How to Get Started With Windows 11

 

Windows 11 is now available for download on all eligible devices, and there's no need to wait for the free upgrade to arrive.

Windows 11 is currently available. On October 5, Microsoft officially introduced its new operating system, but warned that most consumers will have to wait a long time to upgrade for free from Windows 10. Indeed, if you're running older technology that's still supported, the upgrade might not arrive until mid-2022.

There's no reason to wait that long, though. Windows 11 is now available to download as an ISO file directly from Microsoft, as well as a near-final version through the Windows Insider Program. Both techniques are absolutely free and should just take a few minutes to complete.

Before we go any further, let's define what we mean by 'final version.' This includes any version issued after October 5th, however Windows 11 will continue to get upgrades for the rest of its lifecycle. That's normally ten years; for example, Windows 10 was released in 2015, but it will receive upgrades until 2025.

This isn't, however, the simplest approach to switch to Windows 11. Microsoft is progressively pushing out the update to all eligible devices over several months, but the company has stated that it is "advancing the pace of the rollout faster than we previously planned." Before proceeding with the methods in this post, check to see if it has arrived on your device in Settings.

 

Make sure your laptop or computer is compatible.

If you haven't previously done so, double-check that your Windows 10 device is compatible with Windows 11. Microsoft has revised the system requirements, which means that a lot of older technology will no longer be supported.

The simplest method to find out is to download Microsoft's new PC Health Check program, which is absolutely free and takes only a few minutes to set up. Although you may need to manually enable TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot, both of which are essential, it's far more reliable than the initial generation.

 

More information can be found in our dedicated guide: Will Windows 11 operate on my computer?

Even on incompatible systems, though, a workaround allows you to install Windows 11.

After you've taken care of that, you may move on to the installation.

 

Here's how to get Windows 11 right now: Get the ISO file here.

 

Right now, the quickest way to get Windows 11 is to download it from Microsoft's website. There are two alternatives available, both of which will preserve all of your files and settings.

The 'Windows 11 Installation Assistant,' which will walk you through the procedure, is what we recommend for most users. However, the device you use to download it must have the following features:

 

• A Microsoft Windows 10 license (if the OS was pre-installed when you bought the device, it will have one)

• You're using version 2004 or later (May 2020 upgrade)

• A minimum of 9GB of free disk space

 

If it meets all of these requirements, you can begin the installation process:

1. Click 'Download Now' under 'Windows 11 Installation Assistant.'

2. A small.exe file will be downloaded to your computer. To open it, double-click it.

3. Select 'Yes' to confirm that you agree to the modifications.

4. A pop-up window will appear, guiding you step-by-step through the process.

If you want to install Windows 11 on several computers, you need get the ISO file instead. It's a considerably bigger package, but it has everything you need to install Windows 11.

Simply make sure you have at least 8GB of storage space available everywhere you send it, including a secure external storage device. Every PC you install it on must also meet Windows 11's hardware requirements, including a 64-bit processor and a language that matches your existing one.

 

Purchase a heavily discounted version of Windows 10 Pro and receive a free upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.

There's another way to purchase Windows 11 Pro for a cheap price. If your hardware is compatible, you may get a discount on Windows 10 Pro now and get a free upgrade to Windows 11 when it comes out on October 5th.

The Softkey World software store has a version of MicrosoftWindows 10 Professional Full Version with 1 License for $27.99. That's a savings of 53% off the retail price. You'll also be able to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro - the more powerful Pro edition of Windows 11, not the Home version – for free.

It's meant to be installed on a brand-new or clean PC; upgrading from a previous version of Windows isn't possible.