Windows 11
Microsoft's own download page offers three ways to get Windows 11: the Installation Assistant for an in-place upgrade, the Media Creation Tool for a bootable USB, and a multi-edition ISO.
- Publisher
- Microsoft
- Version
- Version 26H2 (Windows 11 2026 Update)
- Type
- Product page
- Runs on
- x64 PCs, Arm64 PCs (separate ISO page)
- Price
- Free download from the official site; a licence is needed to activate
Official download links
- Product pageWindows 11 download page (Installation Assistant, Media Creation Tool, x64 ISO)www.microsoft.comOpen official page
- Disk image (ISO)Windows 11 Arm64 ISOOnly for PCs with Arm processorswww.microsoft.comOpen official page
- Product pageWindows 11 system requirementswww.microsoft.comOpen official page
All three options come from the same official page and install the current release, Windows 11 version 26H2. Which one to use depends on what you are doing.
Use the Installation Assistant to upgrade the Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC you are sitting at. Use the Media Creation Tool to make a bootable USB stick for a clean install, a reinstall or another PC. Download the ISO if you need a disk image, for example for a virtual machine or to make boot media with another tool. The ISO is multi-edition: the product key or the digital licence of the PC decides which edition gets installed.
The tools and the ISO on the main page are for x64 processors only. PCs with Arm processors (for example Snapdragon laptops) use the separate Arm64 ISO page.
System requirements
- 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: compatible with DirectX 12 or later with a WDDM 2.0 driver
- Display: 720p, larger than 9 inches diagonally
- Home and Pro for personal use need an internet connection and a Microsoft account during first setup
- Installation Assistant: Windows 10 version 2004 or later and 9 GB of free disk space
- Media Creation Tool: a blank USB flash drive of at least 8 GB (everything on it is erased)
How to install
- Back up your files first. An upgrade keeps them, but a clean install from USB erases the drive you install to.
- Check that the PC meets the requirements with the PC Health Check app.
- Open the official Windows 11 download page and pick the option that fits: Download Now under Windows 11 Installation Assistant, Download Now under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, or select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices) and then a language under Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO).
- For the Installation Assistant, run
Windows11InstallationAssistant.exeas an administrator, accept the licence terms and let it download and restart the PC. - For a USB stick, run
mediacreationtool.exe, choose USB flash drive, select your stick and wait for it to finish. Then boot the target PC from the USB (usually with a one-time boot menu key such as F12, F11 or Esc, depending on the manufacturer). - For the ISO, note that the download link expires 24 hours after it is created. Microsoft publishes SHA256 hashes on the same page: compare them with the output of
Get-FileHashto confirm the file is intact. - Check the ISO hash in PowerShell (replace the path with yours):
Get-FileHash C:\Users\you\Downloads\Win11_26H2_English_x64.iso -Algorithm SHA256
You need a licence to install Windows 11, or a Windows 10 PC that qualifies for a free upgrade. Microsoft does not recommend installing on hardware below the minimum requirements and says such PCs may not be supported or get updates.
Enterprise editions come from the Microsoft 365 admin center, and preview builds from the Windows Insider Program, not from this page.
Download safely
We link only to the publisher's own site and do not host installers or disk images. Avoid "pre-activated" or modified builds and third-party mirrors: they are a common way to spread malware, and they cannot be verified.