Windows 11 download with Media Creation Tool

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If you plan to upgrade to Windows 11, the best method is to use Windows Update. However, Microsoft supports other methods to proceed with a new installation using the Media Creation Tool.

The Media Creation Tool is a tool designed to retrieve the installation files and create a USB flash drive or ISO file to perform a clean install of Windows 11. Also, you can use the same tool to complete an in-place upgrade without creating a separate bootable flash drive.

In this guide, you will learn the easy steps to download the Windows 11 installation files with the Media Creation Tool to create a USB bootable media or ISO file.

Quick note: These instructions are meant to help you get the new version after it becomes available, not before. If you use the tool before the update releases, it will not install Windows 11.

Use Media Creation Tool to download Windows 11 onto a USB flash drive

Windows 11’s Media Creation Tool is expected to be available immediately after the official launch on October 5. Also, since the new system is based on Windows 10, the instructions will be similar to the ones for the current version of the tool.

To use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable Windows 11 USB install media:

1. Open Microsoft support website (not yet available).

2. Under the “Create Windows 11 installation media” section, click the Download tool now button.

3. Double-click the MediaCrationToolxxxx.exe file to launch the tool.

4. Click the Accept button.

5. Select the Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC option.

   

6. Click the Next button.

7. Click the Next button again.

   Quick note: If you are creating a Windows 11 USB for another device, you can also clear the “Use the recommended options for this PC” option to select the correct language, architecture, and edition.

   

8. Select the USB flash drive option.

   

9. Click the Next button.

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10. Select the USB flash drive from the list, but make sure that it does not have any important files as this process will erase everything on it.

11. Click the Next button.

12. Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, you can start a device using UEFI with the USB drive to install Windows 11.

Use Media Creation Tool to download Windows 11 onto an ISO file

To download the Windows 11 ISO file with the Media Creation Tool:

1. Open Microsoft support website (not yet available).

2. Under the “Create Windows 11 installation media” section, click the Download tool now button.

3. Double-click the MediaCrationToolxxxx.exe file to launch the tool.

4. Click the Accept button.

5. Select the Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC option.

   

6. Click the Next button.

7. Click the Next button again.

   Quick note: If you are creating a Windows 11 USB for another device, you can also clear the “Use the recommended options for this PC” option to select the correct language, architecture, and edition.

   

8. Select the ISO file option.

   

9. Click the Next button.

10. Select the location to save the file.

11. Confirm a name for the image – for example, Windows_11_Setup.

12. Click the Save button.

13. Click the Finish button.

After you complete the steps, the tool will download the files and create an ISO file that you can then use to create a bootable media or mount to a virtual machine to install Windows 11.