How to clean install windows 11 on a new computer?

The first time I did a clean install, I skipped checking for drivers and ended up with a computer that couldn’t connect to the internet. I had to dig around for ethernet drivers, which was a whole thing. Make sure to snag those drivers beforehand or know where to get ‘em afterward!

When you get to the part of the installation where it asks where to install Windows, make sure you understand what you’re doing. I once accidentally deleted the recovery partition thinking it wouldn’t be used since I was doing a clean install Windows 11 on a new computer. Spoiler alert: I ended up regretting that choice later!

After a clean install Windows 11 on new computer, your system will be bare bones. If you don’t take a moment to check for updates right after you install, you might miss some crucial security patches. I learned that the hard way when I found out I was running an outdated version just because I skipped the updates on the first day. Windows might throw a bunch of options your way upon first boot, and if you’re clicking through too quickly, you might mess up your privacy settings or even your device preferences. I rushed through the initial setup once and ended up turning on some tracking features I didn’t want. Had to go hunting for them later.