Want to download Windows 11? We have prepared an installation guide and given some important warnings before proceeding with the process.
Recently an unofficial version for download Windows 11 leaked on the internet and many users are already testing the “new” operating system from Microsoft, who had already scheduled a presentation to comment more on the upcoming OS. With that many may wonder about downloading Windows 11, and that’s exactly what we’ll explain in this guide.
However, before proceeding further it is very important that we pay attention to the fact that the leaked version of Windows 11 has not been officially released by Microsoft. As obvious as this sounds, there are extremely important implications for those who will venture to download the system.
Should I download Windows 11?
In the opinion of the one who writes to you: No. At least not now if you’re an average user, meaning you don’t perform any kind of analysis on the operating system, benchmarks or any kind of content creation with a plausible purpose. That’s because the leaked version of Windows 11 doesn’t present any security guarantee for you or your machine, dividing two problems with possible variations.
The first problem concerns crashes and bugs that will eventually happen. The current build of the system has not been finalized and is under development by Microsoft teams, which means that the OS is very susceptible to crashes and possible critical damage to your computer. By the way, if that happens there won’t be any kind of official tech support to help you, after all we’re talking about something that wasn’t officially released.
The second problem is not only about the integrity of your machine but also yours and more specifically about your data. As it is not an official version, the Windows 11 ISO was leaked and consequently thousands of people started to host the system on private websites and providers. The big problem is that many malicious websites are advertising that they have the ISO for download, when in fact the user finds himself downloading a fake file. At best it will be a silly virus, but if you are unlucky you may end up downloading a ramsomware, the bogeyman of viruses, which hijacks all the information on your machine, such as banking, intimate data, conversations, etc. and charges a fee. “rescue”.
In the end these are just a few scenarios of what could happen, but there is also the possibility that your experience will not go through any hardships. Therefore, downloading Windows 11 before launch is a process in which you must be fully responsible for any side effects. Not to mention that other leaks indicate that the transition from Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 to Windows 11 is completely free.
How to download Windows 11?
The Windows 11 installation process is similar to what we see in Windows 10, starting with the creation of a bootable pen drive with the system installation image. First, you need to download the Windows 11 installation package — which you should download taking into account the warning we gave above. We have two download sources with the Windows 11 image:
Important: As this is not content officially released by Microsoft, there is a risk that these links will stop working without notice. In this case, you will need to look for other sources with the Windows 11 installation file.
Creating a bootable flash drive to install Windows 11
After downloading Windows 11 you must have a pen drive with at least 8GB of space. It is important to note that the storage device must be completely zeroed, with no personal files inserted.
After that, you must download the Yumi, a software that will adapt your pen drive to receive Windows 11. Open the application after downloading, accept the terms and follow the steps below:
- In “Step 1” select the pen drive drive that was connected to your computer’s USB;
- Then choose “NTFS Format”, which after marking will appear as “We Will NTFS Format…”;
- In “Step 2” look exactly for the option “Single Windows Vista/7/8/10 Installer”;
- Finally, in “Step 3” look for the location where the Windows 10 ISO was downloaded and click on the file;
- To finish click on “Create” and the software will prepare your pen drive.
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Entering the BIOS
The next step is to connect the pen drive to your computer, turn off the machine and turn it back on. Now it’s important to be quick, as we need to enter your computer’s BIOS, that is, a sort of command center to define some aspects of PC startup. In this panel we need to define the computer to start (it boots) from the pen drive with Windows 11, and not from its traditional HD with another operating system.
The big problem is that the BIOS doesn’t follow a standard and depends on the motherboard from each manufacturer to be accessed. For example, my motherboard is from ASUS and when I turn on the computer I press the key Of or F2 repeatedly to enter my BIOS. Other brands use different keys and have different interfaces and shortcuts. So you need to research how to access your BIOS specifically.
Once inside just look for something like “Advanced Mode” or Advanced Settings and look for the “Boot” section. In my case right from the start there is the “Boost Priority” option, which simply lets me drag the rectangles from the storage units to the desired boost position. If your BIOS doesn’t look like this, go to the Boost section and look for “Boost Option Priorities”. There, put your pen drive as first and your HD second. Save changes and exit.
Installing Windows 11
After the computer starts, the Windows logo should appear with a loading sign and a window like the one below will appear. At the moment our language is not available, but it is possible to change our localization and time format in “Time and currency format” and the keyboard default in “Keyboard or input method” for ABNT2. After that just click “Next” and “Install Now”.
An activation window will appear and just click on the option “I don’t have a product Key”.
Then it’s time to choose which version of Windows 11 to download. We commonly recommend “Home”, as it is the simplest and most intuitive for all types of users and is generally the one that works best, but in this specific case the “Pro version” ” has been more successful for most.
After selecting the version, accept Microsoft’s membership terms and continue.
Then choose the “Custom” option on the later screen. By selecting this option Windows 11 will install and remove all files from the machine. Therefore, it is recommended to install on a storage unit other than the main one.
The “Upgrade” option, in theory, installs Windows 11 and keeps all your files, but as it is not an official version, this option is presenting more instability than the other.
In the next window, the user must choose which HD or SSD the operating system will be installed on and after that, click “Next”.
After this step Windows 11 will start to be installed and the process should take a few minutes and there is the possibility of the computer restarting automatically.
Initial settings
After installation, a screen will pop up asking the region where the user is located. Just select “Brazil” and press “Yes. Then go down the list in the next window and select the keyboard option “Portuguese (Brazil ABNT2) and click “Yes” and then “Skip”. Then Windows 11 will start looking for updates and will take the user to another window.
On the next screen click on the first option: “Set up for personal use”, which will make the OS focused on ensuring a more solid experience for a single user.
The next step concerns your Microsoft account and while some people log in normally we prefer you to remain offline initially. However, as of this writing, no cases have been found of people having their accounts banned or with any type of penalty. If you wish, proceed at your own risk.
To go offline just click on “Sign-in options”, then on “Offline account” and finally on “Limited Experience” in the next window.
Now all you have to do is put your name in Windows 11 and then a password to enter the operating system every time you turn on your PC. On the third tab you can put a security answer to protect your computer. Just select 3 questions like “What was the name of your first pet?” and put the answer.
After that, in the next window, uncheck the Windows 11 privacy options and proceed.
Finally, the Windows 11 will start to adjust some parameters automatically and after a few minutes you will be facing the new Microsoft desktop.
Sources: Tom’s Guide, Life Hacker, Tech Sanjeet, Tech Radar
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