Preparing Your PC for a Clean Install of Windows 11

If you are suitably prepared and have everything you need readily at hand, performing a clean install of Windows 11 is usually stress-free. The whole process has gradually been streamlined over the years, so even if you have never previously installed a Windows OS, problems should be minimal.

Check PC Compatibility

With Windows 11, Microsoft imposed some fairly strict minimum specifications for the devices it can be installed on. This has resulted in many older computers being blocked from accessing the update.

You can use the free PC Health app to check if your PC is compatible with Windows 11. The app was included with the KB5005463 update for Windows 10 in May 2022, so you might be able to find it in the Start Menu. If not, you can download it from the PC Health Check page.

The app is easy to use, but if you need help, our guide to checking if your PC can run Windows 11 explains it in detail. The most common issue you’ll run into, which is usually easy to fix, is TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot not being enabled.

Backup Your Files

If there is one rule more PC users should follow, it is: always back up. And if you don’t perform a full backup regularly, at least ensure you protect your essential files before any major update or system change. And that obviously includes before a clean install of Windows 11.

A cloud storage vault can be your friend here, but copying everything you want to save to a removable USB flash drive will also work. When your important files are safely saved elsewhere, you are ready to choose a clean install method for Windows 11. Installing Windows 11 from a removable USB drive is the best method if you have a newly built PC or one which doesn’t have a usable operating system (OS) installed. It can also be used to install Windows 11 on a PC that is already up and running with the OS.

You may need access to another computer to create the bootable media on the USB drive (if no usable OS is present) and be able to access the BIOS to change the boot device order.

There are several methods for creating bootable media on a USB drive, including the Microsoft Media Creation Tool, Rufus, and, if you like to make things complicated, Command Prompt. Here we’ll be using the Media Creation Tool.

Download the tool from the Microsoft website. You’ll find it under the “Create Windows 11 Installation Media” heading. After downloading, go to your downloads folder and double-click the “mediacreationtool.exe” file to open it. Accept the license agreement when prompted, assuming you agree to the terms.

Choose the language and Windows edition you want to use. On the media choice screen, choose “USB Flash Drive.” Insert a blank flash drive with at least 8GB capacity into the USB port on your PC, and click “Next.”

Select your flash drive from the list and click “Next.” Wait for the tool to download Windows 11 and finish the setup of the bootable media.

Booting From the USB Drive

Before inserting the bootable media, you need to edit the BIOS settings to make your computer boot from the USB rather than the OS partition. This might not be necessary with a newly built PC because the USB should be the only bootable device found.

• You can access the BIOS by pressing a specific key during boot, commonly F1, F2, or F10. Check your PC or motherboard manufacturer’s website if none of those work. In the BIOS settings, navigate to the “Boot settings” to find the boot priority or boot order list. You might have to look in “Advanced Options” if you can’t see a dedicated boot setting menu.
• Select “Removable Devices” in the list and move it to the top position. This will make your PC attempt to boot from the USB drive before the hard drive.
• Save the changes and exit. You can then shut down your PC, insert your USB drive into an available USB port, and restart. Press any key when prompted, and your computer will boot into the Windows 11 setup tool.

Installing Windows 11 From the USB Drive

• Select your preferred geographical settings for language, currency/time, and keyboard layout. Click “Next” and then click “Install Now.”

If this is a completely new installation of Windows 11 you’ll need to activate your software by entering a valid product key. If you are installing over a previously activated copy of Windows 11, click “I don’t have a product key.” Reactivation will be taken care of automatically once the installation is complete.

• Select the version of Windows 11 you want to install from a list containing Home, Pro, Education, and Enterprise. Click Next and accept the license agreement.
• On the next screen choose the “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)” option. This installs Windows 11 only, ignoring files, settings, and apps, which is what you need for a truly clean install.

Finally, choose where you want Windows 11 to be installed. Windows files are most commonly installed in Drive 0 Unallocated Space. If your hard drive contains multiple partitions, you will see them all listed here. Delete any you no longer need before choosing the installation location.

The installation will now begin. After the system files have been installed, you’ll have to go through the Out-of-the-box Experience (OOBE) to choose things like device name, language, and login options. You’ll also need to sign in to your Microsoft account (though it’s sometimes possible to bypass the account login).

Once this is done, you should be up and running with a clean and fresh install of Windows 11.

Option 2: Clean Install Windows 11 Using an ISO File

If you already have Windows 10 or 11 installed and working on your computer, using the ISO file can be a better alternative to installing it from a USB drive. It avoids the necessity of creating bootable media on a USB, and you won’t have to change the boot order in the BIOS.

This method can be used on a computer running Windows 7 or 8/8.1 because it is a clean install rather than an in-place upgrade. But you should double-check hardware compatibility, and take extra care to remove all apps and files to avoid possible software conflicts.

Downloading the Windows 11 ISO File

You can download the Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) from the Microsoft website. On the site, use the drop-down menu to choose “Windows 11 (Multi-edition ISO)” and click “Download.” Select your desired language and click “Confirm.”

Click the “64-bit Download” button to begin downloading the ISO file. Although the ISO filesize varies between versions, it will be at least 4 to 5GB.

Installing Windows 11 From the ISO File

Open File Explorer and navigate to the download location of the ISO file. Right-click on the file and select “Mount” from the context menu.

That will create a virtual drive for the disk image, which will appear in the navigation panel of File Explorer. Select the virtual drive and then double-click “Setup.exe” to begin the process.

By default, Windows 11 setup will go online to get updates, drivers, and some optional features. This can help the reinstall go more smoothly, but it will take longer. If you want to defer adding updates, etc., until after the OS is installed, click “Change how Setup downloads updates” and then select “Not right now.”

Follow the setup steps until you reach the Ready to Install screen. Here, click “Change what to keep” and select “Nothing.”

With that done, click “Next” and then “Install.” When the system files have been installed, you’ll see the Out-of-the-box Experience. Click through the various options screens, selecting the Windows 11 preferences you want.

Option 3: Clean Install Windows 11 Using Reset This PC

It’s also possible to initiate a fresh install of Windows 11 using the Reset This PC option, also known as a factory reset. This method differs from installing from a USB or ISO file, as it can only be used to cleanly reinstall Windows 11 on a PC already running the same OS. However, it is simpler than other solutions since all you need is the Settings menu.

Navigate to Settings > System > Recovery, and look for the Recovery Options section. Click the “Reset PC” button to begin the reinstall process.

You now have the option to “Keep My Files,” but for a clean reinstall choose the second option, “Remove Everything.” This will delete any files, installed apps, and previously changed settings.