How to Downgrade Witcher 3

The Witcher 3 changed a lot on September 29, 2026. Remastered, a free upgrade, turned the skills into a tree and added native DirectX 12 rendering.

Script mods took the hit. CD Projekt warned that mods with script, XML or w3strings files won’t work on the new patch until they’re updated. A 4.04 script mod can even take out what Remastered changed, with no conflict at all.

The good news is that CD Projekt kept the old versions one click away on Steam and GOG. You don’t need any console commands.

Back up first. Copy your saves from %USERPROFILE%\Documents\The Witcher 3\gamesaves, the folder CD Projekt lists. Only the latest version is fully supported, so load the old version with a save you made before you updated.

Pick the version you need

Check your mod’s Nexus page. Its tags say Remastered Compatible, Next-Gen Update Compatible or neither.

Version	Steam branch	GOG channel	Who it’s for
5.01 Remastered (latest)	None	Disabled	Mods tagged Remastered Compatible
4.04 Next-Gen	next-gen	Next-gen	Mods tagged Next-Gen Update Compatible
1.32 Classic	classic	Classic	Mods from before the next-gen update

Neither Steam branch needs a password, according to Steam’s data for the game. GOG’s build list shows the same two channels.

Most players want 4.04. It was the current version from June 2023 until Remastered, while 1.32 dates back to 2018, before the 2022 next-gen update.

Roll back on Steam

1. In your Steam Library, right-click The Witcher 3 and choose Properties.
2. Open Game Versions & Betas. Older Steam versions call this tab Betas.
3. Pick next-gen for 4.04 or classic for 1.32. Steam downloads that build right away.
4. Wait for the download to finish, then start the game.

Staying on the branch is all it takes to stop updates. Steam installs that branch’s build instead of the default one.

Classic wouldn’t start at first after Remastered came out. Hotfix 5.00c fixed that on October 1, so try it again if it failed for you.

Roll back on GOG Galaxy

1. Open The Witcher 3 from your installed games in GOG Galaxy.
2. Click the settings icon, then Manage installation, then Configure.
3. Untick automatic updates. Set Beta Channels to Next-gen or Classic, then click OK.

CD Projekt’s steps cover the Classic channel. The Next-gen channel holds build 4.04b.

What about Epic?

Epic can’t roll back. CD Projekt says it isn’t possible to revert there, so Epic players need mods tagged Remastered Compatible.

Set up your mods for the old version

1. Install the 4.04 or 1.32 build of each mod into the Mods folder inside your game folder. Use the Nexus tags above to find the right file.
2. In Script Merger, click Delete All Merges, then merge again. Merges hold the scripts of the version they were made on, as the Script Merger FAE page explains. That edition works with Remastered, Next-Gen and Classic.
3. Skip mods from the new in-game Mods menu. That menu, powered by mod.io, came with Remastered, so the old builds don’t have it.

Go back to Remastered later

When your mods catch up, pick None in Steam’s dropdown. On GOG, set Beta Channels to Disabled and turn automatic updates back on.

Then delete your merges, install the Remastered builds of your mods and merge again. Your old saves carry over, but Remastered resets their skill points for the new tree.

Skip the steps next time

Version Lock is our free Windows app. It snapshots your game before Steam updates it, so next time you can roll back in one click.

Modding Cyberpunk too? CD Projekt keeps old Cyberpunk 2077 patches the same way. If the game still crashes, work through the broken mods checklist.

Last reviewed: October 2026.