When you upgrade your PC from Windows 10 to Windows 11, the previous version of Windows is retained on the hard drive for 10 days. This is done through a special folder called Windows.old, which stores the older system files. If you experience compatibility issues, software problems, or simply prefer the older interface, Microsoft offers “Go back” option that lets you revert to your previous version of Windows without losing your files. However, once the 10-day window passes, Windows automatically deletes these old files to free up space on your system drive. Well, if you need more than 10 days to test Windows 11 before deciding whether to keep it, there is a command to extend the Rollback Period from 10 Days to 60 Days in Windows 11. However, you must run this command within the initial 10-day window before Windows.old is deleted.
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What is the Rollback Period in Windows?
When you upgrade your operating system (e.g., from Windows 10 to Windows 11), Windows saves a copy of your previous version in a folder named Windows.old.
This folder allows you to:
- Revert to the previous version of Windows
- Restore your apps, settings, and files
- Troubleshoot compatibility or stability issues
By default, Windows retains these files for 10 days. After that, the system automatically deletes them to free up space on your system drive (usually C:).
Can we extend the Rollback Period?
Yes, Microsoft includes a built-in way to change the rollback duration using the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) tool. You can set the rollback period to any number of days between 10 and 60—but you must do it within the original 10-day window, before Windows.old is deleted.
How to Extend the Rollback Period to 60 Days
To extend the Windows rollback period to 60 days, you can use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool. This allows you to change the uninstall window, which determines how long you have to revert to the previous version of Windows after upgrading.
Step 1: Check the Current Rollback Period
- Press Windows + S, type Command Prompt.
- Right-click on Command Prompt, then choose Run as Administrator.
- Type the command DISM /Online /Get-OSUninstallWindow and press the Enter key to display the current rollback window in days. If it’s still within 10 days, you can proceed to extend it.
If you see the Error 1168 – Element not found, it means the old backup is deleted, and you cannot go back to the previous version for the current version.
Step 2: Extend the Rollback Period Using DISM
Now that you’ve confirmed the rollback window is still available, you can extend it. To do this in the same command prompt window, type the following command and press the Enter key.
DISM /Online /Set-OSUninstallWindow /Value:50
Note: You can replace 50 with any number between 10 and 60 based on how long you want to keep the rollback option available.
If the command executes successfully, you’ll see a message confirming that the operation completed.
Step 3: Verify the New Rollback Window
To make sure your new settings took effect, run this command again: DISM /Online /Get-OSUninstallWindow. You should now see the updated rollback window value.
Tweak the Windows registry
Also, you can tweak the Windows registry editor to extend the Windows 11 Rollback period.
- Press the Windows key + R, type regedit, and click ok to open the Windows Registry Editor.
- Navigate to the path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMSetup
- Right-click on the Setup key and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
- Name the new value ‘UninstallWindow‘. Next, right-click on the UninstallWindow value and select Modify.
- Under the Value data field, type 60 if you want to extend the rollback time limit to 60 days. Then, on the Base, select Decimal.
- Once done, click on the Ok button and restart your computer.
Now within 50 days whenever you feel the new Windows 11 version 24H2 is not suitable for you or getting problems, you can usethe Go back to the previous version option from settings – system -> recovery -> go back to uninstall Windows 11 and revert back to Windows 10 or Windows 11 23H2 update.
Note: Make sure not to use Storage Sense to delete the installation files.
Important Notes and Limitations
Act within 10 days: You must run these commands or tweak the registry before the original 10-day rollback period expires.
Rollback files must still be present: If the Windows.old folder has already been deleted, you cannot extend or restore the rollback period.
Only works with in-place upgrades: This feature is available only if you upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11, or from one Windows 10 version to another. It doesn’t work on clean installs.
What If the Rollback Period Has Expired?
If the rollback period has already expired, or if the system was clean-installed with Windows 11, you can’t use the “Go back” option in Settings. In such cases, your only way to return to Windows 10 is by doing a clean installation.
