How to Download and Install Windows 11? (Complete Guide)

Microsoft has released Windows 11 Version 25H2 for existing Windows 11 and compatible Windows 10 devices running version 2004 and later. Windows 11 version 25H2 is available for download as an “optional enablement package” and can be installed via Windows Update or the Windows 11 Update Assistant. Also, Windows 11 ISO files are available for download to install the OS from scratch. With the latest release, Microsoft adds several new features and changes to the Windows 11 update (25H2). Some of the highlighted ones include AI actions in File Explorer, a new Copilot+ PC feature called “Click to Do,” and support for Wi-Fi 7 enterprise access points. It also brings user experience improvements like an updated lock screen with customizable widgets and the “Windows Backup for Organizations” feature to streamline PC migration and more. Here is How to Download and Install Windows 11 Version 25H2 on your Device.

How to Download Windows 11 25H2 Update

In short, you can download and install Windows 11 25H2 by heading to Settings > Windows Update, turning on Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available, and clicking Check for updates.

Also, you can use the official installation assistant to upgrade existing Windows 11 or compatible Windows 10 to Windows 11 version 25H2.

Windows 11 version 25H2 Highlights:

It’s Free: Windows 11 2025 update 25H2 is a free update
Version and build: Windows 11 version 25H2 (OS Build 26200.6899)
Windows 11 25H2 size: Its ISO is around 7.2 GB. It offers a small enablement package (600 MB) for existing Windows 11 users. For Windows 10 users it downloads a complete package of around 3 to 4 GB.
Also for Windows 10: It brings the Windows 11 25H2 update, but only for Windows 10 version 2004 and later users. Make sure your device meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11.
Get it immediately: If you want to install the Windows 11 25H2 update immediately, you have three different options. Windows 11 Installation Wizard, Check for Windows 11 update or Windows 11 25H2 ISO file.

Here are different ways to download and install the Windows 11 25H2 update right now on your computer.

Windows update

The official way to download Windows 11 version 25H2 “Windows 11 2025 Update,” is to check for the Windows update and wait for the notification “Windows 11 version 25H2 is available.”

Press the Windows key + X and select Settings,
Choose Windows Update from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen and hit the check for updates button.
If Windows updates are pending there allow them to install on your device, and you need to reboot your PC to apply them.
After your computer reboots, again go to Windows Update on settings and check if the Windows 11 version 25H2 is available
If you find any notification, click on the download & install button next to it.

Make sure to keep your PC on and plugged in during the installation.

This will download Windows 11 25H2 update files from the Microsoft server and install them automatically on your device.
The download and install time may take 5 to 10 minutes, depending on your internet speed.
If you are upgrading a Windows 10 device, it will download the full package and take longer time to download and install.
Once done, it will prompt restart your device to apply the changes and you will present the brand new Windows 11 desktop.

For Windows 10 devices

If you have a Windows 10 computer running version 2004 and later, and meet Windows 11 minimum system requirements, then you can download or upgrade to the Windows 11 25H2 update by following the steps below.

Press the Windows key + X and select Settings,
Go to Windows Update & Security, then Windows Update and hit the check for updates button.
If you see a notification “Windows 11 version 25H2 is ready – and it’s free!“, click Download and Install Now.
Read the license agreement and click on Accept and Install to download the Windows 11 25H2 update on your device.
Again, it’s a big update download, around 7 GB of files from the Microsoft server, and installing them on your device and takes more than 30 minutes to complete.

Windows 11 installation assistant

Well, if the Windows 11 version 25H2 won’t show on your device, you can force upgrade using the Windows 11 installation assistant. You can also use this tool to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11.

This is the best option for installing Windows 11 on the device you’re currently using

First, visit the Windows 11 official download page here, and click on Download Now next to Windows 11 installation assistant.

Now right-click on the installer, select run as Administrator, and click yes if UAC prompts for permission.
Wait for the Installation assistant to check your system for Windows 11 compatibility
When the license screen prompts, click Accept and Install to proceed.

This will start downloading Windows 11 update files from the Microsoft server, automatically verify the download and install them on your device.

Once the installation is ready, the computer will need to restart to apply the new version and changes.

Click restart when you are ready or it will automatically restart after 30 minutes. (You have the option to restart later as well.)

The upgrade process may take 15 – 30 minutes to apply the new version. Once ready, you will present the lock screen. Log in using your user credentials and the brand new Windows 11 version 25H2 is ready for you.

Also, you can use the Windows 11 media creation tool to create a bootable USB drive, or use the Windows 11 25H2 update ISO to install it from scratch.

Turn On TPM 2.0 Feature

TPM 2.0 is a must for Windows 11, and Microsoft is not going to give up on it. In this context, you need to enable TPM 2.0 to install the operating system.

Installing Windows 11 from a USB

We will first discuss how to create a bootable Windows 11 USB drive, then how to install Windows 11 on your PC from scratch.

Creating a Windows 11 Bootable USB

We will use Rufus to create a bootable Windows 11 USB because it is simple to use. The first step is to download the official Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft’s website.

First, plug the USB flash drive into your computer. Next, launch Rufus and it will automatically select the USB device.
Now, click “Choose” and choose the Windows 11 ISO image.

We recommend running Rufus on the computer on which you want to install Windows 11. This allows Rufus to automatically preselect the correct values based on your system configuration.

If you are creating the bootable USB on another computer, we recommend checking the partition scheme of the target machine beforehand.
Press the “Windows + X” keyboard shortcut and open Disk Management.
Here, right-click on “Disk 0” and open “Properties”.
Next, switch to “Volumes” and check the Partition style, whether it’s GPT or MBR. For example, ours is MBR.

- Note: Since upgrading to Windows 11 requires the GPT partition style, you can learn how to convert MBR to GPT disk without data loss from our linked article. Since we will do a zero installation in this guide, you can back up your data and format it on the setup screen.
Rufus will automatically select “GPT” under ” partition layout “, which is what it should be. MBR is old technology and has limitations. You should not use it.

Finally, do not change any settings and click “START”. After the flashing is complete, close Rufus and insert the Windows 11 USB stick into the target machine.

Windows 11 Clean Install (Format)

To install Windows 11 from USB, you must restart your computer. You will have to keep pressing the boot key as your PC boots up. Note: On most laptop or desktop computers, pressing the “F8” key during boot opens the Boot menu.
After selecting the USB stick with Windows 11 in it, you will arrive at the Windows 11 installation screen. After selecting the language and region here, follow the Next > Install now steps.

On the next screen, Windows 11 will ask you for the product key. You can also enter your product key later. You can continue by saying “I don’t have a product key ”. Windows 11 will be installed as a trial version as it is.

You may then be prompted to select the Windows 11 version. If you are using a Windows-enabled laptop, the version may be selected automatically based on your previous configuration. This is usually the Windows 11 Home Single Language (SL) version. However, it should be noted that you can choose different versions on this screen:
- Windows 11 Home
- Windows 11 Home Single Language
- Windows 11 Education
- Windows 11 Pro
- Windows 11 Pro Education
- Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
Now click on “Custom”. It allows you to install Windows 11 on a specific drive.
When you come to the disk partitioning page;
If you have backed up your files to an external disk, after deleting all partitions, you can select the disk that has been created and click Next to start the installation process.
If you have trouble erasing the disk, you can use the Diskpart tool. Diskpart will also fix the MBR issue.
If you want to install without erasing your disk, you can directly select the C drive (you guessed it by its size) and say Next . All your files will be moved to Windows.old folder and you will still have a clean Windows 11.
If you want to create C and D drive :
- - Delete all partitions first.
  - Select Unallocated Space and say New . Specify a size for the C drive.
  - Select the ascending section and say New to it and confirm. That drive will be your D drive.
Finally, Windows 11 will be installed on your PC from USB.
Your PC will reboot automatically after installation. You will be greeted with the brand new first welcome screen (OOBE) of Windows 11.
If you are using Windows 11 Home during installation, you cannot create an offline account. You must have an active internet connection to sign in to your Microsoft account. Yep, that’s one of the ridiculous system requirements that comes with Windows 11. However, if you have selected other versions of Windows 11, you can use the offline route: Login Options -> Offline Account -> Limited experience.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Windows 11 from the USB drive on your computer. Now try all the new Windows 11 features on your computer. A new centered start menu, redesigned Microsoft Store with Android app support, widgets, a new action center, voice typing, and much more are available in Windows 11.

What’s new on the Windows 11 25H2 update?

The Windows 11 25H2 update introduces several new features and enhancements focused on improving security, network management, and overall user experience.

AI actions in File Explorer: Right-click an image to perform actions like visual search with Bing, blur or erase backgrounds, or remove the background.
Click to Do: An AI feature for Copilot+ PCs that adds action tags and can summarize content directly in the context menu.
Agent in Settings: A Copilot+ PC feature that provides direct navigation links from search results to the relevant settings page.
Windows Backup for Organizations: Helps with quick machine recovery and streamlines the transfer of files and settings to a new PC.
Improved Copilot app: Features a new homepage with recent conversations and Microsoft Store integration for AI-powered agents.
Wi-Fi 7 support: Adds support for Wi-Fi 7 enterprise access points for faster speeds, better reliability, and security.
Data protection dialogues: Offers more transparency for users when applications access their data.
Enhanced administrator protection: Provides an extra layer of security for administrators to prevent unauthorized system changes.
Taskbar pinning improvements: IT admins can now apply taskbar pinning policies without needing to restart explorer.exe.
Remove preinstalled apps: Admins have the ability to remove certain preinstalled Microsoft Store apps using policies.

The 25H2 update also includes improvements in system management capabilities, better battery life, new context menu actions in File Explorer, and enhanced adaptive brightness settings, making Windows 11 more efficient and user-friendly.

Robeg

I am Robeg founder of this blog. My qualification. completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). With a strong background in computer applications love write articles on Microsoft Windows (11, 10, etc.) Cybersecurity, WordPress and more.