How Can I Install Windows 11 24H2 on Any Computer?

When you successfully made a Windows 11 bootable USB, the next step is how to use it to install Windows 11 24H2 on any computer.

1. Press Delete/F2 to enter BIOS at boot time and make sure TPM2.0 and Secure Boot are on. USB flash drive is the first boot option.
2. After booting from the USB flash drive select the language and click "Next" > "Repair Computer" > "Troubleshooting" > "Install from Drive".
3. Select the installation source from the USB drive as prompted and wait for the system to deploy (about 30-60 minutes).
4. Enter the system and set the region, account and password, network activation (Home Edition requires a Microsoft account).

There are a couple of things you should note before installing Windows 11 24H2 on any computer:

1. Hardware Compatibility: UEFI firmware needs to be updated to a post-2023 version to ensure support for NVMe drivers and AHCI mode. Unplug all non-essential USB devices (e.g. printers) before installation to avoid driver conflicts.
2. Driver Issues: Download motherboard chipset, graphics card and NVMe drivers in advance, store them in the root directory of the USB flash drive (named Drivers) and load them manually during installation.
3. Data Backup: Backup hard disk data to external storage before installation to avoid accidental deletion.
4. System Activation: Home Edition requires network activation, Enterprise Edition can use KMS or Volume License Key.

Installing Windows 11 24H2 itself isn't inherently "dangerous," but there are some risks and potential issues you should be aware of. Here’s a breakdown of why it can be tricky, and what can go wrong:

1. System Compatibility Issues
Hardware Not Supported: If your hardware doesn't meet the system requirements, you might face performance issues, or the install might fail altogether. It’s like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole!
2. Software Conflicts
Outdated or Incompatible Software: Certain applications (like older programs or drivers) might not work well with the new update, leading to crashes or data loss. Before upgrading, you might need to research and ensure critical software is compatible with 24H2.
3. System Instability
Bugs and Glitches: Just like any software, a new OS version can have bugs or quirks, especially right after release. When you install Windows 11 24h2 on any computer. This could lead to crashes, slowdowns, or other weird behavior as Microsoft works to fine-tune things with patches.

As far as I know, some of PC currently running Windows 11 old version like 23H2 is still unable to install Windows 11 24H2 because of changes to system requirements.

Windows 11 24H2 further tightens the processor requirements to support only Intel 10th generation (Comet Lake and above) and AMD Ryzen 5000 series (Zen3 architecture and above) CPUs, and for the first time explicitly requires TPM 2.0 to support the “Pluton Security Module “ to realize chip-level protection. In addition, some AI functions (e.g., real-time Copilot) require the hardware support of Neural Processing Units (NPUs).

The minimum storage space has been raised from 64GB to 128GB (mandatory for SSDs), while “Secure Boot” has become a non-skippable installation condition, and UEFI firmware support for “Hardware-based Stack Protection” (HSP) is required. The traditional MBR partition format is completely deprecated, and only a hybrid configuration of GPT partitions + ReFS (Resilient File System) is supported.

To match Wi-Fi 7 and USB4 v2.0 functionality, the 24H2 requires the motherboard driver to support the WBE (Wi-Fi Bandwidth Extension) protocol and recommends that the device be equipped with at least one USB4 v2.0 port (40Gbps). In addition, Bluetooth 5.4 becomes the minimum standard, and older adapters may result in limited functionality for some AI peripherals such as the Copilot voice assistant.

Fortunately, there are a couple of tricks to help you install Windows 11 24H2 on any computer even if it does not meet Windows 11 24H2 system requirements, such as unsupported CPU or lack of TPM 2.0 chip.

For PCs that fully compatible with Windows 11 24H2, you can use the official free app (Windows 11 Media Creation Tool) to create a Windows 11 bootable USB and use it to install Windows 11 24H2 on any computer afterwards.

1. Make sure the capacity of the USB flash drive is ≥8GB (data will be emptied, please backup in advance). Visit Microsoft official website to download Media Creation Tool.

2. Right-click to start the program as administrator and accept the license terms. Select “Create installation media for another computer” and click “Next”.

3. Uncheck the “Use recommended options for this computer” box and manually select the language, version (e.g. Windows 11 Home/Professional) and architecture (64-bit). Select “USB flash drive” as the media type, the tool will automatically recognize the inserted USB flash drive.

4. After confirming that the USB flash drive is correct, click “Next”, the tool will automatically download the image and write it to the USB flash drive (it will take about 20-60 minutes, depending on the Internet speed and the performance of the USB flash drive). When it's done, the tool will prompt “Your USB flash drive is ready”, safely exit and restart your computer for testing.

Media Creation Tool is still the preferred solution for creating Windows 11 boot disks due to its official reliability, fully automated process and support for the latest images so you can install Windows 11 24H2 on any computer. If you encounter download interruptions or write failures, try changing the USB flash drive port, disabling antivirus software, or checking network stability. Once finished, the USB flash drive can be used directly for new device installation or system repair.

Installing Windows 11 24H2 update on any computer can be a bit of a journey. First things first, make sure your computer can handle Windows 11. You’ll want to check for these basic requirements: 

1: Check Compatibility

• Processor: 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor.
• RAM: At least 4GB.
• Storage: 64GB or larger storage device.
• TPM: TPM version 2.0.
• Graphics Card: DirectX 12 compatible with WDDM 2.x.
• Display: >9” with HD resolution.
• You can use the PC Health Check tool from Microsoft to double-check if your machine is good to go.

2: Now, for the fun part! You can do this through the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or by creating bootable media:

1. Using Installation Assistant: If you’re already running Windows 10, download the Windows 11 Installation
2. Assistant from Microsoft’s website and run it.
3. Creating Bootable USB: If you want a clean install, you might want to create a bootable USB drive:
   -Head over to the Windows 11 download page.
   -Download the Media Creation Tool.
   -Run the tool and select the option to create installation media (USB flash drive).
   -Follow the prompts to make your bootable USB drive.

3: Install Windows 11 24h2 on any computer

• Using Installation Assistant: Just follow the prompts! It’s pretty straightforward.
  Using Bootable USB:
  -Plug in the USB drive and reboot your computer.
  -Enter your BIOS/UEFI settings (usually by pressing a key like F2, F12, DEL, or ESC right after turning it on).
  -Change the boot order to boot from the USB drive.
  -Save and exit. This should start the Windows 11 installer.
• Follow the prompts: choose your language, time, and keyboard settings, then click “Install Now”.
• Choose whether to keep your files/apps or do a clean install (it's best to wipe if you're going fresh).
• Let it do its thing, and wait while it installs.

4: Set Up Windows 11
Once it’s installed, you’ll go through the setup process. Choose your preferences, sign in with your Microsoft account, and voila! You’re in.