How to downgrade from Windows 8

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Applies to: Windows 8
Original KB number: 2832566

Summary

Your power to downgrade Windows 8 to an earlier version of Windows depends both on the version of Windows eight that y'all've and on the method past which you obtained Windows 8. Not all Windows editions provide downgrade rights. If y'all do accept downgrade rights and determine to use them, you continue to keep the license and rights of use for your original version and may "upgrade" back at whatsoever time.

More information

The primary methods of obtaining Windows 8 are equally follows:

  • Y'all can buy a retail version of Windows 8 and install it equally an upgrade on a PC that is running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7.
  • You can buy and install a personal-use license of Windows 8 System Architect.
  • You can buy a PC that has Windows eight preinstalled from an OEM.
  • Y'all can purchase a Volume Licensing agreement and and then install a Windows viii Pro upgrade or Windows viii Enterprise on a PC that is running a qualifying operating organization.

Downgrade rights

The downgrade rights for each scenario that is mentioned in the previous section are every bit follows.

For a retail version of Windows viii

There are no downgrade rights for retail versions of Windows 8. If you upgraded Windows past using a retail version of Windows 8, yous accept to reinstall your earlier version of Windows past using the recovery or installation media that was included with your PC.

If you don't have recovery media, you can create it before yous upgrade from a recovery partition on your PC by using software that is provided by your PC manufacturer. Check the support section of your PC manufacturer'south website for more information. Brand sure that y'all take this recovery deejay before you upgrade, considering you lot won't be able to utilise the recovery partitioning to create a recovery disk later on y'all install Windows 8.

For more information well-nigh how to start your PC from recovery media, run across Create installation media for Windows.

For a personal-use license of Windows 8 System Builder

If y'all installed Windows eight past purchasing and installing Windows 8 System Builder yourself, at that place are no downgrade rights. Information technology's governed past the personal-utilize Microsoft Software License Terms for the product. The process for downgrading to an earlier version of Windows is the same as it is for a retail version of Windows 8. That is, you accept to purchase or have previously bought a product fundamental for the earlier version of Windows and and then install that version by using the recovery or installation media.

For a PC that has Windows eight preinstalled by an OEM

OEM downgrade rights employ to simply Windows 8 Pro and permit for downgrades for upwards to two earlier versions (to Windows 7 Professional person and to Windows Vista Business).

How to downgrade your PC

Your OEM will have the best information almost how to downgrade your specific PC and in some cases may make up one's mind to transport you installation media or a PC that has the operating system downgrade already installed.

Note

Neither Microsoft nor the OEM is obligated to provide media for the downgrade.

To do the downgrade on your PC yourself, follow these steps:

  1. Change the settings and then that the figurer starts in legacy BIOS mode.

    Annotation

    If y'all want to upgrade dorsum to Windows 8 Pro later and desire full Windows 8 Pro functionalities, you must modify the BIOS setting dorsum to native UEFI mode before yous install Windows 8 Pro. This is likewise true if you upgrade to Windows 8 Pro on a PC that was sold to you with the downgrade preinstalled.

  2. Some OEMs pre-inject the production key for Windows seven Professional or Windows Vista Business into the BIOS for merely such an occasion. If your OEM did it on your PC, y'all have to take only i of the following actions:

    • Install Windows 7 Professional or Windows Vista Business past using the recovery media for that version of Windows that was provided by the same OEM. Your organisation will actuate automatically past using the product cardinal that was injected into the BIOS.
    • Install Windows seven Professional or Windows Vista Business by using a genuine copy of the installation media for that version of Windows. Your system will activate automatically past using the production key that was injected into the BIOS.
    • Actuate your re-create of Windows seven Professional person or Windows Vista Business by using a Volume License Key Direction Service (KMS). The KMS will exist able to actuate your system by checking the preinstalled production primal.

  3. If your OEM hasn't injected your production primal into the BIOS on your PC, follow these steps:

    1. Obtain genuine Windows seven Professional or Windows Vista Business installation media and the corresponding product key. You may have to purchase a full-package product copy of the Windows downgrade from a retailer.
    2. Insert the media for the downgrade version of Windows into the PC, and then follow the installation instructions.
    3. Type the product fundamental when you lot're asked to exercise this. If the software was previously activated, y'all can't activate it online. In this case, the local Activation Support phone number will be displayed. Telephone call the number, and explicate the circumstances. When it'southward determined that you accept an eligible Windows license, the customer service representative will provide a single-use activation lawmaking to activate the software. Microsoft doesn't provide a full production primal in this scenario.

How to downgrade by using a Volume Licensing agreement for Windows 8 Pro Upgrade or Windows eight Enterprise

Volume Licensing provides the greatest flexibility as to downgrade rights. Volume Licensing allows for downgrades to boosted earlier versions and editions. The following table summarizes downgrade eligibility. At that place are no downgrade rights to Windows 7 Ultimate.

Screenshot of a table that summarizes downgrade eligibility.

Note

A Windows 8 customer who has multi-language functionality cannot downgrade to Windows 7 Pro or to Windows XP Pro. This is because the multi-language functionality is exclusive to Windows 7 Enterprise and is not available for a Professional person edition.

The Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Middle (VLSC) provides download access to versions of Windows through the stop of those versions' support life cycle.

Notation

In addition to the VLSC download software admission, all Volume Licensing customers may decide to buy physical media (CD/DVD) copies of their licensed software through their Microsoft reseller.

If you legally obtained physical media (CD/DVD) of before Microsoft products that your arrangement is currently licensed to employ through downgrade rights, you can apply these prior software versions at your discretion.