How To Uninstall Windows 10 May 2019 Version 1903 Update

Here is an easy method to uninstall Windows 10 version 1903 to remove the May 2019 update from your device. In this tutorial, you will learn how to uninstall version 1903 and what steps to take if the windows.old folder is not showing to revert back to the previous installation.

uninstall win 10 1903

If you’re experiencing issues after installing the new Windows 10 version 1903 May 2019 update, here is what you need to do in order to uninstall the Windows 10 May 2019 update.

Major Windows update sometimes doesn’t work as intended due to any number of reasons. Unexpected errors are common when you install a feature-packed update like version 1903. Older hardware can prove to be inadequate to handle the extra workload of new features.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to remove Windows 10 version 1903 and return to the previous working version.

As usual, Windows 10 May 2019 (version 1903) releases automatically as a free update on supported devices. The update will be pushed via the default Windows Update utility on most desktop, laptop, and tablets. Though you can also install the May 2019 Update via the Update Assistant or the Windows Media Creation Tool using ISO Files to create a bootable USB. These methods are for those who don’t want to wait for the release of an automatic over-the-air update, which could be weeks or months away.

Why downgrade Windows 10 to the previous version?

However, the introduction of new features is not always smooth sailing as glitches could surface due to some sort of compatibility issues. Microsoft acknowledges that certain performance errors are expected on some devices in the first few months after the release of a big Windows update. That’s why the company offers users an option to go back to the previously installed version of Windows 10 until the bugs are culled in subsequent releases.

Also, check:

So if your PC is running the version 1903, there is a time to uninstall the update during the first ten days since the upgrade was installed. This option is available in the recovery options. See the steps below for it.

How To Uninstall Windows 10 Version 1903 Update

The process to downgrade from the Windows 10 May 2019 update to a previous version is straightforward. But it is recommended that you always check for new updates first, as there could be a fix to the problem you’re having with the current version.

Note: Before starting, create a full backup of your system as the process involves making significant changes to your computer’s operating system.

If you’re facing an issue whose solution is available online, do try it before reverting to the previous version. Some issues could easily be resolved by a simple restart or referring to online tutorials. When nothing else seems to fix the issue, you can use the following steps to rollback older version and remove the Windows 10 version 1903. Here are the steps:

1 – Open Settings.

2 – Click Update & Security.

3 – Click on Recovery.

4 – Under “Go back to the previous version of Windows 10”, click the Get started button.

windows 10 recovery setting

5 – Select an answer to why you’re going back to the previous version.

rollback windows update

6 – Click the Next button.

7 – Click the No, thanks button on “Check for updates?” dialogue box.

uninstall windows 10 update

8 – Now read the repercussions of uninstalling the Windows 10 version 1903 from your PC, and click the Next button.

repurcussions of rolling back windows update

9 – Hit the Next button. Make sure to remember your system password as it will be required to successfully downgrade Windows to the previous version.

10 – Now click Go back to earlier build to start the rollback process.

remove current build windows 10

11 – Once you have completed the steps, the setup process will take over and automatically roll back your PC to the previous version of Windows 10.

12 – That’s all.

What to do if “roll back to the previous version of Windows 10” is not showing?

Windows 10 is designed to save a copy of the previous version on the C:\ drive, inside a folder called Windows.old, on each major OS update. This acts as a backup solution if the installation process fails or downgrade becomes unavoidable.

Also read: How To Upgrade Windows 7 To Windows 10 Using The Media Creation Tool

If the installation of a new update goes through successfully, the Windows.old folder will remain on your device, and you can use the above guide to manually remove Windows 10 version 1903 from your PC. However, if the Windows.old folder is missing, the above method won’t be of help to uninstall the update.

Another reason you don’t see this option is when you attempt downgrade after the 10 days of the original installation. Since the Windows.old folder takes up a lot of storage space on SSD or hard disk, therefore Windows automatically removes the folder to clear up the storage for new files. Once that happens, reinstalling the previous version may not be as easy.

Here is how to find out which files are taking up space on Windows10.

If you see the Windows.old folder in its location, but don’t see the option to revert the latest installation, there could be something else at play. In that case, you can clean install Windows 10 using an ISO file that contains the older version.