The Windows 10 Anniversary Update is the first major update to the OS and is not without flaws. On the Microsoft North support website, the company said it had received complaints about Windows 10 freezing after installing the annual update. It notes that this problem occurs on systems where the OS was stored on a solid-state drive (SSD), while apps and data were stored on a separate drive. The company added that it was looking for a permanent solution to the problem and provided users with a temporary job until then.

Microsoft recommends that users sign in to Windows 10 using Safe Mode and then move their apps and data to the same drive as their operating system. Furthermore, it advises users to go back to earlier versions of Windows. The company has given users two ways to roll back the update.

The first method requires users to access the recovery console. Users need to restart their PC and hold down the Shift key while selecting Power> Restart on the sign-in screen. After the PC restarts, they should see the ‘Choose an Option’ screen. There, they can select Troubleshoot> Advanced Options> Go Back to Previous Build. If users do not see this screen, they are advised to try another option which requires the user to use the settings app from Safe Mode.

Users will need to restart their PC through the steps outlined above. However, this time, once the PC is restarted on the ‘Choose an option’ screen, users need to select Troubleshooting> Advanced Options> Startup Settings> Restart. Then once the PC is restarted, they will see a list of options, where they have to select 4 or F4 to turn their PC into safe mode. Once the phone is restarted, users need to open the Settings app and select the Update & Security> Recovery tab. They will then go to the option to roll back under the ‘Go back to previous build’ option.