Windows 11 installation assistant not working. Got stuck at 0% when downloading Windows 11

When the Windows 11 Installation Assistant seems to take an extremely long time or appears stuck during installation, there are several possible reasons and troubleshooting steps you can take if Windows 11 Installation Assistant not working and takin forever. Please take a full read of the following suggestions.

Pre-Installation Checks

Ensure Your System Meets Requirements: If your hardware is on the unsupported list, additional steps (like registry tweaks) might be needed to bypass checks. Unsupported hardware can sometimes lead to unexpected delays or issues.

Update Your Windows 10: Make sure your current operating system is fully updated. Pending updates can interfere with the upgrade process.

Sufficient Disk Space: Verify that you have enough free disk space. Windows 11 requires a significant amount of space for installation.

During Installation

The installation process may appear to be stuck even if it’s working in the background. In some cases, especially on slower systems or those with limited resources, operations like file copying and configuration might take a long time.

Also unplug USB devices or other peripherals that might interfere with the process.

Troubleshooting Steps

Run a Clean Boot: Boot into a minimal state (clean boot) to reduce software conflicts. This can help isolate if background services are delaying the installation.

Temporarily Disable Antivirus/Firewall: Sometimes security software can interfere with installation progress. Disable these temporarily (ensuring you're in a secure network environment) and then try again.

Check for Logs/Errors: Look for any error messages or logs that might indicate what’s causing the delay. These logs can often be found in the Windows Setup logs or by checking the Event Viewer.

These are very useful tips to fix Windows 11 installation assistant not working for clean install!

Quite common to see Windows 11 Installation Assistant is not working, especially it got stuck at 0% or 99%. Several factors might be at play. Below are some troubleshooting steps and alternative methods you can try:

1. Run as Administrator

Right-click the Installation Assistant and select "Run as administrator". This ensures it has the necessary permissions.

2. Temporarily Disable Security Software

Some antivirus or firewall settings might block the download process. Try disabling them temporarily (but ensure you’re in a safe network environment).

Alternative methods to install Windows 11 if Windows 11 Installation Assistant is not working.

Visit Microsoft’s official website and download the Windows 11 ISO directly. Once downloaded, you can use tools to create a bootable USB drive for a clean installation or an in-place upgrade.

Sometimes the servers or the service might be experiencing temporary issues. Waiting a while and trying again later might resolve the problem.

P.S. If your hardware is unsupported, the tool may encounter additional issues. Ensure you have followed any required bypass steps if you’re attempting the upgrade on unsupported hardware. Also look for any error codes or messages in the Installation Assistant. These can provide more insight into what might be causing the stall and can be useful if you need to search for a specific fix.

If the Windows 11 installation assistant not working, that can be a bit frustrating. Here’s a rundown of what to keep an eye on, along with some informal advice based on common scenarios:

1. Disable VPNs and Proxies
If you're using a VPN or a proxy, it might be causing the download to stall. Just turn them off temporarily and see if that gets things moving. Sometimes they can mess with the connection and block downloads.

2. Check for Windows Updates
Ironically, you might need to make sure your current version of Windows is fully updated. Sometimes an outdated version of Windows can cause hiccups with the installation assistant. 

Go to Settings > Windows Update and make sure everything is up to date.

3. Clear Temporary Files
Windows has a lot of temporary files lying around that can sometimes mess things up. You can clean them out using the Disk Cleanup tool:

Press Windows + R, type cleanmgr, and hit Enter. Select your drive (usually C:) and click OK.
Check the boxes for temporary files and any other stuff you don’t need. Then hit OK to clean them up.

4. Restart the Installation Assistant
If Windows 11 installation assistant not working, sometimes a good ol’ restart is what you need. Close the Installation Assistant, wait a moment, and then reopen it. This can help reset whatever was causing the hang-up.

If the Windows 11 Installation Assistant is not working for you, there are several alternative methods to upgrade your Windows 10 installation to Windows 11. Here are some steps you can take to install Windows 11 without using the Installation Assistant:

1. Use Windows 11 Installation Media
b. Create a Bootable USB:

• Insert a USB flash drive (at least 8 GB).
• Run the Media Creation Tool and select "Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC."
• Follow the prompts to select language, edition, and architecture (64-bit).
• Choose "USB flash drive" and wait for the tool to create the bootable drive.

c. Install Windows 11:

• Once the USB drive is ready, restart your PC and boot from the USB drive (you may need to change boot order in BIOS).
• Follow the installation prompts to install Windows 11.

2. Upgrade via Windows Update
If you prefer not using the assistant:

1. Check for Updates:

• Open Settings (press Windows + I).
• Go to Update & Security > Windows Update.
• Click on Check for updates and see if the Windows 11 upgrade is available. Install it if it appears.

3. Download Windows 11 ISO File
You can also manually download the Windows 11 ISO:

a. Download ISO:

• Visit the Windows 11 download page.
• Select the Download button under the "Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO)" section.
• Choose Windows 11 and click on Download.

b. Install from ISO:

• Once downloaded, right-click the ISO file and select "Mount."
• Open the mounted drive from This PC.
• Run the setup.exe file to start the upgrade process.