How to Install Windows 11 or 10 and Set Up a New PC

To upgrade an eligible Windows 10 PC to Windows 11, open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, select Check for updates, and choose Download and install when the Windows 11 upgrade appears. Back up first even when keeping files and apps. If Windows Update does not offer it, check the reason before choosing another method. The Installation Assistant requires Windows 10 version 2004 or later and eligible x64 hardware. For a clean install, a new drive, or a PC that will not start, create official installation media.

This guide covers the three official methods Microsoft offers, an alternative Rufus USB workflow, Windows in Parallels on Mac, what you need before you start, how to do a clean install, and what to do afterward. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, so most people reading this are moving from Windows 10.

If the PC still runs Windows 7, use our Windows 7 to Windows 11 guide for licensing, hardware checks and a clean installation. The Windows 10 upgrade methods below do not promise to preserve Windows 7 apps or provide a new license.

Create and Boot a Windows 10 Installation USB

This section is specifically for Windows 10. Back up the PC. Have a Windows 10 license and a blank USB drive of at least 8 GB; media creation erases it.

1. Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page and run it.
2. Choose Create installation media for another PC. Select the required language, Windows edition, and architecture.
3. Choose USB flash drive, carefully select the blank drive, and wait for the tool to finish.
4. Connect it to the target PC, restart, and use the manufacturer’s boot menu to select the USB.
5. In Windows Setup, choose the language and keyboard, then start installation. Check the destination and installation type. Partition deletion or formatting erases data.

Use Microsoft’s Windows 10 download instructions. Windows 11 USB steps later in this guide use different media.

Upgrade a Licensed Windows 8.1 PC to Windows 10

Back up first and verify a valid Windows 10 license, supported hardware, and drivers. Run Microsoft’s Windows 10 Media Creation Tool on the PC, choose Upgrade this PC now, and review Change what to keep before continuing. After setup, check files, apps, and activation. This does not promise a free license.

Windows 10’s regular support ended October 14, 2025. Consider an eligible Windows 11 installation or a supported replacement device; Windows 10 Extended Security Updates require separate eligibility and enrollment. See Microsoft’s Windows 10 support information before choosing this older installation route.

Use Go Back to Return From Windows 11 to Windows 10

Use this only if the PC was upgraded from Windows 10 and still offers rollback. Back up important files, save your work, connect power and retain your prior sign-in details. Open Settings > System > Recovery > Go back, review what the wizard says will change, and follow its confirmation prompts only when rollback is your intended action. Microsoft’s Go back guide says this is normally available for 10 days and requires retained upgrade files. Keep the original upgrade USB available if one was used; review its listed account prerequisites before proceeding.

Microsoft says rollback keeps personal files but removes apps and drivers installed after the upgrade and reverts Settings changes; it does not promise that every app will remain intact. Let the restarts finish, then check the Windows edition/version, files, required apps, drivers and activation. If Go back is missing, the section below explains a licensed clean installation and its different data effects; Reset this PC is not a substitute that automatically installs Windows 10. Windows 10’s regular support ended October 14, 2025, so review a supported Windows 11 fix or separate eligible ESU coverage before returning to it.

Return to Windows 10 After the Go Back Period

Check Settings > System > Recovery > Go back first. Microsoft says this is usually available for 10 days after an upgrade. When that option is unavailable, reinstalling Windows 10 is a different operation, rather than a way to extend the rollback period. Confirm a valid Windows 10 license, compatible manufacturer drivers and a usable backup of your files before proceeding. Follow Create and Boot a Windows 10 Installation USB, then Finish a Windows 10 Clean Installation From USB in this guide. Those sections explain the installer, edition, destination and setup checks. Stop if you cannot identify the intended installation disk; do not indiscriminately delete partitions. After installation, confirm activation, install supported drivers, reinstall your applications and restore your backed-up files. A clean installation does not preserve all apps and settings. Windows 10’s ordinary support ended on October 14, 2025, so consider the support and security implications before choosing it.

Before You Start

Check the system requirements

Microsoft lists these minimum requirements for Windows 11:

• Processor: 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip.
• Memory: 4 GB RAM.
• Storage: 64 GB or larger.
• Firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable.
• TPM: Trusted Platform Module version 2.0.
• Graphics: DirectX 12 or later with a WDDM 2.0 driver.
• Display: 720p, larger than 9 inches diagonally.
• Internet and account: a Microsoft account and internet connection are required to set up Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro for personal use.

The easiest check on a Windows 10 PC is the PC Health Check app, which Microsoft recommends. Your PC must also be running Windows 10, version 2004 or later, to upgrade.

If the check fails only because TPM or Secure Boot is turned off, your PC maker’s instructions may show how to turn it on in the firmware settings. Don’t use unofficial workarounds to skip the requirements. Microsoft says it isn’t recommended to install Windows 11 on a device that doesn’t meet them, and such a PC won’t be entitled to receive updates. Our guide on installing Windows 11 on an unsupported CPU explains the risks and the supported options.

Back up your files

Copy documents, photos, and other important files to an external drive or a cloud service. See how to back up Windows 11 to an external hard drive. A clean install erases the drive, and even an upgrade is safer with a backup. If you’re moving to a new PC instead, see how to transfer data from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

Other things to have ready

• Enough free space. The Installation Assistant needs 9 GB free to download Windows 11.
• A blank USB flash drive with at least 8 GB, only if you’re making installation media. Everything on it is deleted.
• A power connection for laptops, and time. Your PC restarts several times.
• Your product key, only if you have one. Most PCs with a digital license or a key stored in firmware don’t need one.

Method 1: Upgrade Through Windows Update (Recommended)

Microsoft recommends waiting until Windows Update says the upgrade is ready for your PC.

1. Select Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update. Result: the Windows Update page opens.
2. Select Check for updates. Install any waiting Windows 10 updates first and restart, because the Windows 11 upgrade may not appear until they’re installed. Result: if your PC is ready, a Windows 11 message appears.
3. Select Download and install, then Accept and install in the license terms window. Result: the status shows the download and installation progress.
4. When the status changes to Pending restart, select Restart now. Result: the PC restarts a few times to finish installing.
5. Sign in when the sign-in screen appears. Result: you’re on Windows 11 with your files and apps in place.

If Windows 11 isn’t offered

According to Microsoft, the upgrade may not show because it isn’t ready for your PC yet, because of a known compatibility issue that will be resolved later, or because the PC doesn’t meet the requirements. A “Get ready for Windows 11” message doesn’t check your hardware; run PC Health Check to find out.

Method 2: Use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant

The Installation Assistant upgrades the PC you’re using now, keeping your files and apps. Microsoft suggests waiting for Windows Update first, but you can use it earlier. It doesn’t run on Arm-based PCs; it only works on x64 processors.

1. Go to Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page and select Download Now under Windows 11 Installation Assistant.
2. Run the downloaded file. You need to be an administrator. Result: the tool checks your hardware.
3. If your PC is compatible, select Accept and install. Result: Windows 11 downloads and prepares.
4. Select Restart now when prompted. Don’t turn off the PC while it restarts. Result: the upgrade finishes and you sign in to Windows 11.

If you’re coming from Windows 10, see how to update to Windows 11 from Windows 10 for more on the upgrade.

Method 3: Create Installation Media for a Clean Install

Use a USB drive when you want to reinstall Windows, install it on a new drive, or start completely fresh. To start over on a PC that already runs Windows 11, Reset this PC is usually simpler. The Media Creation Tool only makes media for x64 PCs; Arm-based PCs should wait for Windows Update.

Make the USB drive

1. On Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page, select Download Now under Create Windows 11 Installation Media.
2. Run the Media Creation Tool as an administrator and select Accept to agree to the license terms.
3. Choose the language, edition, and 64-bit architecture. Use the same language as your current Windows.
4. Select USB flash drive, plug in a blank drive of at least 8 GB, and select it. Result: the tool downloads Windows 11 and makes the drive bootable. Anything on the drive is erased.

Our bootable USB guides cover other ways to make the drive, including from an ISO file. If you would rather install from a DVD, see how to burn an ISO file to a disc with ImgBurn.

Install Windows 11 from the USB drive

1. Plug the USB drive into the PC and restart it. If it doesn’t boot from the drive, open the boot menu or change the boot order in the firmware. The key is often F2, F12, Delete, or Esc right after power-on, but it varies by PC. On a PC that already runs Windows 10 or 11, you can also hold Shift while selecting Restart, then choose the option to boot from the USB drive.
2. On the setup screen, choose your language, time, and keyboard, then select Next and start the installation. Result: Windows Setup continues.
3. If asked for a product key and the device already has a valid Windows 11 digital license for that edition, select I don’t have a product key. Otherwise use your valid product key or verify the licensing route first. Skipping the prompt does not provide a license.
4. Review the license terms. Current media shows Install Windows 11 and a confirmation that files, apps and settings will be deleted; older media may show Custom: Install Windows only (advanced). Use the clean-install option appropriate to your media only after checking the backup.
5. Select the drive or partition for Windows, then select Next. Deleting or formatting partitions permanently removes everything on them, so double-check the drive. Result: installation begins. Don’t turn off the PC.
6. When the PC restarts, follow the setup screens to connect to the internet and sign in.

If you changed the boot order and Windows Setup appears again after installation, change the boot order back so the PC starts from its internal drive.

Download the Official Windows 11 ISO

An ISO is the installation disk image, rather than the Installation Assistant. Use Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page to obtain it directly.

1. Scroll to Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices. For an Arm PC, follow the separate Arm64 link instead; x64 and Arm64 images are not interchangeable.
2. Select the Windows 11 edition currently offered, then select the download or confirmation button below that menu. The standard image contains multiple editions; your license determines which edition you can activate.
3. Choose your product language and select Confirm. Match your existing Windows language if you intend to keep apps during an upgrade.
4. Select the download link that appears and save the .iso file. Generated links expire after 24 hours; return to the page to generate a new one if necessary.

Keep the completed ISO for the USB or virtual-machine procedure below. Downloading it does not install Windows or erase files. Back up before starting installation, and check hardware compatibility first.

Create a Windows 11 Installation USB With Rufus

Rufus is an alternative to Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool for preparing a bootable USB from an ISO. It does not itself install Windows on the PC. These steps are for an eligible x64 PC using UEFI.

1. Back up the USB contents. Download Rufus from its official website and the Windows 11 x64 ISO from Microsoft.
2. Connect a USB drive with enough capacity for the image, then open Rufus. Under Device, verify the selected drive by its name and capacity. It will be erased.
3. Under Boot selection, choose the disk/ISO image option. Click SELECT and open the Windows ISO.
4. For this UEFI setup, check GPT and UEFI as the partition scheme and target system. Keep the suggested file-system settings.
5. Click START, review any installer-customization choices, and leave hardware-requirement bypasses unselected. Confirm USB erasure only after checking the drive. Wait until Rufus reports READY.

Boot the target PC from this USB and follow “Install Windows 11 from the USB drive” above. Running setup.exe inside your existing Windows is a different installation route. For media or boot errors, consult the Rufus FAQ and the PC manufacturer’s instructions.

Install Windows 11 in Parallels on a Mac

Parallels runs Windows in a virtual machine alongside macOS. Check that your installed Parallels version supports your Mac and macOS version. Apple-silicon Macs need Windows 11 for Arm; an x64 PC ISO is not the correct image for that VM.

1. Open Parallels Desktop. For an existing installation, choose its menu-bar icon > Control Center, then click +. On a first launch, the installation assistant may open automatically.
2. Choose Get Windows 11 from Microsoft, then Continue and Install Windows (some Intel versions say Download Windows 11).
3. Let the assistant download the appropriate image and create the VM. Wait for Installation Complete, then review the license terms and finish Windows setup.
4. Open Windows inside the VM. Check Windows Update, activation, and the specific Windows apps you need before relying on the setup.

These steps follow Parallels’ guides for Apple-silicon Macs and Intel Macs. If installing manually on Intel, choose Install Windows or another OS from a DVD or image file and select the compatible ISO; Apple-silicon installations require an Arm image.

A Parallels license does not include a Windows license. Verify the appropriate separate Windows license and the compatibility of your apps, peripherals, and any drivers with the guest architecture. See Parallels’ Windows licensing explanation.

Set Up a New Laptop With Windows 11 Already Installed

If the laptop already has Windows 11, you can finish its first-run setup without reinstalling or wiping it. Connect its charger and turn it on. Follow the displayed language, region and keyboard choices, connect to your intended network, and review the license terms before accepting if you agree. Use the intended personal Microsoft account, or your organization’s setup instructions for a work device. Review a previous-PC restore offer carefully, configure the offered Windows Hello PIN or other sign-in controls, and read each privacy choice. Review OneDrive, device-use and optional subscription offers rather than accepting a purchase inadvertently. Let setup finish and wait for the desktop. Microsoft’s first-run screen list explains that order and available choices vary by device and Windows build.

At the desktop, open Settings > System > About to check the installed edition/version, and System > Activation to check activation. Then use Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, install offered appropriate updates and restart when requested. Check again afterward. Install essential apps from their official source or Microsoft Store and copy or restore your files from a verified backup. Use the after-installation checks below for drivers and remaining updates. A preinstalled laptop does not require booting from a USB or deleting partitions merely to create its first user account.

After Installing Windows 11

• Go to Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
• Visit your PC maker’s support site for any extra drivers.
• Check activation in Settings > System > Activation. After a clean install, signing in with your Microsoft account usually reactivates a digital license.
• Restore your files from your backup and reinstall your apps.

Finish a Windows 10 Clean Installation From USB

Use the Windows 10 USB creation and boot steps above, with a verified backup and valid license. Windows 10’s regular support ended October 14, 2025; installing it does not provide Extended Security Updates. Review a supported Windows 11 option or separate ESU eligibility before choosing this legacy system. Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page covers official media and licensing.

After booting the USB, choose language, time and keyboard, then Next > Install now. Supply the product key, or skip it only when the intended edition has a valid digital license. Match that edition, review the license terms, and continue if you accept them. For a clean installation, choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced). Identify the intended disk and partition before selecting Next. Formatting or deleting partitions erases their contents; stop if you cannot identify the correct destination.

Keep power connected through installation and restarts. If setup starts over, boot the internal Windows drive using the manufacturer’s boot menu. Complete region, keyboard, account and privacy prompts. Check Settings > Update & Security > Activation, available updates and manufacturer drivers, then restore backed-up files and reinstall needed apps. A clean installation does not preserve installed applications.

Can You Finish Windows 11 Setup Without Internet?

Creating a Windows 11 USB on another connected computer lets you start installation on a PC without an active connection. It does not guarantee you can complete initial account setup offline. Microsoft currently requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account for Windows 11 Home and Pro for personal use; see its system requirements. Downloading the installer, copying Windows files, finishing setup and later activation are separate stages.

Before beginning a clean installation, prepare the official USB and backup using the steps above, obtain any network drivers for the exact PC model, and arrange a working connection for the setup stage. Ethernet can help when Wi-Fi is unavailable, but it still needs a working network and adapter driver. If Setup cannot see a network, use the PC manufacturer’s driver and setup instructions; a completed USB does not establish that the network hardware will work.

Older tutorials may show I don’t have internet or an OOBE bypass command. Do not assume those older controls or workarounds remain available or supported in your installation media. For a work or school deployment, ask IT about the licensed edition and supported provisioning method. After setup, many local tasks can work offline, but that does not remove online setup, activation, update or feature requirements. If no usable connection is available, plan it before erasing a working installation.

Troubleshooting

• “This PC doesn’t currently meet the requirements”: run PC Health Check to see which item fails. TPM and Secure Boot may just be turned off; check your PC maker’s instructions.
• Upgrade not showing: install pending Windows 10 updates, restart, and check again, or use the Installation Assistant on an eligible x64 PC.
• No drives shown during setup: you may need to load a storage driver from your PC maker’s website.
• USB drive not listed in the boot menu: check your PC maker’s instructions. Microsoft notes that some PCs need Secure Boot turned off temporarily.
• PC boots back into the old Windows: it may not have fully shut down. Select Shut down from the power menu, then start it again with the USB drive plugged in.

Save a Windows 10 ISO Instead of Writing a USB

If you need an ISO file, use Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page and run its Media Creation Tool on a supported Windows PC. Choose Create installation media for another PC, select the required language, edition, and architecture, then choose ISO file instead of USB flash drive. Select a save location and let the download finish. Check that the resulting file has the .iso extension. Downloading it does not activate Windows or install it; you still need a valid license and an appropriate installation method. Microsoft offers a separate direct ISO page for devices that cannot run the tool.

Install or Upgrade to the Licensed Windows 11 Pro Edition

Use the Windows 11 installation and backup steps above, with a valid Pro license and compatible hardware. Enter your Pro product key when Setup asks; it selects the edition for that key. If choosing an edition manually for a reinstall, match your existing license. A Home license does not activate Pro. Check the installed edition under Settings > System > About and its activation under System > Activation. Microsoft explains installation and edition upgrades using a product key.

Setup can use a firmware-stored key without asking and install Home instead. Microsoft says to finish installation, then use the edition-upgrade route. In Windows 11, open Settings > System > Activation, expand Upgrade your edition of Windows if shown, and choose Change beside Change product key. Enter a valid Pro key, follow the upgrade prompts and allow any required restart after saving work. Verify both Pro and activated status afterward. This edition upgrade is separate from wiping the PC for a clean installation; do not erase a working installation merely to change its edition.

Install Windows on a New SSD

Back up the existing computer and check its service manual for the supported drive interface, size and installation procedure. A 2.5-inch SATA drive and an M.2 drive use different connections, and an M.2 slot does not accept every SATA or NVMe drive. Shut down, disconnect external power, and follow the manufacturer’s battery and static-handling precautions before opening the computer. Fit the SSD using the model’s specified connector, bracket and fasteners, then reassemble it. Seagate’s internal-drive installation guide explains these compatibility and manual checks. Verify that the firmware’s storage list recognizes the intended SSD before starting Windows Setup; stop and check the model’s instructions if it is missing.

Create the Windows 11 installation USB using the clean-install method above, then use the PC maker’s boot menu to start from that USB. Follow the language, keyboard, licensed edition and installation prompts. At the destination screen, identify the new SSD by its capacity and the machine’s drive information; do not assume it is always Disk 0. For a blank SSD, select its Unallocated Space and continue with Next and the offered installation confirmation. Setup creates the required partitions; you do not need to initialize a blank drive in an existing Windows installation first. Leave other drives and their partitions untouched, and stop if you cannot identify the destination. Microsoft’s installation-media guide covers the setup screens. Complete the initial account and network setup described below, confirm Windows boots from the internal SSD, then check activation, updates and drivers before restoring backed-up files and reinstalling apps. A clean installation does not copy the old drive’s files or applications.

Move From Windows 8 or 8.1 to Windows 11

For a PC still running Windows 8 or 8.1, plan a licensed clean installation on compatible hardware, or move your backed-up files to a compatible Windows 11 PC. The Windows 11 Installation Assistant requires Windows 10 version 2004 or later; it is not an in-place Windows 8/8.1 upgrade tool. Check the processor, TPM 2.0, UEFI/Secure Boot capability and the other requirements above with the PC manufacturer. Verify a valid Windows 11 license for the edition you intend to install. Microsoft removed the Windows 7/8 free-upgrade path; do not assume an old key provides a new license or that installing Windows 10 first makes unsupported hardware eligible.

Copy the files and app-specific data you need to separate storage and open important backup files to verify them. Keep supported app installers and license details: a clean installation does not keep installed apps or settings. On a working supported PC, create the official Windows 11 USB using Make the USB drive above. Boot the intended compatible PC from it using its manufacturer’s boot menu, then follow Install Windows 11 from the USB drive above: choose language and keyboard, verify the licensed edition and correct destination disk, and review the clean-install deletion confirmation before proceeding. Disconnect the backup drive before disk selection. Complete network/account setup, verify activation, updates and drivers, then restore files and reinstall supported apps. On a new PC, restore the checked files there instead; keep the old PC and backup until essential files, apps and peripherals work.

Mount an ISO and Run Its Installer in Windows

For a trusted ISO containing a Windows or software installer, locate the completed .iso file in File Explorer, right-click it and choose Mount. Open the resulting virtual DVD drive under This PC and run its documented installer, commonly setup.exe. If Mount is missing, Microsoft’s ISO instructions say to open the file’s Properties > General > Opens with: Change, choose Windows Explorer, apply, then right-click and mount again. Mounting only exposes the files; it does not install software, and not every ISO contains a Windows-compatible installer.

Follow that product’s installation and license prompts, using the edition and architecture appropriate to your PC. For Windows, first check the hardware, backup and licensing requirements above. Review the offered what to keep choice before proceeding; stop if it proposes removing files or apps you intended to retain. Running Windows Setup from a mounted image inside working Windows is different from booting a USB for a clean installation. After the installer finishes, open the installed program or verify the Windows edition/activation as appropriate. When the mounted image is no longer in use, right-click its virtual drive in This PC and choose Eject; this does not delete the saved ISO.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Windows 11 free?

Upgrading an eligible Windows 10 PC with a valid license is free through Windows Update or the Installation Assistant.

Will installing Windows 11 delete my files?

An upgrade through Windows Update or the Installation Assistant keeps your files and apps. A clean install from USB erases the drive you install to, so back up first.

Do I need a product key?

Usually not for an upgrade or a reinstall of the same edition. Many PCs have a digital license or a key stored in firmware, which Windows applies automatically. Don’t enter a key you don’t own. For more, see how to get Windows 11 legally without buying a product key.

How long does it take?

It depends on your internet speed and hardware. Expect the PC to restart several times, and leave it plugged in until you reach the sign-in screen.

Can I install Windows 11 on an unsupported PC?

Microsoft doesn’t recommend it. A PC that doesn’t meet the requirements won’t be supported and isn’t entitled to receive updates.

Microsoft Resources

• Ways to install Windows 11
• Create installation media for Windows
• Download Windows 11