Microsoft has made it easier for you to experience Windows 11 through the Windows Insider Program. You can easily upgrade to Windows 11 from Windows 10 through the Dev channel without having to set up everything manually. In fact, Windows Insider Beta users can now also receive Windows 11 updates seamlessly. But having said that, if you are someone who likes to clean install Windows, then flashing Windows 11 from USB would be a good option. That means you will have no temporary or leftover files, resulting in a faster and smoother experience. So if you want to install Windows 11 from USB, follow the step-by-step guide below.

First, we have mentioned how to create a Windows 11 bootable USB and then how to fresh install Windows 11 on your PC. You can expand the table below and move to the relevant section.

  • Create a Windows 11 Bootable USB
  • Clean Install Windows 11 From a Bootable USB

Create a Windows 11 Bootable USB

We are going to use Rufus to create a Windows 11 bootable USB as it’s simple to use. In case you find Rufus needlessly complex, you can find other Rufus alternatives from our list. Your first task is to download the Windows 11 ISO image officially from Microsoft’s website. Use the linked article for the steps to get the Windows 11 ISO file. Now having said all of that, let’s learn how to create a bootable USB for Windows 11.

  1. If you are creating the bootable USB on another computer, I would suggest you check 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”. Then, switch to “Volumes” and check the Partition style, whether it’s GPT or MBR. For example, mine is GPT.

Clean Install Windows 11 From a Bootable USB

  1. To install Windows 11 from USB, you need to restart your computer. As your PC boots up, you will have to start pressing the boot key continuously.

  2. You will now boot into the Windows 11 installer setup. Click on Next -> Install Now.

  3. Now, click on “Custom“. It allows you to install Windows 11 on a specific drive. This way, you will not have to erase the whole disk.

  4. Finally, Windows 11 will be installed from the USB to your PC.

Note: After sign in, Home users can remove the Microsoft account from Windows 11 and use a local account instead.