How to Install Windows 11: The Clean-Install Guide for a New PC (USB, TPM, and the Steps After Setup)

CodexFuse Team · 2026-10-27T21:04:36.015Z · 15 min read

Install Windows 11 on a new PC from a bootable USB: check the requirements, make the installer with the Media Creation Tool, run Setup, and finish with activation and drivers.

Learning how to install Windows 11 on a new PC takes about an hour of your time, and most of that is waiting for files to download and copy. The clean install is the route Microsoft recommends when the PC has no working Windows at all, or when you want a completely fresh start with nothing carried over. You make a bootable USB drive with Microsoft's free Media Creation Tool, start the PC from that drive, and follow Windows Setup through a handful of screens. Before you touch anything, back up your files and save your BitLocker recovery key, because a clean install erases the drive it runs on. This guide walks through the whole job in order: the requirements check, the USB creation, the install itself, and the steps after setup, including activation and drivers. If your PC already runs Windows and you only want the latest version, our guide to update Windows 11 to the latest version is the faster route.

How Do I Install Windows 11 on a New PC?

To install Windows 11 on a new PC, create a bootable USB drive with Microsoft's Media Creation Tool, plug it into the new PC, boot from it, and choose Install Windows 11 in Setup. The whole job, in order, is:

  1. Check the PC meets the Windows 11 requirements: TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, 4 GB of RAM, and 64 GB of storage.
  2. Back up your files and save your BitLocker recovery key.
  3. Make a bootable USB drive of at least 8 GB with the Media Creation Tool on any working Windows PC.
  4. Boot the new PC from the USB drive and choose Install Windows 11.
  5. Delete the partitions on Disk 0, install to the unallocated space, and let Setup restart the PC.
  6. Sign in with the Microsoft account linked to your digital license, then check activation, updates, and drivers.

The rest of this guide explains each step, including the two places people most often get stuck: the boot menu key and the drive that does not show up in Setup.

Should I Clean Install, Upgrade, or Reset?

Pick the clean install when the PC has no working Windows, when you are installing on a brand-new drive, or when you want every trace of the old system gone. The other routes are faster when Windows still works, so match the method to your situation instead of defaulting to the USB.

Route When to use it What it keeps Needs a USB?
Clean install from USB New PC, new drive, or Windows will not start Nothing Yes
In-place reinstall from mounted ISO Windows runs and you want a fresh copy without wiping files Files and apps, your choice No
Reset this PC Windows runs and you want a fresh start on the same drive Nothing, if you choose Remove everything No
Windows Update upgrade A Windows 10 PC that qualifies for Windows 11 Everything No

Microsoft's own support page draws the same line: a clean install is the advanced option for starting fresh, while Reset this PC is the simpler choice when Windows still works and you only want a fresh start on the same drive. If Windows will not start at all, or you are installing on a new SSD, the USB clean install is the only route of the four that works, so the rest of this guide follows it. When Windows still runs and you only want a fresh start, our guide to factory reset Windows 11 covers the no-USB path.

Does My PC Meet the Windows 11 System Requirements?

Yes, if it clears every row of Microsoft's minimum list. TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are hard requirements, not recommendations, and Microsoft warns that installing on a PC that does not meet them is not recommended: the PC will no longer be supported and will not be entitled to receive updates. Run Microsoft's free PC Health Check app before you start. It tells you exactly which requirement fails, if any.

Requirement Windows 11 minimum
Processor 1 GHz or faster, 2 or more cores, 64-bit processor
RAM 4 GB
Storage 64 GB or larger
System firmware UEFI, Secure Boot capable
TPM Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
Graphics DirectX 12 compatible, WDDM 2.0 driver
Display Greater than 9 inches, HD (720p)
Internet and account Internet connection and a Microsoft account for setup of Windows 11 Home

Two notes from the requirements that catch people out. First, the Media Creation Tool only makes installation media for x64 processors, and the Installation Assistant does not run on Arm-based PCs. On an Arm laptop, such as a Snapdragon machine, use Microsoft's separate Arm64 ISO download page instead. Second, support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025, so a PC still running Windows 10 no longer gets free software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes from Microsoft. If the PC qualifies, moving it to Windows 11 is the supported path, and a one-year Extended Security Updates program exists for eligible Windows 10 PCs that need more time.

What Do I Need Before I Start?

Everything on this checklist is cheaper to do now than after the drive is wiped. Work through it in order and do not skip the BitLocker key: Microsoft Support cannot recover a lost one for you.

  • A blank USB drive of at least 8 GB. Everything on it will be deleted when the Media Creation Tool writes to it.
  • A working Windows PC to run the Media Creation Tool on. It does not have to be the PC you are installing on.
  • A backup of your files. Copy what you want to keep to an external hard drive, a second USB drive, or OneDrive. A clean install removes personal files, apps, settings, and manufacturer customizations. If you are short on room, our guide to free up disk space on Windows 11 helps you find what is taking the space before you decide what to keep.
  • Your BitLocker recovery key, saved somewhere safe. Many Windows 11 PCs use device encryption or BitLocker, and changing boot settings to start from a USB drive can trigger the recovery screen. If the key was saved to your Microsoft account, it is at aka.ms/myrecoverykey. It may also be in a work or school account, on a printout, or on a USB flash drive.
  • Your license and edition, noted down. Open Settings, then System, then Activation, and note the edition, Home or Pro, and whether activation shows a digital license or a product key. You must install the same edition to reactivate.
  • Internet access during setup. Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro for personal use need an internet connection and a Microsoft account during setup. An Ethernet cable is the easiest way. If you use Wi-Fi on a brand-new motherboard or laptop model, save the network driver from the manufacturer's support page to a second USB drive first, in case Setup does not recognize the Wi-Fi adapter.
  • A list of your apps and their logins. A clean install removes them all, so note down Microsoft 365, Adobe apps, games, VPN apps, and any license keys before you start.

One more check before you go on: if your digital license is not linked to your Microsoft account and you have no product key, do not proceed. Sign in with your Microsoft account in Windows first so the license is linked, or the PC may not reactivate after the reinstall.

How Do I Create the Windows 11 USB Installer?

Use Microsoft's Media Creation Tool. It downloads the current Windows 11 release, which is version 26H2, the Windows 11 2026 Update (build 26300), and writes it to your USB drive as bootable installation media. Download it only from Microsoft's own download page.

  1. On any working Windows PC, go to Microsoft's Download Windows 11 page and, under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, select Download Now.
  2. Run the Media Creation Tool. You need to be an administrator. Select Accept for the license terms.
  3. On the What do you want to do? page, select Create installation media for another PC, then select Next.
  4. Select the language, edition, and architecture (64-bit) for Windows 11. Choose the same language you will install with.
  5. Select USB flash drive, pick your drive, and select Next. The tool downloads Windows and creates the media. The download includes all the main editions. Your product key or digital license decides which edition activates.

The download is the longest part of the whole job, and its length depends on your connection. Once the tool finishes, the USB drive is your installer. Keep it somewhere safe: you can reuse it for another PC, and it is also the recovery media if Windows ever stops starting.

How Do I Boot From the USB and Run Windows Setup?

Plug the USB drive into the PC you want to install on, then start the PC from it. Most PCs have a boot menu key you press right after powering on, commonly F12, F11, F8, or Esc, but it varies by manufacturer, so check the PC or motherboard maker's support page if the usual keys do not work. Using the one-time boot menu is better than changing the boot order permanently: if you change the boot order and leave it, the PC can boot back to the Install Windows screen after setup finishes, and you will have to revert the change before the new Windows will start.

Once the PC starts from the USB drive, Windows 11 Setup opens. The current setup screens, per Microsoft's support page, run like this:

  1. In Select language settings, choose your language and localization settings, then select Next. In Select keyboard settings, choose your keyboard, then select Next.
  2. In Select setup option, select Install Windows 11, tick I agree everything will be deleted including files, apps, and settings, and select Next.
  3. If a Product key window appears, select I don't have a product key if the PC has a digital license, then choose the edition that was installed before in Select Image. The window may not appear at all if Setup finds a product key stored in the PC's firmware.
  4. In Applicable notices and license terms, select Accept.
  5. In Select location to install Windows 11, delete the partitions on Disk 0, then select the unallocated space. Do not change or delete partitions on any other disk. If the PC has other drives with data on them, disconnect them during setup if you can, so you cannot delete the wrong partitions by mistake.
  6. In Ready to install, check that it says Keep nothing, then select Install. The PC restarts several times.

Older installation media, and the Previous Version of Setup link on the first screen, use the older setup flow. There it asks Which type of installation do you want? Choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced), then pick the drive the same way. After the restarts, Windows asks for your region, keyboard, and network, then asks you to sign in. Sign in with the Microsoft account that is linked to your digital license, so the license applies to the device. If you made a Windows Backup, Setup offers to restore it. Restoring brings back your folders, settings, and app pins. If you want a fresh start without your old settings, set up as a new PC and copy only your files back later.

What If the Drive Does Not Show Up or Setup Will Not Boot?

Three failures cover almost every stuck install, and all three have a boring fix. Start with the cheapest one before you remake the USB drive.

The USB drive is not listed in the boot menu. Try a different USB port first, and try the other boot key for your maker. If the PC boots straight into the old Windows instead, it may not have fully shut down: on the sign-in screen or the Start menu, choose Shut down rather than Restart, then power on and press the boot key again. Microsoft also notes that if the USB device is not listed in the boot options, you may need the PC maker's instructions for temporarily disabling Secure Boot in the BIOS settings.

Setup says it cannot find a drive to install to. On new laptops this usually means Setup needs the storage driver for the disk controller. Get the driver from the laptop or motherboard maker's support page, put it on a second USB drive, and use the Load driver option in Setup. Microsoft's own guidance for the same situation is to check the PC manufacturer's website for how to change the boot order and for driver help.

Setup loops back to the Install Windows screen after the install finishes. This is the boot-order problem from the earlier section: remove the USB drive and set the boot order back so the internal drive boots first. The internal drive you just installed Windows on is the one that should boot.

If Setup reports that the PC cannot run Windows 11, run the PC Health Check app and read which requirement failed. TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot can often be switched on in the UEFI firmware settings, which is a normal setting change, not a bypass. If the processor itself is not on Microsoft's supported list, that PC cannot run Windows 11 in a supported way, and the honest options are to keep the current system or move to a PC that qualifies.

What Do I Do After Windows 11 Is Installed?

First, check activation. Go to Settings, then System, then Activation. Activation usually happens automatically once the PC is online, and you should see that Windows is activated with a digital license or a product key. If it is not activated, make sure you installed the same edition as before, then run the Activation troubleshooter on the same page or enter your product key with Change product key. If you changed the motherboard or other major hardware, use the troubleshooter to reactivate, because a significant hardware change can break the link between the license and the device.

Next, install updates and drivers. Open Settings, then Windows Update, select Check for updates, install everything, restart, and check again until nothing new appears. Windows Update installs drivers for most hardware automatically, and extra driver updates can appear under Windows Update, then Advanced options, then Optional updates. Install those only for hardware that is not working properly. For the graphics card, and for the chipset on a desktop you built yourself, get the latest drivers from the manufacturer's website, NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, or your PC or motherboard maker. Our guide to update drivers in Windows 11 covers the full check, including the Device Manager warning icons that mark hardware still missing a driver.

Then clean up the extras. Uninstall apps you do not want from Start, then All apps, right-click, Uninstall, or from Settings, then Apps, then Installed apps. Some apps are built into Windows and cannot be uninstalled, so leave those alone. Turn off startup apps in Settings, then Apps, then Startup, and turn off Start menu suggestions in Settings, then Personalization, then Start. Do not remove Microsoft Store, App Installer, Windows Security, Windows Update, or the Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime: other things depend on them.

A note on debloat tools, because they come up in every clean-install thread: tools such as WinUtil and Win11Debloat are popular open-source projects, but they are not made or supported by Microsoft, and they run as an administrator because they make system-wide changes. If you use one, create a restore point first, get the tool only from its official GitHub page, and never turn off Windows Update, Microsoft Defender, or the Microsoft Store. Never use activation scripts or KMS activators found online. They are not a genuine way to activate Windows, they break Microsoft's license terms, and they are a common way malware gets onto PCs.

When Windows is updated, activated, and set up the way you like it, create a restore point and run Windows Backup. If something goes wrong later, you can go back to this clean state instead of reinstalling again. And if files ever go missing after the install, our guide to recover deleted files on Windows 11 covers what can still be brought back.

Do I Need a Product Key or a New License?

No new license is needed if the PC was already activated with the same edition: the digital license comes back when you install the same edition and sign in with the linked Microsoft account. You need a license if you are installing Windows on a PC you built yourself, on a PC that never had Windows, or if you want to move from Home to Pro. If you buy a key, check the license type. Retail licenses can move to a new PC later. OEM licenses cost less, are intended for new PCs from a manufacturer or system builder, and stay with the first PC they activate on.

Can I Install Windows 11 Without TPM 2.0?

Not in a supported way. TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are hard requirements, and Microsoft's warning is plain: installing Windows 11 media on a PC that does not meet the minimum system requirements is not recommended and may result in compatibility issues, and if you proceed, that PC will no longer be supported and will not be entitled to receive updates. Damage to the PC due to lack of compatibility is not covered under the manufacturer warranty. This guide does not cover bypasses, because a bypass leaves you with an unsupported PC that stops getting updates, which is the opposite of a clean, safe install.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to install Windows 11 from a USB drive?

Plan for about an hour end to end on a typical home connection. The download is usually the longest part and depends on your connection speed. Once Setup starts, the install itself runs through several automatic restarts, and you should not turn the PC off while it is working.

Do I need a product key to install Windows 11?

No. If the PC has a digital license, choose I don't have a product key during Setup, install the same edition as before, and sign in with the Microsoft account linked to that license. Activation then happens automatically once the PC is online. If you have a product key, you can enter it during Setup or later in Settings, then System, then Activation.

Will a clean install delete everything on my PC?

Yes, on the drive you install to. A clean install removes personal files, apps, settings, and manufacturer customizations from that drive, which is why the backup and the BitLocker recovery key come before anything else. It does not touch other drives, as long as you only delete partitions on Disk 0 and leave the rest alone.

Can I install Windows 11 on a PC without TPM 2.0?

Not in a supported way. TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are hard requirements, and Microsoft warns that a PC that does not meet them will no longer be supported and will not be entitled to receive updates. Check the UEFI firmware settings first, because TPM and Secure Boot can often be switched on there.

What is the difference between a clean install and Reset this PC?

A clean install from USB gives you full control over the drive and its partitions, works when Windows will not start, and is the way to install Windows on a new SSD. Reset this PC, in Settings, then System, then Recovery, is simpler when Windows still works and you only want a fresh start on the same drive.