How to install Windows 11 from Microsoft's ISO file

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Microsoft's recently released ISO record lets you easy instal Windows 11 connected a cleanable PC, a dual-boot strategy oregon a virtual machine.

Microsoft has yet released an ISO record for the Windows 11 Insiders Preview. Previously, your lone enactment for installing Windows 11 was to archetypal instal Windows 10 and past upgrade it to mentation 11 done Microsoft's Windows Insider program. But present you tin prevention clip and effort by installing the caller OS straight done the ISO file.

SEE: Windows 11 cheat sheet: Everything you request to cognize (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

Working with an ISO record gives you the flexibility to instal a programme specified arsenic Windows 11 straight from the record itself oregon by copying it to a USB thrust oregon burning it onto a DVD. From there, you tin instal the OS to a dedicated PC, a dual-boot strategy oregon a virtual machine. Let's look astatine however to drawback and instal the caller Windows 11 ISO file.

First, you'll request to articulation the Windows Insider programme if you're not already registered. Browse to the Windows Insider page and motion successful with either your ain idiosyncratic Microsoft relationship oregon a concern relationship that you usage for your organization. At the registration page, cheque the container to judge the presumption of this statement and click Register present (Figure A).

Figure A

To download the Windows 11 ISO file, caput to the Windows Insider Preview Downloads page and motion successful with your account. Near the bottommost of the page, click the dropdown paper for Select edition. Here, you tin take either the Windows 11 Insider Preview (Dev Channel) oregon the Windows 11 Insider Preview (Beta Channel).

The Dev transmission contains the latest features and updates for Windows 11 but is typically much unstable. The Beta transmission contains much polished features and updates and is much stable. Either way, prime the transmission you privation and past click Confirm (Figure B).

Figure B

Next, take your merchandise connection and click Confirm. Click the Download fastener to download the ISO record to your machine (Figure C).

Figure C

Now that you person the Windows 11 ISO file, determination are a fewer ways to enactment with it depending connected however and wherever you program to instal it. If you privation to instal Windows 11 successful a virtual machine, past you tin usage the record directly. Whatever virtual instrumentality exertion you use, it should astatine immoderate constituent inquire for the root of the bundle you privation to install. At this step, simply browse to and prime the Windows 11 ISO record you downloaded.

If alternatively you privation to instal Windows 11 connected a dedicated PC oregon arsenic portion of a dual-boot setup, you'll privation to transcript the ISO to a USB thrust oregon pain it to a DVD. To acceptable this up, I urge a escaped Microsoft inferior called Windows USB/DVD Download Tool, which is an oldie but a goodie. The vantage with this app is that it not lone copies oregon burns the ISO record but makes the USB oregon DVD bootable. Microsoft nary longer offers this instrumentality directly, but you tin inactive snag it astatine third-party sites specified arsenic MajorGeeks and FileHippo.

The existent Windows 11 ISO is simply a spot implicit 5GB successful size, truthful you'll request the close media to clasp it. A USB thrust is the easier enactment arsenic you tin easy find a flash thrust with astatine slightest that capacity. A modular DVD has lone 4.8GB of space, truthful that won't enactment for this ISO file. Instead, you'd person to usage a dual-layer oregon double-layer DVD, which tin grip up to 8.5GB of data, oregon a Blu-ray thrust if your PC is equipped with one.

After installing the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool, unfastened the program. At the archetypal screen, browse to and prime the Windows 11 ISO file. At the adjacent screen, take either USB oregon DVD. If you opt for USB, marque definite the close USB thrust is listed and past click the fastener for Begin copying (Figure D).

Figure D

If you opt for DVD, marque definite you've inserted a dual-layer oregon double-layer DVD oregon a Blu-ray disc and click the fastener for Begin Burning (Figure E).

Figure E

After your USB thrust oregon DVD has been created, you tin usage it to footwear up a dedicated PC connected which you tin instal Windows 11 straight oregon arsenic portion of a dual-boot scenario.