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Windows 10 can sometimes be a real mess.
Betweenbotched updates, treating its users asbeta testers, and adding featureswe never wantedit can be tempting to downgrade.
But you shouldn’t go back to Windows 8.1, and we can tell you why.
Seriously: We installed Windows 8.1 and used it for a few hours so you wouldn’t have to.
Instead, it had a Start Screen.
Windows 8.0 introduced the Start Screen with the hopes of ushering in an era of Windows tablets.
It didn’t work well, and Microsoft capitulated, but only slightly.
Classic Shell stopped active development, so you are opening yourself up to potential vulnerabilities.
And other programs like Start Menu 8 either cost money, push extra add-ons, or both.
And this is a 7-day trial, so eventually, you’ll have to pay to use the program.
With Windows 10, Microsoft finally brought back the Start Menu.
Granted, it is far too cluttered and filled with ads, but that’sgetting better.
This was true even for apps where it wasn’t necessary—like the calculator app.
Instead of using the separate desktop view, apps are maximized and take up the entire screen.
The best thing to do was to optimize Windows 8.1 fordesktop mode, but it still wasn’t perfect.
While we have complained about the unnecessary features Microsoft has added, security has been a top priority.
Windows Defender’sexploit protectionis a huge add-on and effectively replacesEMET, which Microsoft stopped developing.
These features lock down the OS and make it harder to infect and hijack your system.
That may not be tomorrow, but it’s not far off either.
And just like Windows 7, mainstream support has already ended.
Usually, as End of Service hits, other programs stop support for those versions of Windows.
So you will be left with vulnerabilities in your OS and your installed software.
But Aren’t Windows 10 Updates Buggy?
While it may be true that Windows 10 Updates have been problematic, there are ways to mitigate this.
First and most importantly, if you want stability don’t join theInsider program.
Insider previews are the least stable by design.
If possible, upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, which will let you delay updates.
Microsoft released bad updates witholder versions of Windowsjust recently, so going back isn’t any safer.
Ultimately it’s better to have some updates, even with those risks, than no updates at all.
Microsoft introduced a policy in 2016 that limited support for newer processors.
Microsoft doesn’t sell Windows 8.1 keys, so obtaining one will be difficult.
So you could just as easily stay on Windows 10 for free.
In the course of writing this article, we installed Windows 8.1 and used it for hours.
It was a painful experience you don’t have to go through.
Even with all its problems, you’re better on Windows 10.
