How to Clean Install Windows 11: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

1. Backup Your Important Data

This is non-negotiable. A clean install erases everything on your system drive. Make sure you've backed up:

• Documents, photos, videos, and downloads
• Browser bookmarks and saved passwords (export from your browser)
• Game saves (check each game's save location)
• Application settings and configurations
• Email data if using a desktop client
• Any files on the Desktop folder

2. Have Your Windows 11 Product Key Ready

You'll need a valid product key to activate Windows 11 after installation. If you're reinstalling on a PC that already had Windows 11 activated with a digital license, Windows should automatically reactivate after installation when connected to the internet.

Don't have a key yet? You can get a genuine Windows 11 Pro license key for instant activation.

3. Check System Requirements

Make sure your PC meets Windows 11's requirements:

• Processor: 1 GHz or faster with 2+ cores (64-bit)
• RAM: 4 GB minimum (8 GB+ recommended)
• Storage: 64 GB minimum free space
• TPM: Version 2.0
• Secure Boot capable UEFI firmware
• Graphics: DirectX 12 compatible with WDDM 2.0 driver

Step 1: Boot from USB

1. 1Insert your bootable USB drive
2. 2Restart your PC
3. 3Press the boot menu key during startup (usually F12, F11, Esc, or Del—varies by manufacturer)
4. 4Select your USB drive from the boot menu
5. 5If you see 'Press any key to boot from USB', do it quickly!

Step 2: Initial Setup

1. 1Select your language, time format, and keyboard layout
2. 2Click 'Install now'
3. 3Enter your product key or click 'I don't have a product key' to activate later
4. 4If prompted, select your Windows 11 edition (Home or Pro)
5. 5Accept the license terms

Step 3: Choose Installation Type

This is the crucial decision point:

Step 4: Partition Your Drive

Now you'll see a list of drives and partitions. For a truly clean install:

1. 1Identify your system drive (usually the largest one, or where Windows was installed)
2. 2Delete all partitions on that drive by selecting each and clicking 'Delete'
3. 3Select the resulting 'Unallocated Space'
4. 4Click 'New' to create a partition (or just click Next and Windows will create partitions automatically)
5. 5Select the primary partition and click 'Next'

Step 5: Let Windows Install

Now sit back and let Windows do its thing:

• Windows copies files to your drive
• Installs features and updates
• Restarts several times (this is normal)
• Completes the final configuration

This typically takes 15-30 minutes depending on your hardware speed.

Step 6: Initial Windows Setup (OOBE)

After installation, you'll go through the Out-of-Box Experience:

1. 1Select your country/region
2. 2Choose your keyboard layout
3. 3Connect to Wi-Fi (you can skip this for a local account)
4. 4Name your PC
5. 5Sign in with a Microsoft account or create a local account
6. 6Set up a PIN for Windows Hello
7. 7Configure privacy settings (review each option!)
8. 8Choose your preferred settings for Cortana, location, etc.

1. Activate Windows

If you haven't already, activate Windows with your product key:

1. 1Go to Settings > System > Activation
2. 2Click 'Change product key'
3. 3Enter your 25-character product key
4. 4Click Next and wait for activation

2. Install Drivers

Windows 11 installs basic drivers automatically, but for best performance:

• Visit your PC manufacturer's website for latest drivers
• Install GPU drivers from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel's website
• Check for chipset drivers
• Update audio and network drivers if needed

3. Run Windows Update

Get the latest security patches and features:

1. 1Go to Settings > Windows Update
2. 2Click 'Check for updates'
3. 3Install all available updates
4. 4Restart when prompted
5. 5Repeat until no more updates are available

4. Install Your Applications

Now reinstall the software you need. Pro tip: Consider using a package manager like winget or Chocolatey to batch-install multiple applications at once.