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has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes with new tools, sounds, and apps. Every detail has been considered. All of it comes together to bring you a refreshing experience on your PC.
A clean install of Windows 11 will wipe out everything on the drive you select to install Windows 11 on giving you a completely new default installation of Windows 11.
Today’s blog post provides two updates. First, an update on Windows 11 minimum system requirements based, in part, on feedback from the Windows Insider community. Second, information on the updated PC Health Check app that is now available to Windows Insiders. Since the introduction of Windows...
If you’d like to see if your current PC meets the minimum requirements, .
- Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a or System on a Chip (SoC)
- RAM: 4 gigabyte (GB)
- Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device
- System firmware: , capable
- TPM:
- Graphics card: Compatible with or later with driver
- Display: High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per color channel
When you set up a Microsoft account during Windows Setup, your in the "C:\Users" folder will be named with the first 5 characters of the email address used for your Microsoft account.
If you are someone that cares what the name of your user profile folder is in the "C:\Users" folder, then you will want to set up a local account during Windows Setup so your user profile folder will have the same name you give as the local account name. When Windows 11 has finished installing, you can (if wanted) without the user profile folder name getting changed.
Here's How:
1 If you have not already, you will need to create a bootable that supports mode.
2 Temporarily disconnect all non OS hard drives until Windows installation has finished for the following reasons:
- To avoid you mistakenly deleting or formatting the wrong disk or drive.
- To prevent Windows Setup from installing the boot configuration files (bootloader) to a different connected hard drive instead of on the disk Windows will be installed on.
Usually it will be set to UEFI mode by default if supported. You may need to read your PC's or motherboard's manual for its specific instructions on how to change this setting.
4 on your computer.
5 Select your language, time and currency, and keyboard or input method preferences, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
6 Click/tap on the Install Now button to start Windows Setup for the installation. (see screenshot below)
7 Since Windows 11 is not officially released yet, click/tap on the I don't have a product key link. (see screenshot below)
You can also enter an official Windows 7, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10 retail product key (OEM keys will not work) not currently used to activate Windows on another PC, and click/tap on Next to activate Windows 11.
8 If you clicked on I don't have a product key in above, then select the Windows 11 edition you want to install, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshots below)
9 Check the I accept the Microsoft Software License Terms box, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
10 Click/tap on the Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) option. (see screenshot below)
11 Perform one of the following actions to select a drive or disk to install Windows 11 on: (see screenshots below)
- Delete all partitions on the Drive # (ex: Drive 0) you want to install Windows 11 until that Drive # shows only as one Unallocated Space, select the unallocated space, and click/tap on Next.
- Select a Primary or unallocated partition on a drive you want to install Windows 11, Delete the partition/volume if not already unallocated, click/tap on OK to confirm, and click/tap on Next.
12 The installation of Windows 11 will now begin. (see screenshots below)
During the installation process, your screen may flash and the computer will restart a few times.
13 Select your country or region (ex: "United States"), and click/tap on Yes. (see screenshot below)
14 Select the keyboard layout (ex: "US") you want, and click/tap on Yes. (see screenshot below)
15 Select Add layout or Skip depending on if you want to add a second keyboard layout or not. (see screenshot below)
16 Windows Setup will now check for an Internet connection. If an Internet connection is not detected, it will prompt you to connect and select an Ethernet network and/or (if available), and click/tap on Next. (see screenshots below)
If installing a Windows 11 Home edition with an Internet connection, see the note box under if you want to set up a local account instead of a Microsoft account.
If installing a Windows 11 Home edition and you currently do not have an Internet connection available, you can press the Alt + F4 keys to bypass not be able to continue Windows Setup without an Internet connection, and go to to set up a local account. (see top screenshot below)
If installing a Windows 11 Pro or Education edition and you currently do not have an Internet connection available, click/tap on I don't have Internet and Continue with limited setup, and go to to set up a local account. (see bottom two screenshots below)
17 Type a name you want for the PC, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
You can always at anytime if needed.
Your PC name cannot have more then 15 characters.
Your PC name cannot have spaces or any of the following special characters: " /\ [] : | <> + + ; , ?
18 If you are installing a Windows 11 Pro edition, select Set up for personal use (home PC) or Set up for work or school (domain) for how you would like to set up this device, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
You will not see this step if installing a Windows 11 Home edition. Go to instead.
If you are installing a Windows 11 Education edition, go directly to instead.
19 Go to the step below depending on if your want to set up a or to sign in to Windows 11 with.
This account will be an administrator account.
- Set up a Microsoft account
- Set up a local account
For more details about a Microsoft account, see:
A) Type in the email address for your Microsoft account, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshots below)
If you do not have a Microsoft account and would like to use one, click/tap on the Create one link to create a new Microsoft account.
B) Type in the password for your Microsoft account, and click/tap on Sign in. (see screenshot below)
C) If you have turned on for your Microsoft account, select how (ex: email or text) you would like to get a code sent to you. (see screenshots below)
D) Provide any other required information based on how you selected to get a code, and click/tap on Send code. (see screenshot below)
E) Enter the code you received from Microsoft, and click/tap on Verify. (see screenshot below)
F) Click/tap on Create PIN. (see screenshot below)
G) Enter a PIN you want to use to sign in with, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
H) Select Set up as new device, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
You can select to restore your settings, preferences, Microsoft Store apps, and synced OneDrive files from another device instead of setting up as a new device.
I) Turn On (default) or Off the privacy settings you want, and click/tap on Accept when finished. (see screenshots below)
J) Check all the ways you plan to use this device, and click/tap on Accept. (see screenshots below)
Click/tap on Skip instead if you do not want to select (check) any device usages.
K) Select Back up my files with OneDrive or Don't back up my files depending on if you want to use OneDrive or not, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshots below)
L) If prompted to "Try premium Office apps for free with Microsoft 365", click/tap on No, thanks or Try for free for what you want. (see screenshots below)
M) Go to .
21 To Set Up Windows 11 with a Local Account
For more details about a local account, see: :
A) Click/tap on the Sign-in options link. (see top 2 screenshots below)
If installing a Windows 11 Home edition with an Internet connection, follow the steps below instead: (see bottom 4 screenshots below)
1) Enter a fake email address (ex: "[email protected]"), click/tap on Next.
2) Enter a fake password, and click/tap on Sign in.
3) Click/tap on Next when you see Oops, something went wrong.
4) Select Don't sign in with a Microsoft account, and click/tap on Next
5) Go to .
B) Perform one of the following actions depending on which Windows 11 edition you are installing: (see screenshots below)
- If a Windows 11 Pro edition and you selected Set up for personal use at , click/tap on Offline account.
- If a Windows 11 Pro edition and you selected Set up for work or school at , click/tap on Domain join instead.
- If a Windows 11 Education edition, click/tap on Domain join instead.
C) Click/tap on the Skip for now link at the bottom. (see screenshot below)
D) Enter a user name you want for this local account, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
E) Enter a password you want for this local account, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
If you do not want this local account to have a password, leave the password field empty, click/tap on Next, and go to below.
F) Enter the password again to confirm, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
G) Select a security question (1 of 3) you want from the drop menu, type your answer, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
H) Select a security question (2 of 3) you want from the drop menu, type your answer, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
I) Select a security question (3 of 3) you want from the drop menu, type your answer, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
J) Turn On (default) or Off the privacy settings you want, and click/tap on Accept when finished. (see screenshots below)
22 When the clean install has finished, you will be on your desktop in Windows 11 with the Start menu open. (see screenshots below)
