The Professional edition of Windows 8 comes with "downgrade rights." If you're not happy with Windows 8 on a new computer, y'all can downgrade it to Windows 7 for free – as long every bit you have Windows eight Pro.

This isn't as easy as information technology should be: Microsoft designed this procedure for businesses, and individual users volition have to jump through a number of hoops to downgrade their Windows viii Pro systems.

Downgrade Rights vs. Other Ways to Downgrade

This article is about exercising downgrade rights on a calculator that comes with Windows viii Pro. Downgrading to Windows seven is simpler in other situations:

  • If your computer came with Windows 7 and y'all upgraded information technology to Windows eight, you can revert your reckoner to the Windows 7 organization it came with.
  • If you accept a retail copy of Windows seven you lot aren't using, you can install it on a new estimator that came with Windows 8. (Ensure the new computer has hardware drivers that work with Windows seven.)

How Downgrade Rights Work

Downgrade rights are intended for businesses. When ownership new computers, businesses purchase computers that come preloaded with Windows 8 licenses and install a previous version of Windows without buying separate licenses.

Downgrade rights can exist a flake disruptive. Here'southward how they work:

  • Downgrade rights are only bachelor on computers that come with Windows 8 Pro. Upgrade copies of Windows 8 Pro don't include downgrade rights, so you lot tin can't purchase the Windows 8 Pro Pack to get downgrade rights.
  • You tin only downgrade to Windows 7 Professional person or Windows Vista Business, not Windows XP. (For the purpose of this commodity, we'll assume y'all probably want to downgrade to Windows 7.)
  • After downgrading, yous can reinstall Windows 8 at any time.

Earlier Downgrading Windows

If y'all have a new estimator that came with Windows 8 Professional and are itching to get Windows 7 Pro on it, there are a few things you should practice showtime:

  • Ensure the computer actually supports Windows 7. Manufacturers may but provide hardware drivers for Windows 8, preventing you from using your hardware to its full capabilities. Check the manufacturer's website for Windows 7 drivers for your computer.
  • Create a recovery drive that contains a copy of your new PC's recovery segmentation. This will allow you lot to restore the original Windows viii arrangement if you wipe the recovery segmentation.

How to Downgrade Windows 8

If y'all're using a new reckoner that came with Windows eight, you'll probably have to enter your computer's UEFI settings screen and enable the Legacy kick option, non the UEFI kicking option. Consult your reckoner's transmission for more information.

To downgrade Windows, you'll need a Windows vii Professional installation disc and a valid license key for it. Neither Microsoft nor your computer manufacturer will provide this disc or primal for y'all – you lot're on your own when finding information technology, although Microsoft insists you should find a legitimate copy instead of downloading i from an illicit website. Downgrade rights are intended for businesses, who will likely have a disc and key on hand.

Once you've plant the disc, insert it into your new computer and restart into the Windows seven installer. Install Windows 7 Professional every bit you normally would, providing the legitimate Windows 7 Pro key during the installation process. Notation that you tin utilize this same fundamental to downgrade multiple Windows viii computers – you'll just need this key to get by the mandatory primal check during the installation procedure.

After Windows 7 finishes installing, the online activation will fail because your product primal is already in utilise. If you lot don't see an "activation failed" bulletin, you can printing Offset, type Actuate, and click Activate Windows. Yous'll need to activate by phone. Call up the phone number displayed in the activation window and explain that y'all're exercising your Windows eight Pro downgrade rights. Have your Windows 8 Pro cardinal gear up; you'll need information technology to show your PC has downgrade rights.

Afterward explaining this, you'll be given a long, single-utilize activation code. Enter that activation code into the window and your Windows 7 Professional installation will be activated.

To downgrade multiple computers, you can apply the same installation disc and Windows 7 product primal. Withal, you'll need to call up Microsoft each time to receive an activation cardinal.

From requiring a preinstalled re-create of Windows 8 Pro to leaving you on your own when finding Windows 7 installation media, this procedure is filled with traps for individual users. It'due south articulate that Microsoft but wants businesses downgrading – just if yous have a retail license of Windows 7 you lot aren't using, you're gratis to install information technology on your new computer.