How to Download and Install Windows 11 From an ISO File

If you are interested in testing the Insiders preview version of Windows 11, you can use an ISO file to install the operating system. This file lets you install the OS wherever you want it to be, whether you have a dedicated computer, dual-boot system, or virtual machine. Microsoft finally released the ISO file for Windows 11 Insiders Preview. You can now download it and store it so that it is always accessible. Here’s how.

Microsoft has increased the system requirements for Windows 11. If you have any problems installing or running Windows 11, please let us know. To run the new operating system, you will need a TPM chip installed on your computer. This may require you to go into your BIOS to turn your PC on.

Download and Install Windows 11 From an ISO File

Register for Windows Insider Program

To gain access to the Windows 11 ISO files, you must be part of Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program. If you have not already registered for this program, you will need to do so. You will need a Microsoft account to join the program. Sign in to the Windows Insider page with the Microsoft account that you want.

Check the box on the registration page to agree to these terms and click Register Now. To learn more about Insider programs, click on the Flight Now button.

ISO File Download

Next, you will need to download the ISO file. Sign in to your Microsoft account for Insider programs and browse the Windows Insider Preview downloads page. Scroll down to select the edition section. Click the drop-down menu to access Select edition.

You can choose from the Windows 11 Insider Preview channel (Dev Channel) or the Windows 11 Insider Preview channel (Beta Channel). Although the Dev channel has the most recent features and updates for Windows 11, it may be less stable. The Beta channel has features and updates that Microsoft has already polished and is stabler.

The Dev channel is for you if you plan to use Windows 11 in an environment that allows you to test it, wish to have the most recent features, and are willing to accept a few bugs. It might better suit the Beta channel for you. If you want to test both the Dev channel and the Beta channel, you can download two ISO files. Select the channel that interests you and click on Confirm.

Next, choose the product language and click Confirm. Click Download button to choose the language and build you want, and then save the file. After the file is downloaded, you will be able to use the ISO file in various ways.

Option 1: Create a Virtual Machine

If you plan to install Windows 11 on a virtual machine, you can use the ISO file directly. Two VM products were accessible to me with Windows 11: Oracle VM VirtualBox and VMware Workstation Player. VMware Workstation was able to accept the Windows 11 Preview Edition without any problems. Oracle VM VirtualBox did have some issues, but I could get it to work after some tweaking. VMware Workstation Player will likely provide a more straightforward out-of-box experience.

VMware Workstation Player will ask you for the name and location of your installer disk image file when you create your virtual machine. Browse to the location where you downloaded Windows 11 ISO files. Click Next and Follow the steps to install Windows 11 on the VM.

Option 2: Install the file directly

To install Windows 11 directly on your computer from an ISO file, first, mount the file. Open File Explorer in Windows 10 and 8.1. Right-click the Windows 11 ISO file to mount it from the popup menu.

Sometimes, a third-party application disables the built-in Mount command to prevent it from showing up in the menu. To revive the command, you will need to reset your default application. Windows 10: Go to Settings > Apps>> Default Apps, and scroll down to the bottom. Click on the link to set defaults for each app. Click the Windows Disc Image Burner app from the list and click Manage.

Right-click the ISO file to open file Explorer. Now, the Mount command should appear in your menu. The Mount command will open a virtual drive in the File Explorer sidebar. From this virtual drive, you can install the software. This virtual drive holds the setup.exe file.

Double-click the file to install Windows 11. After you are done, right-click the virtual drive and choose the Eject command. It will remove the virtual drive, but your ISO file will remain intact. Please change the default app for.iso to Windows Explorer by clicking on it.

Also check: Seeing ‘This PC Can’t Run Windows 11’ Error? Learn How To Fix?

Option 3: Copy the ISO File to a Disc or USB Drive

To install Windows 11 on any machine, you can burn the ISO file to a DVD. The Windows 11 ISO file is larger than 5GB, so it will not fit a standard DVD. You’d need to use a double-layer DVD (DL), which can hold 8.5GB of data as long as it supports these discs. If your computer has a Bluray drive, you can also use a Bluray disc.

In your disc drive, insert a blank Blu-ray or DVD. Open File Explorer, and right-click the ISO file. Select the Burn disc image command from the popup menu. Windows Disc Image Burner tool opens. It should point to your Bluray or DVD drive. Click Burn.

Depending on your settings, you can then insert your program automatically from the disc by either placing it on a drive or double-clicking on the setup file as shown in File Explorer.

A free Microsoft tool, Windows USB/DVD Download Tool, is a great way to burn ISO files onto discs or copy them to USB. The program copies the ISO file to a USB or disc, making it bootable. This is useful if Windows 11 is installed on a new computer or in a dual-boot configuration. Microsoft no longer provides this utility, but it is still available at FileHippo, Major Geeks, and other websites.

After you download the Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool-Installer.exe file:

Right-click on it and choose the Run as Administrator option.
After the installation is completed, launch the tool.
Browse to the ISO file that you want to burn or copy.
Click Next and choose from either a USB device or a DVD.

The next screen will ask you to insert your USB media. Make sure you choose the correct USB drivers for your computer if more than one USB drive. To copy the file to the drive, click Begin Copying.

If data is still on the USB drive, it will be deleted. To make space for Windows files, click on the Erase USB Drive button. Once the files are copied, the tool will inform you that it has successfully created the Bootable USB drive. The program can be installed using your USB device.

If you choose a DVD, insert a blank dual-layer/double-layer DVD or a Blu-ray disc into your drive and click Begin burning. Once the DVD is successfully burned, the tool will notify you. Now you can use the bootable DVD to install it.