Windows 11 is an interesting evolution of Microsoft’s operating system. There are many changes from Windows 10, so the best way to see if you like it is by trying it. This article shows you four methods for downloading the Windows 11 ISO file for free (and completely legal), both from the Microsoft website and by using third-party programs. Let’s begin with the simplest method:

NOTE: Before downloading Windows 11, make sure your system meets the requirements. Also, although you can use Windows 11 without a product key, you should have one if you want to get full functionality of the operating system.

Download Windows 11 for free from the Microsoft website

The most straightforward way to download Windows 11 is by using the dedicated website from Microsoft: Download Windows 11. Scroll down to the “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO)” section and click on Select Download. Choose Windows 11 from the list, then click Download.

Download the Windows 11 ISO image

Next, select the language of the Windows 11 installation. Later, during installation, you need to choose the same language you selected here. Press Confirm afterwards.

Choose the language for the Windows 11 installation

After a few moments, a download link will be generated. Click or tap on “64-bit Download” to continue.

Windows 11 only comes with a 64-bit architecture

Now, select the folder where you want the Windows ISO file to be downloaded. Click or tap on Save and the download starts.

Select the folder where you want the Windows 11 ISO to be downloaded

Once you have the file, you can install the operating system. If you need help installing Windows 11 from an ISO file, read this article: How to install Windows 11 from USB, DVD, or ISO.

Download the latest version of Windows 11 using the Media Creation Tool

On the same page, Download Windows 11, there’s a section called “Create Windows 11 Installation Media”. Click on Download Now to proceed.

Download Media Creation Tool from the Microsoft webpage

Select where you want to download the Media Creation Tool executable. Click or tap on Save once you’re satisfied. Next, navigate to the folder where you downloaded the program and run it by double-clicking or double-tapping the file. If you want to be the first human in history to do so, read the software license terms, then click on Accept. If you click on Decline, the process is canceled.

Read the license terms and press Accept

Next, you are given the option to change the language or the edition of the Windows 11 ISO. If you want to do so, first uncheck the “Use the recommended options for this PC” box. Once you’re satisfied, press Next.

Configure the Windows 11 download and then press Next

In the next screen, select the ISO file option. The other option automatically makes a bootable Windows 11 USB flash drive. Click or tap on Next.

Choose ISO file, then press Next

Once the download of the file is complete, you have the option to open the download location or to close the Media Creation Tool by pressing Finish.

Press Finish to conclude the process

You can now proceed with installing Windows 11.

TIP: For more about using this tool, read this guide: Windows 11 Media Creation Tool: Create a setup USB stick or ISO.

Download any version of Windows 11 for free using Rufus

Rufus is a popular tool for burning image files to DVDs. It can also be used to download Windows 11. To get the application, go to the Rufus Downloads page. Click on the version you want to download. For this tutorial, we used version 3.17.

Select the latest Rufus version from the download page

After downloading it, simply run it by double-clicking or double-tapping the executable. Now, in the Rufus app window, click or tap on the “Show application settings” button in the lower-left. Make sure updates are enabled by choosing one of the three options (Daily, Weekly, or Monthly). Press Close, then restart the application.

Make sure you enable application updates in order for the next steps to work

After restarting Rufus, click or tap the arrow next to the Select button, then select Download. If the Download option is not present, make sure you completed the previous step.

Enable Download in the main Rufus window

After selecting it, the Select button changes its name to Download. Press on it to start the wizard.

Press the Download button to start the Download ISO Image wizard

After a few moments, the Download ISO Image dialog box appears. By default, Windows 11 is selected. If it’s not, select it yourself, then click Continue.

Press Continue after making sure that Windows 11 is selected

Next, choose the build and press Continue. Do this for the edition, the language and the architecture, pressing Continue after each one. After selecting the architecture, you can check the box to download using a browser or you can continue downloading the ISO file using Rufus. You can press Back if you made a mistake or Download to confirm the chosen settings.

Choose the release, edition, language and architecture of Windows 11

Finally, you can select the location where you want the file and change its name if you want. Press Save once you’re satisfied.

Download Windows 11 with the Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool

Another free tool that can be used to download Windows 11 is the Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool which you can find on this website. Open the website, then click or tap on the Download: Windows-ISO-Downloader.exe link.

The download link for the Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool

After downloading, run the app by double-clicking or double-tapping on it. Now, select the Windows category in the upper-right corner. Then, select Windows 10 (Windows 11 has no dedicated category yet, but you can still download it by selecting the Windows 10 option). On the left side, select the Windows 11 edition that you need, then press Confirm. Now, select the product language that you want to use and press the second Confirm button.

Configure the Windows ISO file download

Since Windows 11 only comes in a 64-bit variant, press the 64-bit Download button. Confirm the download by pressing Save.

Choose the only option available, 64-bit, then confirm the download by pressing Save

You are asked where you want to save the ISO file that you are about to download. Choose the folder where you want the file, type a name for it (if you want to change its default name), and press Save one more time. The Windows ISO direct download starts, and the file is saved in the specified location. Wait for the download to finish before closing the program.

TIP: You can use this app to download ISO files with Office too. For more details, read: How to download Windows and Office ISO files (all versions).

Which method did you use to download Windows 11?

There you have it, four methods of downloading Windows 11 for free! Before leaving this page, tell us in the comments which method you prefer. Did you use the Microsoft website or a third-party app? Also, if you know other methods for downloading Windows 11, share them below, and we will update the article.