Of these, creating bootable media on a USB flash drive is the most complicated, but also the one most likely to work for many different setups. The clean install methods below should cover most, if not all, possible starting points. There are several methods available for a clean install of Windows 11, but not all are suitable for every situation.

It can even breathe new life into a PC plagued by crashes or manufacturer bloatware.

Knowing how to perform a clean install of Windows 11 is useful in a number of situations, not least for avoiding potential errors and conflicts when upgrading from an older version of the OS.

Boot with the flash drive connected and follow the Windows 11 setup prompts.

Enter the BIOS on the target PC and change the boot order so Removable Devices comes first.

When the download is complete, open the file, and Microsoft will automatically install the entire collection of Microsoft 365 apps to your computer. Choose the folder that you want to download the Excel setup file.

Select the 'USB Flash Drive' option and let it write Windows 11 to an 8GB or larger drive. Select your preferred language and version, or leave it as default and click Install.

Run mediacreationtool.exe and choose the language and edition you want.

Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's website.

For a clean install of Windows 11, follow these steps:

Advanced installer free version