How do I download Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home?

The first version of Windows 11 is here. You no longer have to go to an electronics shop to get and download your Windows 11 Pro or Home.

Microsoft has given 5 October as the official release date for Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Home. This does not necessarily mean that hundreds of Windows 11 discs will be on shop counters. Instead, the operating system will be offered mainly through online channels, with new devices or as a direct update. There are several ways to use and download Windows 11.

Some of us will probably get Windows 11 with a newly purchased PC if we are lucky enough to buy one. To this end, Microsoft has consulted with a number of OEMs and set up a dedicated Windows product page. The company's own Surface series devices are particularly prominently advertised. For example, the Surface Pro 8 with the new case can be pre-ordered. The Surface Go 2, the Surface Pro X ARM tablet and even the somewhat older Surface Studio 2 will also be delivered with the new operating system.

However, if you are not lucky enough to buy a new PC, Microsoft also lists other compatible devices for downloading Windows 11 on the product page. The Acer Swift 5, the MSI Modern 14, the Razer Blade 15, the Dell XPS 13 9310, the HP Spectre x360 15 are just to name a few. In general, all new devices that meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11 will be Windows 11-enabled sooner or later.

Microsoft currently reserves the right to offer Windows 10 first. Windows 11 will then be distributed via Windows Update. As is already known from the Windows 10 feature patches, this will happen in several waves. New devices will be delivered with Windows 11 first, followed later by other PCs with compatible hardware.

This is intended to reduce far-reaching problems that will no longer occur in the following waves through updates. According to Microsoft, this process will last until mid-2022. Only then will all compatible devices be able to access the operating system.

Downloading the unlocked Windows 11 ISO

Windows 11 Home & Windows 11 Pro can now be downloaded from the official Microsoft website. There are three different ways to do this.

1. The first option is to download Windows 11 using the Windows 11 installation wizard.
2. The second option is to download Windows 11 to a DVD or USB stick ("Create Windows 11 installation media").
3. The third and final option is to download Windows 11 to a disk image (ISO).

In addition to the official form via Windows Update, Microsoft also offers Windows 11 as an ISO installation image. There is a separate download page for this. It is possible to download the 5.1 GB image directly or to unpack it onto an installation medium using the media creation tool.

Installation via ISO makes sense if you want to set up a completely new system with the operating system. In addition, some of the minimum requirements of Windows 11 can be circumvented by configuring the registry entries during the installation. However, Microsoft has already announced that in this case updates are no longer guaranteed. Nevertheless, the ISO is always suitable for testing purposes.

Windows 11 Home & Pro

The licences for Windows 11 are based on the licences for Windows 10. Windows 11 Home & Pro, for example, are interesting for end users like you. A valid Windows 10 licence entitles you to a free upgrade to Windows 11 Home & Pro, depending on which version of Windows 10 you upgrade to.
It is also possible to activate Windows 7 product keys for Windows 11. A major obstacle could be the increased hardware requirements, which logically did not apply in the days of Windows 7.

Some new devices are sold with a restricted Windows 11 Home S-Mode. Then only apps from the Microsoft Store can be installed, which is also known from Windows 10. The S-Mode can also be deactivated free of charge in the Store. Reactivation is not yet possible.

In addition to Windows 11 Home & Pro, there will also be Windows 101 Enterprise, Enterprise Education and other versions. These versions are aimed at large companies and institutions and are mainly sold as volume licences. Technically, however, they are identical to Windows 10 Pro, which already enables Group Policy, Active Directory, Hyper-V and other features.

To buy Windows 11 Pro at the best price on the market, click Buy Windows 11 Pro. To buy Windows 11 Home at the best price on the market, click Buy Windows 11 Home.

If you want to download Windows 11 Home or Pro, click Download Windows. And as always, if you have any questions, drop us a comment or give us a call!

Greetings,

Your Licendi Team