Here’s why I switched from Windows 11 to Windows 10
Although Microsoft promotes Windows 11 as the future of computing, I recently switched to Windows 10 on my main computer and was pleasantly surprised. It’s not just about resisting change; here’s why going back to an older OS is really worth it.
1 Windows 11 was much slower
While I didn’t notice much of a difference in performance in sustained workloads or when using apps, Windows 10 felt noticeably snappier overall. In Windows 11, basic actions like opening an app or bringing up a context menu took a bit longer, and over time this small delay became really frustrating.
File Explorer, while still perfectly usable on Windows 11, felt like a major performance hit, especially since I was moving from Windows 10 on the same device. Even with the SSD, browsing the folders took a long time, which annoyed me even more.
Another frustration was the slower animation speed. They weren’t laggy, but they felt slower – like switching desktops, which was much faster in Windows 10.
Windows 11 prioritized form over function, resulting in a much more limited context menu that only displays a few options on the first right-click. Even basic actions like cut, copy, paste, and rename have been replaced with vague icons instead of plain text, which took some getting used to.
Because the options are so limited, you have to click Show more options at the bottom to access all available actions, which seems like an unnecessary extra step just for aesthetics. This added layer can be frustrating, especially if you’re used to the more straightforward and functional context menu in Windows 10.
3 The main panel and Start menu represent a downgrade
One thing I couldn’t wrap my head around is why the main panel favors aesthetics over functionality, much like the context menu. For example, you can no longer move the main panel anywhere on the screen, as the only option now is to keep it at the bottom.
Another issue that really bothered me is how Wi-Fi, sound and other related settings are all combined into a single button. Instead of bringing up the appropriate menu when you click the icon, it simply opens the Action Center and everything now requires another click, which is completely unnecessary.
It questions why a user interface designed for touch devices is forced on a desktop-focused operating system.
The Start menu also suffers from similar problems. Instead of showing all my apps in a simple list or showing something useful, there’s an entire section dedicated to recommended apps and files. However, it never showed me anything that I really wanted to have quick access to.
It would be much more useful if I could use this space to pin other files or apps of my choice, but unfortunately that’s not an option. This wasted space feels like a wasted opportunity for more customization.
4 Windows 11 is much more intrusive
Windows 11 also forces you to connect to the Internet during the initial setup and requires you to create a Microsoft account to continue. While there are ways around these limitations, they feel more like workarounds and there’s always the risk that Microsoft will fix them in the future.
Microsoft also continues to push ads on Edge and other first-party apps and services system-wide, which at times seems borderline malware. Changing default apps is also more tedious. Instead of being able to set the default app for an entire category, like your web browser, Windows 11 forces you to manually change the default settings for each individual file extension. This contributes to the growing trend of needing unnecessary clicks for even the simplest of tasks.
Although there are a few features that Windows 11 offers over Windows 10, for now I have found solace in downgrading to Windows 10. Clearly, this is not a long-term solution, as Windows 10 will only receive official support until October 2025, so I will eventually have to upgrade to Windows 11. Let’s hope Microsoft fixes some of the issues that have plagued Windows 11 before. I will make the inevitable transition.