How To Uninstall Windows 8.1 Update 1

When Microsoft released the first big update to Windows 8 in the form of Windows 8.1, there were many who wanted to uninstall it. Now, after Microsoft has started rolling out the first big update to Windows 8.1, naturally, there are still many out there who want it gone from their systems. We share the tips.

We made the title of the article “How To Uninstall Windows 8.1 Update 1” instead of “How To Uninstall Windows 8.1 Update” to avoid the confusion between the Windows 8.1 update to Windows 8 and the update Windows 8.1 received. I know it’s all a little bit of nonsense, but that’s what it is. And since Microsoft hasn’t called it “Update 1”, but just “Windows 8.1 Update”, then probably there will be a Windows 8.2 next.

Before sharing the basic tips on how to uninstall the Windows 8.1 Update, you might want to have a look at the options you have when choosing how to install updates on Windows 8. There’s no point search for it in the well-known “uninstall programs” sections as it isn’t there. Just like we have previously told you, you can install the Windows 8.1 Update via the Windows Update function or by manually downloading certain KB files. Thus, what you need to do is go ahead and remove these KB files that you have installed:

• KB2949621
• KB2938439
• KB2937592
• KB2932046
• KB2919355

You need to follow this path to find them – Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > View installed updates. You can uninstall them all once and then reboot, but a safer and much more reliable solution would be to install one, then reboot and so on. It’s up to you.

If you are not able to uninstall those updates using the Control Panel options., then you can try to uninstall Windows 8.1 Update using the command prompt and wusa utility. You will need to open the command prompt as Administrator and then type and execute the following commands, in the right order, as you can see in the above screenshot:

• wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:2949621
• wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:2938439
• wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:2937592
• wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:2932046
• wusa.exe /uninstall /kb:2919355

Buy a very important thing that you need to know before proceeding with the removal of the Windows 8.1 Update is the fact that it will become a mandatory update for everyone running Windows 8.1. So, if you won’t install or will choose to uninstall it, then you will no longer receive patches via Windows Update as of May 2014. What’s funny is that those running on Windows 8 and haven’t made to jump to Windows 8.1 won’t be affected. But trust me, there’s nothing wrong with the Windows 8.1 Update and there are plenty of new interesting features, actually.

Read Also: How to Keep Using Windows XP after 2014