4 Fixes for Windows 11 Won’t Install on Your PC

Quick Tips

• Installation issues could occur if the PC in question simply isn’t strong enough to run the OS.
• Switching on “Secure Boot” or formatting your hard drive might work.
• Alternatively, you can try different installation options.

We’ve seen many versions of Microsoft’s Windows operating system over the years, from the likes of Windows 95 and 98 through to the more recent releases of Windows 10 and 11. At this time, Windows 11 is the most up-to-date version available.

So, naturally, many users want access to it to enjoy its performance advantages and unique features, like the Copilot AI assistant. Usually, all it takes to do this is to download and run the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or set up some installation media on a USB drive.

But, it doesn’t always work as intended. So, here are some fixes if Windows 11 won’t install on your PC.

Before Attempting Any Solution: Check Your Specs

Compared to versions of Windows that have come before, Windows 11 is quite advanced. Because of that, it has relatively high system requirements, meaning that it may not run well or at all on older or weaker machines.

So, if Windows 11 won’t install for you, it might be that your PC isn’t capable of running it. There are two ways to check this.

Method 1. Press “Ctrl,” “Shift,” and “Esc” at the same time to open your “Task Manager.” Then, click the “Performance” tab. Here, you will be presented with information about your PC’s CPU, RAM, storage, and more.

Method 2. Press “Windows” and “R” keys together. Type “msinfo32” into the “Run” box that appears, and hit “Enter.” That’ll bring up your “System Information” tab, which also provides info about your device.

Once you’ve found your PC specs, compare them against the list of required specifications for Windows 11 to make sure your device is able to run it. If your PC is lacking in one or more areas, you may have to upgrade it if you wish to run Windows 11 or just stick with an older Windows for now.

Fix 1: Format the Installation Drive

Windows 11 might refuse to install if there’s some sort of corruption with the drive you want to install to. Formatting that drive may fix this.

Step 1. Access the “Disk Management” tool. The easiest way to do this is press “Windows” and “R” keys together to open “Run” and then type in “diskmgmt.msc”.

Step 2. Find the drive you wish to format in the list provided. Right-click it and select “Format.”

Step 3. Enter a name (it can be anything) in the box provided. Set the “File system” to “NTFS,” and leave the “Allocation size” as default. Uncheck both of the boxes at the bottom, marked “Perform a quick format” and “Enable file and folder compression.” Then, press “OK” a couple of times to proceed with the formatting. Note that this will delete whatever’s on the drive, so be sure to backup anything important.

Fix 2: Enable Secure Boot

“Secure Boot” is a feature that has to be enabled in order for Windows 11 to install successfully. It might be switched off on your PC. Here’s how to enable it:

Step 1. Click “Start” and then “Settings” to access the Settings menu, and find the “Update & Security” tab.

Step 2. Select “Recovery” and hit the “Restart now” button.

Step 3. When your device reboots, click on “Troubleshoot, followed by “Advanced options.”

Step 4. You now need to locate your device’s “UEFI Firmware” settings, and this can vary from PC to PC. You may need to consult the manufacturer guidelines to figure out the precise steps for your device. Usually, you need to find a “BIOS Setup” or “Security” menu and look for the “Secure Boot” option to enable it.

Fix 3: Try the Windows 11 Download Assistant

This fix is helpful if you’ve tried installing Windows from a piece of installation media, like a USB stick, and it hasn’t worked. Microsoft offers a helpful “Windows 11 Download Assistant” who can guide you through the whole installation process and resolve any issues that might come up.

Step 1. Download the assistant from this link.

Step 2. Click the “Run” button once the download is complete to run the tool, and click “Accept and install” when it appears. Wait for the installation to finish and click “Restart now.” Your device will then restart and the Installation Assistant will get to work installing Windows 11 on your computer. Just follow the on-screen prompts and instructions to proceed.

Fix 4: Create New Installation Media

If you’ve tried the Windows 11 Installation Assistant but that didn’t work, it may be easier for you to create your own installation media and install Windows 11 from that.

Step 1. Visit the official Windows 11 download page and scroll down to find “Create Windows 11 Installation Media.” Click “Download.”

Step 2. Click the .exe file when it’s done downloading to launch it and agree to the terms and conditions.

Step 3. Select the language and version of Windows (Windows 11) you want to make media for, and hit next.

Step 4. Select whether you want to make your media as an ISO file or on a USB drive.

Step 5. If you picked USB, you’ll need to insert and select the USB you want to use. If you opted for ISO, you can click somewhere on your device where you want to save the ISO. Then, just click “Next” and wait for the media to create. Click “Finish” once it’s done.