Ever done a Windows update only to realize it kinda messed things up? Yeah, it’s frustrating when the newest version introduces bugs, drops features you rely on, or just doesn’t play nicely with your hardware. If you’re stuck on the Windows 11 24H2 update and want to go back to 23H2, it’s doable — but not exactly a walk in the park. Basically, you’ll need to do a fresh install, which means backing everything up first. After that, you’ll be booting from a USB or DVD with the older OS version and installing anew. It’s kinda involved, but if you follow the steps, you’ll get back to the previous build. Just a heads up: make sure your data is safe, because this process isn’t as simple as hitting “undo.”
How to Roll Back Windows 11 24H2 Update
Find the Windows 11 23H2 ISO & Create Bootable Media
This is the starting point. You need the installer for Windows 23H2 — the previous version, before you upgraded. Look for it at os.click. It’s a legit source, and you want the ISO file, which is basically a ready-to-burn image of the OS. Once you have that, use a tool like Rufus (free and popular) to make a bootable USB drive or DVD. If you prefer command-line stuff, Diskpart in Windows or PowerShell scripts from official docs are good options.
For example, to make a bootable USB with PowerShell, you might run something like:
# List disks to find your USB Get-Disk # Select your USB (replace # with your disk number) Select-Disk # # Clean the USB drive Clear-Disk -Number # -RemoveData # Create a new partition New-Partition -DiskNumber # -UseMaximumSize -AssignDriveLetter # Format it as FAT32 Format-Volume -DriveLetter -FileSystem FAT32 -NewFileSystemLabel "Windows Boot" # Mount ISO and copy files or use Rufus for a simpler GUI approach Once the USB or DVD is ready, you’ll restart your computer, go into the BIOS/UEFI (usually pressing F2, F11, F12, or Del during boot), and set it to boot from that drive. From there, the installer takes over and installs Windows 23H2 afresh. Not the fastest, but it gets the job done.
Backup Your Files and Prepare for a Clean Install
Because this method wipes your current OS installation, backing up critical files, important passwords, and license keys is critical. External drives, cloud storage, whatever — just don’t skip this. On some setups, the rollback may not preserve all applications, and you’ll have to reinstall those anyway.
Once booted from your USB/DVD, follow the prompts, select your language, keyboard layout, and choose “Custom Install.” Hit the partition where Windows is installed, usually Drive C:, and hit ‘Format’ before installing. It’s kind of a nuclear option, but it fixes a lot of update-related quirks.
After the Installation & Troubleshooting
Remember, this is a full reinstall, so expect to spend some time setting up once the OS’s back in action. Drivers, updates, and apps will need reinstalling or reconfiguration. Sometimes, Windows will do some post-install updates right after, so patience helps. A quick tip: if your hardware was acting weird, check whether updates or firmware are available for your motherboard, GPU, or peripherals after the fresh install.
10-Day Rollback: For Future Reference
There’s a handy feature in Windows that lets you revert within 10 days of an upgrade, and it’s less messy than a full reinstall. Basically, if you haven’t cleaned up system files, you can just go to Settings > System > Recovery and hit “Go Back.” Just keep in mind, this only works if you haven’t freed up disk space or removed the relevant files. Also, on some setups, this might just fail if the rollback files were deleted or cleaned by cleanup tools.
To do that:
- Open Settings (Win + I) and navigate to System > Recovery
- Click Go Back, and follow the prompts
Make sure not to interrupt the process or turn off your PC mid-way, or it could leave things worse than before. It’s kinda hit or miss, but it’s worth a shot before going for the full reinstall.
Summary
- Find and download the correct Windows 11 ISO for 23H2
- Create bootable media with Rufus or PowerShell
- Backup all your stuff before wiping
- Boot from the USB/DVD and perform a clean install
- Reinstall drivers, updates, and apps afterward
- Use the 10-day rollback if you missed the window, but only if the files are still there
Wrap-up
Getting back to an earlier Windows build is a headache, but sometimes it’s necessary to fix bugs or regain stability. It’s kind of a hassle, but if things seem better after reinstalling, then all that effort was worth it. Hopefully, this saves someone a few hours or more of hair-pulling. Fingers crossed it helps — works on some setups, on others, not so much. Good luck!