How to Clean Install Windows 10
This guide is based on Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, the latest version of Windows 10, released on October 17th, 2017.
If you want to clean install to Windows 10 on your PC or tablet, here's the minimum hardware you'll need.
Before you start the installation, you need the product key for Windows 10.
If you need the ISO image for Windows 10, you can download it from here: Download Windows 10.
The Media Creation Tool lets you create a bootable USB flash drive with Windows 10, or download the ISO file on your PC.
Here's how to clean install Windows 10:
Boot your computer using the installation DVD, or the USB flash drive that you have created.
Once the installation starts choose your language, time, currency and keyboard input settings you want to use. Make the selections you prefer and click Next button.
On the next screen click Install now.
On the next screen, you are asked to enter the product key for Windows 10. Type it and click Next button.
NOTE: If you are reinstalling Windows 10, click I don't have a product key link and your copy will be automatically activated later. After you do that, you have to select which Windows 10 edition you want to install: from Windows 10 Home all the way to Windows 10 Pro.
You are shown the license terms. Click “I accept the license terms” check box and then click Next button.
You are asked for the installation type. As you are installing Windows 10 from scratch, click “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).”
On the next screen you are asked to select where you want to install Windows. In this screen you can delete partitons, create new partitions and format the partitions.
To clean install Windows 10, install it on Unallocated Space. Click Next button.
The installation starts. The setup takes some minutes to copy all the required files and installs the Windows 10 operating system. It will also install updates, if it detects that it can connect to the internet.
After your computer reboots are finished, you are greeted by Cortana, who will help you configure your Windows 10 installation.
First of all, Cortana will ask you to choose the region where you live. Select it from the list, and then click Yes button.
On the next screen, choose the keyboard layout that you want to use and then click Yes button..
If you need to use a secondary keyboard layout, you can add a second one during the next step. Otherwise, choose Skip button or say No to Cortana.
On the next screen, if you have a working internet connection, Windows 10 will now check if there are any updates available. If there are, it will download and install them at this step.
On the next screen, you will be ask to choose how you would like to set up Windows 10 device. If you are its owner, select “Set up for personal use.” If the device belongs to an organization (for example, the company you work at), select “Set up for an organization,” and you will be able to use your business account to sign in and access your resources. We chose to “set up for personal use” and pressed Next button.
On the next screen, you can sign in with your Microsoft account. If you do not want to use a Microsoft account, you can also choose to create and use an offline account on your PC. To do that, click on the “Offline account” link at the bottom left of the sign-in screen.
If you chose to create an offline account, Microsoft tries to convince you that a Microsoft account would be better. If you still want the offline account, click Maybe later button at the next step.
Then, enter your offline account details: the name and the password that you want to use.
On the next screen, the Windows 10 setup asks whether you want to create a PIN for faster access to your system. You can do this later or set it up now.
On the next screen you are asked to link your phone and PC, using your phone number. If you want this link to be enabled, you must select your country code, type your phone number and press Send button. You will receive an SMS with the download link for Cortana, on your smartphone. To move forward, press Next button. You can also skip this step and choose Do it later button.
On the next screen you get to choose whether you want Cortana to be your personal assistant. You can also set whether you want to let Cortana respond to “Hey Cortana” by checking or unchecking this option.
On the next screen, configuration your privacy settings. Select whether you want to enable or disable the Location, Diagnostics, Relevant Ads, Speech recognition, and Tailored experiences with diagnostics data features.
Windows 10 takes a while to prepare your computer or device, your apps, and all the settings.
When it is done, you are logged into Windows 10.
If you want to clean install to Windows 10 on your PC or tablet, here's the minimum hardware you'll need.
| Processor: | 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC |
| RAM: | 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit |
| Hard disk space: | 16 GB for 32-bit OS 20 GB for 64-bit OS |
| Graphics card: | Directx 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver |
| Display: | 800x600 |
If you need the ISO image for Windows 10, you can download it from here: Download Windows 10.
The Media Creation Tool lets you create a bootable USB flash drive with Windows 10, or download the ISO file on your PC.
Here's how to clean install Windows 10:
Boot your computer using the installation DVD, or the USB flash drive that you have created.
Once the installation starts choose your language, time, currency and keyboard input settings you want to use. Make the selections you prefer and click Next button.
On the next screen click Install now.
On the next screen, you are asked to enter the product key for Windows 10. Type it and click Next button.
NOTE: If you are reinstalling Windows 10, click I don't have a product key link and your copy will be automatically activated later. After you do that, you have to select which Windows 10 edition you want to install: from Windows 10 Home all the way to Windows 10 Pro.
You are shown the license terms. Click “I accept the license terms” check box and then click Next button.
You are asked for the installation type. As you are installing Windows 10 from scratch, click “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).”
On the next screen you are asked to select where you want to install Windows. In this screen you can delete partitons, create new partitions and format the partitions.
To clean install Windows 10, install it on Unallocated Space. Click Next button.
The installation starts. The setup takes some minutes to copy all the required files and installs the Windows 10 operating system. It will also install updates, if it detects that it can connect to the internet.
After your computer reboots are finished, you are greeted by Cortana, who will help you configure your Windows 10 installation.
First of all, Cortana will ask you to choose the region where you live. Select it from the list, and then click Yes button.
On the next screen, choose the keyboard layout that you want to use and then click Yes button..
If you need to use a secondary keyboard layout, you can add a second one during the next step. Otherwise, choose Skip button or say No to Cortana.
On the next screen, if you have a working internet connection, Windows 10 will now check if there are any updates available. If there are, it will download and install them at this step.
On the next screen, you will be ask to choose how you would like to set up Windows 10 device. If you are its owner, select “Set up for personal use.” If the device belongs to an organization (for example, the company you work at), select “Set up for an organization,” and you will be able to use your business account to sign in and access your resources. We chose to “set up for personal use” and pressed Next button.
On the next screen, you can sign in with your Microsoft account. If you do not want to use a Microsoft account, you can also choose to create and use an offline account on your PC. To do that, click on the “Offline account” link at the bottom left of the sign-in screen.
If you chose to create an offline account, Microsoft tries to convince you that a Microsoft account would be better. If you still want the offline account, click Maybe later button at the next step.
Then, enter your offline account details: the name and the password that you want to use.
On the next screen, the Windows 10 setup asks whether you want to create a PIN for faster access to your system. You can do this later or set it up now.
On the next screen you are asked to link your phone and PC, using your phone number. If you want this link to be enabled, you must select your country code, type your phone number and press Send button. You will receive an SMS with the download link for Cortana, on your smartphone. To move forward, press Next button. You can also skip this step and choose Do it later button.
On the next screen you get to choose whether you want Cortana to be your personal assistant. You can also set whether you want to let Cortana respond to “Hey Cortana” by checking or unchecking this option.
On the next screen, configuration your privacy settings. Select whether you want to enable or disable the Location, Diagnostics, Relevant Ads, Speech recognition, and Tailored experiences with diagnostics data features.
Windows 10 takes a while to prepare your computer or device, your apps, and all the settings.
When it is done, you are logged into Windows 10.