How to Download Windows 11

How to Download Windows 11

Windows 11 was announced in June 2021, and was released to users on October 5, with several new features and enhancements and is expected to completely roll out to all compatible users by mid-2022. In this article, you’ll learn how to upgrade your Windows 10 PC safely to the newest version of Windows.

1 Checking for Compatibility

1Download and run the PC Health Check here (aka.ms/GetPCHealthCheckApp). This is the official, Microsoft-developed application to check if your PC meets all the hardware requirements to update.

2Run the app after it has completed installation, and click Check now.
- If your PC meets the requirements, it should display a green checkmark stating that your PC is compatible.

3Back up your PC just in case. Your upgrade to Windows 11 should be smooth and seamless, but just if something goes wrong, backing up will ensure you don’t lose any of your files.

2 Upgrading Your PC when Your PC is Ready

This is the standard upgrade process that you would use to upgrade your Windows 10 to Windows 11.

1Open “Update and Security” in Settings. Use ⊞ Win+I, or head to your Start menu, click the gear icon to open Settings, and then click on the “Update and Security” tab.

2Click Download and install on the Windows 11 menu. It should be a blue background that notifies you that your PC is ready.
- If there is no option to update your computer, it means that the update hasn’t rolled out for you yet, since Microsoft plans to give everyone who is compatible the upgrade up until mid-2022. However, you can still manually install the update.

3Follow through with the download process! You’ll be prompted with a license agreement, which you need to accept. Then, a window will pop up, in which the download will take place.
- The three steps that will take place in the download window will be “Downloading,” “Verifying Download,” and lastly “Installing.” This process can take up to a few hours depending on your PC.

4Restart your PC. After it is done installing, the window will prompt you to restart your PC and start a countdown of 30 minutes. Simply hit “Restart now.”

5Let your PC run the installation process. Your computer will automatically run the installation process.

Do not shut down your computer, and be sure to keep it plugged in throughout the process.
6Complete! Once Windows 11 has finished installing, you’ll be brought to the Windows 11 start-up screen like normal. Log in as you normally would and start exploring the new features of Windows 11.

3 Upgrading if You Have Not Yet Received the Update

If your PC is compatible but the update has not yet rolled out for you, don’t fret! You can still upgrade your software safely if you don’t want to wait.

1Head to the official download website (www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11).

2Select your download option. The recommended one is the Installation Assistant—this is the same as what you would use if you upgraded via Settings.
- The Installation Media is used if you want to clean install your PC, and the ISO is used as a virtual machine. The recommended and easiest option is the Installation Assistant.

3Follow through with the process. You’ll be prompted with a license agreement, which you need to accept. Then, a window will pop up, in which the download will take place.
- The three steps that will take place in the download window will be “Downloading,” “Verifying Download,” and lastly “Installing.” This process can take up to a few hours depending on your PC.

4Restart your PC. After it is done installing, the window will prompt you to restart your PC and start a countdown of 30 minutes. Simply hit “Restart now.”

5Let your PC install Windows 11. Your computer will automatically run the installation process.
- Do not shut down your computer, and be sure to keep it plugged in throughout the process.

6Complete! After installation, the Windows 11 start-up screen will appear. Log in as you normally would and start exploring the new features of Windows 11.

How to Download Windows 11