10 automatically creates a copy of the previous version inside the Windows.old folder during each upgrade in case the installation breaks and rollback is necessary. If the installation completes successfully, the Windows.old folder will be kept on the main drive, and you can use the instructions to manually remove Windows 10 version 2004 from your computer.
If the Windows.old folder isnât available, then you wonât be able to uninstall the feature update.
Typically, the option to uninstall the Windows 10 20H1 update isnât available because youâre trying to perform this process after the ten days of the original installation. The Windows.old folder takes a lot of space on your device, and to free up space for more important files, Windows 10 automatically deletes the previous version files folder after ten days of the original installation.
In the case that you have the previous files, but the option to rollback isnât available. Then thereâs another issue, and youâll need to downgrade using a clean installation of Windows 10 using an ISO file that contains the older version you want to use. Once youâre back on the previous version, you can try reinstalling the feature update again when youâre ready.
If you no longer have the option to revert the changes, you can use this guide to configure your device to keep the previous installation for a longer period so you have more time to uninstall an upgrade of Windows 10 the next time around.