How to use the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool

If you already have a Windows 11 device and want to upgrade your operating system on another device, or need to reinstall Windows 11, Microsoft has a step-by-step process to help you do this.

What is the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool?

Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool allows you to create your own installation media using a DVD or a flash drive. If you already own a copy of Windows 11, you can use this tool to reinstall it on a device or upgrade a different device. Gone are the days of keeping track of multiple installation discs and reentering a product key thanks to the Media Creation Tool.

What are the requirements for the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool?

The Media Creation Tool can be downloaded directly from Microsoft and is especially useful if you need to create installation software for the operating system. This is best used when you have Windows 11 on one computer and want to upgrade additional devices that you own as well. Similarly, if you’re making hardware upgrades to your computer and need to reinstall Windows 11, having a physical copy of the software can be incredibly useful.

Before you get started, you’ll need a few things:

A computer that is already loaded with Windows 11 and has a stable internet connection. The Media Creation software is a large file and the download may take some time, based on the speed of your internet connection.
The computer you’re using to run the software must have enough free space on its system drive to hold the installation files.
A USB flash drive with at least 5 GB of available space. If you have an empty drive that you can use, this is a smart idea because any existing files or content will be deleted or overwritten.
If you choose to put the Creation Tool on a DVD, you’ll need a blank DVD and a DVD writer. This route requires you to have a DVD writer on the device you’re using to create the media in the first place and a DVD player on the device you’re performing the installation on.

You can download the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool onto any computer but the device you’re going to install the operating system on must meet the minimum system requirements and specifications.

How to download and use the Media Creation Tool

If your computer meets the requirements, open Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page. You’ll be given three choices for installing the operating system:

Windows 11 Installation Assistant
Create Windows 11 Installation Media
Download Windows 11 Disk image (ISO file)

If your aim is to use the Media Creation Tool:

Choose the middle option and click Download Now.
Once you open the downloaded .exe file, you’ll be prompted to accept the license terms and confirm the language and edition for Windows 11 and allow the program to make changes to your computer.
Next, you’ll be asked whether you’d like to use a USB drive or an ISO file, which you can burn to a DVD. If you choose a USB drive, make sure it has enough space and is connected to your computer before clicking Next.
The setup guide will prompt you to make sure that you’ve selected the correct drive for your download; this is especially important if more than one removable device is connected to your computer.
From here, the Media Creation Tool will download Windows 11 onto the USB drive you’ve indicated and creates installation media, too.

If you’d rather use a DVD:

Choose ISO file instead of USB and click Next.
Select a destination in the folder for the downloaded file and click Save.
When the file is fully downloaded, the program will ask you if you’d like to burn the ISO file to a DVD. You’ll have the option to take this step immediately or wait to do it at a later time.
When you do choose to burn the file to a DVD, the program will give you an Open DVD Burner link, which will automatically handle burning the file to a disc for you.

The Media Creation Tool offers an intuitive, easy-to-use interface for creating installation software for the Windows 11 operating system.

How do I install Windows 11?

Once you’ve created your installation media, installing it is a straightforward process. But before you get started, you’ll want to save any work and back up your PC before you get started. Then, attach your USB, or insert the DVD on the PC where you want to install Windows 11, and reboot your computer.

It should automatically boot to the USB or the DVD media, but if not:

Access the boot menu.
From here, you’ll select the USB drive or DVD, and the Windows 11 installation and setup should start automatically.
Confirm your language, time, and keyboard.
Next, click Install Now.
If you’re prompted to choose where you want to install Windows, choose the primary partition (if there is no OS installed) or the Windows partition (if you want to wipe your current version of Windows with Windows 11), then click Next.

While using the Media Creation Tool you’ll find that it’s a user-friendly process, and that installing Windows 11 on other devices has never been easier.