Installation and Upgrade Download Official Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft

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This tutorial will show you how to download an official Windows Server or Windows 11 64-bit or ARM64 ISO file from Microsoft.

Microsoft provides ISO files for Windows Server and Windows 11 to download. You can use these ISO files to clean install or in-place upgrade Windows 11.


The Flight Hub can also help you keep updated on which Windows 11 builds have an ISO available.



Contents

  • Option One: Download Latest Windows 11 64-bit ISO using Media Creation Tool (MCT)
  • Option Two: Download Windows 11 64-bit or ARM64 ISO from Microsoft
  • Option Three: Download Windows 11 Insider 64-bit ISO from Microsoft
  • Option Four: Download Windows Server Insider ISO from Microsoft
  • Option Five: Download Windows 11 64-bit or ARM64 ISO or Windows Server ISO from UUP Dump


See also:

Windows Server 2025 | Microsoft Evaluation Center

Windows Server 2025 delivers next-generation security improvements, and hybrid cloud capabilities into a modernized and future ready platform.
www.microsoft.com www.microsoft.com




Option One

Download Latest Windows 11 64-bit ISO using Media Creation Tool (MCT)


This will be for a Windows 11 Version 25H2 build 26200.8457 ISO file with install.esd.


1 Click/tap on the Download button below, and click/tap on the Download Now button at Microsoft's site for Create Windows 11 Installation Media. (see screenshot below)


Windows_11_MCT-1.png

2 Save the mediacreationtool.exe file version 10.0.26100.7019 to your desktop, and run it.

Windows_11_MCT-2.webp

3 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.

4 Click/tap on Accept for the license terms. (see screenshot below)

Windows_11_MCT-3.png

5 Uncheck the Use the recommended options for this PC box. (see screenshot below)

Leaving the Use the recommended options for this PC box checked will have the Media Creation Tool download an ISO that's the same language, edition, and architecture as the current PC.


Windows_11_MCT-4.png

6 Select the Language and Edition you want for the ISO file, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

The Windows 11 option includes both the Home and Pro editions. The product key you enter during installation (Windows Setup) is what determines which edition gets installed.

Your digital license or product key determines if Home or Pro gets installed during Windows Setup.

If you skip entering a product key during Windows Setup, then you will be prompted to select to install the Home or Pro edition.


Windows_11_MCT_x.png

7 Select (dot) ISO file, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

Windows_11_MCT-5.png

8 Select where you would like to save the ISO file to, type in a name you want for the ISO file, and click/tap on Save. (see screenshot below)

Windows_11_MCT-6.png

9 The Windows 11 ISO file will now begin to download. (see screenshot below)

Windows_11_MCT-7.png

10 When the download has finished, click/tap on the link where you selected to save the ISO file at to open that location, and click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)

Windows_11_MCT-8.png




Option Two

Download Windows 11 64-bit or ARM64 ISO from Microsoft


This will be for a Windows 11 Version 25H2 build 26200.8037 ISO file with install.wim.


1 Click/tap on the Download button below for the 64-bit or ARM64 ISO you want to download.

64-bit ISO​

OR​

ARM64 ISO​

2 Perform the appropriate action below for 64-bit or ARM64: (see screenshots below)
  • Select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices) in the Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices drop menu, and click/tap on Confirm
  • Select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for Arm64) in the drop menu, and click/tap on Download Now.
Download_W11_ISO-1.png
Windows11_ARM_ISO.png

3 Select the language (ex: "English") you want, and click/tap on Confirm. (see screenshot below)

Download_W11_ISO-2.png

4 Click/tap on the 64-bit Download or Download Now (ARM64) button. (see screenshots below)

Download_W11_ISO-3.png
Windows11_ARM_ISO-download_now.png

5 Navigate to and select where (ex: "Desktop") you want to save the ISO file, and click/tap on Save. (see screenshot below)

Download_W11_ISO-4.png




Option Three

Download Windows 11 Insider 64-bit ISO from Microsoft


www.elevenforum.com

Microsoft improving your Windows Insider experience for Windows 11

Windows Insider Blog: Hello Windows Insiders, Today is the day we’re beginning to move to the new Experimental and Beta channels as announced earlier this month. As a reminder, most Insiders, those who are in the Dev and Beta channels today will transition to the new channels over time as...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com

1 Click/tap on the Download button below to go to the Windows Insider Preview Downloads site by Microsoft below,


2 Scroll down to the Select edtion section, and select the Windows 11 Insider Preview Canary, Dev, Beta, or Release Preview Channel ISO for the build number you want, and click/tap on Confirm. (see screenshots below)

ISO_download.webp
confirm.png

3 Select the language (ex: "English") you want, and click/tap on Confirm. (see screenshot below)

language.png

4 Click/tap on the 64-bit Download button. (see screenshot below)

Download.png

5 Navigate to and select where (ex: "Desktop") you want to save the ISO file, and click/tap on Save. (see screenshot below)

Save.png




Option Four

Download Windows Server Insider ISO from Microsoft


1 Click/tap on the Download button below to go to the Windows Insider Preview Downloads site by Microsoft below,


2 Select the Windows Server VNext Preview ISO for the build number you want, and click/tap on Confirm. (see screenshots below)

W11_Server_Insider-1.webp
W11_Server_Insider-2.png

3 Select the language (ex: "English") you want, and click/tap on Confirm. (see screenshot below)

W11_Server_Insider-3.png

4 Click/tap on the Download Now button. (see screenshot below)

W11_Server_Insider-4.png

5 Navigate to and select where (ex: "Desktop") you want to save the ISO file, and click/tap on Save. (see screenshot below)

W11_Server_Insider-5.png




Option Five

Download Windows 11 64-bit or ARM64 ISO or Windows Server ISO from UUP Dump


You can download an ISO for public and Insider builds using this option.


1 Using the tutorial below, search for and select the Windows version and build ISO you want to download.

www.elevenforum.com

UUP Dump - Download Windows Insider ISO

UUP Dump is the most practical and easy way to get ISO images of any Insider Windows 10 or Windows 11 version, as soon as Microsoft has released a new build. UUP Dump creates a download configuration file according to your choices, downloads necessary files directly from Microsoft servers, and...
www.elevenforum.com www.elevenforum.com


That's it,
Shawn Brink


Related Tutorials

 
Last edited:
Click to expand...
Are you expecting me to bother downloading the thing?

I might have to since I am not getting the answers
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win7,Win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-9700
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x16gb 3600mhz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    benq gw2480
    PSU
    bequiet pure power 11 400CM
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Operating System
    win7,win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200
    PSU
    xfx pro 450
SIW2 said:
Are you expecting me to bother downloading the thing?

I might have to since I am not getting the answers
Click to expand...
I think you should download and test. Nobody else seem to pay attention to the bugs. 🤷‍♂️

1780355260246.webp
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
29599.1000 winre.wim

Captured_000-winre.webp
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win7,Win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-9700
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x16gb 3600mhz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    benq gw2480
    PSU
    bequiet pure power 11 400CM
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Operating System
    win7,win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200
    PSU
    xfx pro 450
boot.wim 29599.1000 recenv.exe same error messages as before claiming missing unbcl.dll then missing wlanapi.dll

will give this a whirl after I have had me cuppa char

rename recovery folder in boot.wim 2 to recovery-original and copy in recovery folder from winre.wim

replace-recovery folder.webp
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win7,Win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-9700
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x16gb 3600mhz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    benq gw2480
    PSU
    bequiet pure power 11 400CM
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Operating System
    win7,win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200
    PSU
    xfx pro 450

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
The winre.wim I tested is this. I dont know what you have got.

winre-2599.100-info.webp
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win7,Win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-9700
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x16gb 3600mhz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    benq gw2480
    PSU
    bequiet pure power 11 400CM
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Operating System
    win7,win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200
    PSU
    xfx pro 450
with recovery folder transferred from winre.wim the same two error messages

after copying unbcl and wlanapi into system32

those two errors do not appear but get another one the application is unable start correctly

MS have made a horlicks of it in boot.wim

In addition the resolution in boot.wim seems to default to 1080. Very annoying

winre.wim resolution is much better coz things are bigger
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win7,Win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-9700
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x16gb 3600mhz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    benq gw2480
    PSU
    bequiet pure power 11 400CM
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Operating System
    win7,win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200
    PSU
    xfx pro 450
SIW2 said:
The winre.wim I tested is this. I dont know what you have got.

View attachment 173174
Click to expand...
What command did you use to show that.
I can compare the USB built from uup-dump versus the one from Microsoft insider to see if there is any difference.
The one from uup-dump behaves like yours, the one from Microsoft just reboots to the main OS and skips all the menus.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
I use wimlb
%WimLib% info "%wimpath%" %indno%

which means

path_to_wimlib-imagex.exe INFO path_to_wim INDEX NUMBER
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win7,Win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-9700
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x16gb 3600mhz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    benq gw2480
    PSU
    bequiet pure power 11 400CM
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Operating System
    win7,win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200
    PSU
    xfx pro 450
These are the menus that show up when I hit Shift + Restart on an installed 29599.1000. They skip the 1st menu for "Choose your keyboard layout".
The installation media built from Microsoft insider ISO file, just skips the whole thing and reboots to the main OS. The one Built from uup-dump still has the "Choose your keyboard layout" and all the other menus that come after it. 🤷‍♂️😵‍💫

1780362353672.webp


1780362386629.webp


1780362423406.webp

1780362464802.webp
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
SIW2 said:
I use wimlb
%WimLib% info "%wimpath%" %indno%

which means

path_to_wimlib-imagex.exe INFO path_to_wim INDEX NUMBER
Click to expand...
Sorry, I'm not familiar with that command.
I will have to find some explanation on how to use it. 🤷‍♂️
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
The installation media built from Microsoft insider ISO file, just skips the whole thing and reboots to the main OS. The one Built from uup-dump still has the "Choose your keyboard layout" and all the other menus that come after it.
Click to expand...

Yes the iso I have has broken recenv in boot.wim. Presuambly the insider iso the same

I dont know waht the uup thing is. Maybe it includes an update that fixed it.

what is the info for your boot.wim image 2 where recenv works

doesnt work in the one below

bootwim-25999.1000.webp
 
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win7,Win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-9700
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x16gb 3600mhz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    benq gw2480
    PSU
    bequiet pure power 11 400CM
    Cooling
    cryorig m9i
  • Operating System
    win7,win11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i5-8400
    Motherboard
    gigabyte b365m ds3h
    Memory
    2x8gb 3200
    PSU
    xfx pro 450
SIW2 said:
Yes the insider iso has a broken recenv in boot.wim

I dont know waht the uup thing is. Maybe it includes an update that fixed it.
Click to expand...
No, the uup-dump simply does not include the changes that remove the 1st menu "Choose your keyboard layout" and the bugs that Microsoft added with those changes, that is why it still works as it used to.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
SIW2 said:
Yes the iso I have has broken recenv in boot.wim. Presuambly the insider iso the same

I dont know waht the uup thing is. Maybe it includes an update that fixed it.

what is the info for your boot.wim image 2 where recenv works

doesnt work in the one below

View attachment 173180
Click to expand...
As for the WinRe.wim:
This is the info I get for the Microsoft insider WinRE.wim and the second one is from the one built from uup-dump, they look the same. So, the difference must be somewhere else. Perhaps in Boot.wim as you pointed out. 🤷‍♂️

1780364800738.webp


1780365100477.webp
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
SIW2 said:
Yes the iso I have has broken recenv in boot.wim. Presuambly the insider iso the same

I dont know waht the uup thing is. Maybe it includes an update that fixed it.

what is the info for your boot.wim image 2 where recenv works

doesnt work in the one below

View attachment 173180
Click to expand...

Here are the 2 Boot.wim files from MS insider versus the one from uup-dump. They are clearly different. 😵‍💫
The MS one fails and just boots the main OS, the one from uup-dump works fine and still shows the menu "Choose your keyboard layout" before the other options.
1780367434448.webp


1780368275163.webp
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
@SIW2,

Look at the different sizes of boot.wim from the MS insider ISO and the uup-dump ISO, same Builld number.

1) From Microsoft Insider ISO 29599.1000:
1780385609202.webp


2) From uup-dump ISO 29599.1000:
1780385507435.webp
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
F.Y.I.
I could eliminate the problem in the installation media created from the Microsoft insider ISO, which reboots to the main OS instead of loading the Recovery menus.
I replaced the boot.wim in the sources folder with the boot.wim created with the uup-dump ISO, which does not yet contain the latest changes that include the elimination of the "Choose my keyboard layout" menu and other modifications.
I can now hit "Repair my PC" and get to the recovery menus correctly.
Microsoft needs to fix this bug that is now common to multiple builds including the latest MCT 26200.8457. 😵‍💫🤷‍♂️

The boot.wim inside the Microsoft Insider ISO 29599.1000 is missing the entire WinRE feature stack. Comparing the Microsoft boot.wim to the UUP‑dump boot.wim shows that the Microsoft version lacks WinPE‑Rejuv, WinPE‑SRT, WinPE‑Troubleshooting, WinPE‑StorageWMI, WinPE‑HTA, WinPE‑NetFx, WinPE‑PowerShell, WinPE‑FMAPI, WinPE‑UpdateOrchestrator, WinPE‑FontSupport‑WinRE, WinPE‑WiFi, WinPE‑DismCmdlets, WinPE‑OpcServices, WinPE‑AppxDeployment, WinPE‑AppxPackaging, WinPE‑SecureBootCmdlets, WinPE‑PlatformId, and many others.

This results in a ~195 MB size difference and causes Winload.efi to fail to launch WinRE, silently rebooting instead of showing the recovery UI.

Replacing the Microsoft boot.wim with the UUP‑dump boot.wim restores full WinRE functionality.

Join Windows Insider – Get early access to Windows 11 features & updates

Join the Windows Insider Program to preview Windows features, provide feedback, and shape what's coming next to Windows.
aka.ms
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell XPS 8930
    CPU
    Intel I9-9900K
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA RTX 2060
    Sound Card
    NVIDIA High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    4k Samsung
    Screen Resolution
    3840 x 2160
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe, ADATA SU 800, 2TB HDD
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