Want Windows 11 version 24H2 right now? Here's how to download it

Windows 11 version 24H2 is the latest feature update for Windows 11 and arguably one of the biggest yet. Officially known as the Windows 11 2024 Update, this latest version of Windows comes with some huge updates, including the introduction of Copilot+ features and big architectural improvements for Arm devices.

Indeed, there's quite a bit packed into this update, and with it being officially available now, you may be wondering how to get it. You've come to the right place.

Check if your device meets the Windows 11 system requirements

If you're already running Windows 11, you should have no worries getting the latest update, seeing as there are no changes to the system requirements. But if you're still on Windows 10, you'll need to meet the system requirements for Windows 11 as a whole. Here's a quick rundown:

• CPU: 1GHz or faster with two or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or system on chip (SoC)
• RAM: 4GB or more
• Storage: 64GB or more
• System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
• TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
• GPU: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
• Display: High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9 inches diagonally, 8 bits per color channel

Power users can install Windows 11 on almost any unsupported PC, though there are some risks with doing this, since updates may not work as intended and you won't be able to get support from Microsoft if needed.

Keep in mind that Copilot+ features have some additional requirements, so most PCs before June 2024 will not get the full set of features. To get Copilot+ features, your PC needs:

• An NPU with 40TOPS or more — currently only Snapdragon X series processors are supported, but Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) and AMD Ryzen AI 300 HX processors will also be supported in the future.
• 256GB of storage
• 16GB of DDR5 or LPDDR5 RAM

You'll still get the other enhancements in this update without these specs, but you won't see features like Recall or real-time translation in live captions.

Back up your PC

Before upgrading your OS, it's vital that you set up a full backup of your PC so you don't lose any valuable personal data if things go awry.

The new Windows Backup app can help you backup some of your data and settings, but we recommend you use some of the alternative backup solutions available to make sure everything you need is in a safe location. Move your important files to OneDrive or a USB flash drive, just in case the upgrade doesn't go as expected.

How to download and install Windows 11 version 24H2 using Windows Update

The easiest way to get Windows 11 version 24H2 is to use Windows Update on a supported PC. To do this follow these steps:

1. Open the Settings app
2. Click Windows Update in the side menu.
3. Click Check for updates.
4. You'll see a message similar (with slightly different text) to the one below, saying Windows 11 version 24H2 is available. Click Download & install.
5. 
   The update will begin downloading and you'll be prompted to restart your computer when it's done.

After restarting your PC, you should be good to go with Windows 11 version 24H2. Unlike version 23H2 before it, the Windows 11 2024 Update is a full system upgrade, which means it's a significantly bigger download and could take a while to install. It's best to make some time to make sure you can install the update without issues.

In some cases, you may see a message saying Windows 11 vesion 24H2 is on its way but isn't available yet. This is because your computer has been blocked from upgrading due to a compatibility issue with your apps or drivers. It's best to wait until an update fixes any potential issues, but you can manually force the upgrade, as we're about to see.

Using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant

If the method above doesn't work for you, you can use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant. If you download a full WIndows 11 image from Microsoft, you'll get the latest updates out of the box, so you don't need to use Windows Update at all. For this, simply follow these steps:

1. Go to the Windows 11 download page
2. Under Windows 11 Installation Assistant, click Download Now.
   
3. Run the program and follow the steps to download and install the latest version of Windows 11.

Keep in mind that using this method means downloading an entire Windows 11 image. That means the download and install process will take a while longer, so be sure to make time for it if you plan on doing it this way. Alternatively, you can use the Media Creation Tool or a tool like Rufus to install Windows 11 from scratch with a USB drive, though this will take even longer.

Creating USB installation media

Finally, if all else fails, you can use a USB drive as a way to perform a clean install of Windows 11. Here, you have a lot of options, but they mostly boil down to using the Media Creation Tool or downloading an ISO and then using a tool like Rufus or Balena Etcher to create installation media.

Keep in mind that creating USB installation media will erase all data on the USB drive you use.

If you want to use the Media Creation tool from Microsoft, you can follow these steps:

1. Go to the Windows 11 download page.
2. Under Create Windows 11 installation media, click Download tool.
3. Plug in your USB drive.
4. Run the executable file and follow the instructions to create USB installation media.

You can read more specific information about this process below.

Alternatively, the Windows 11 download page lets you download ISO files, which can then plug into an app like Rufus or Balena Etcher to create installation media. The big benefit here is that Rufus can disable certain requirements Windows 11 has by default, like forcing you to connect to the internet or use a Microsoft account during setup. You can read more about using Rufus here.

Final thoughts

And that's about all you need to know if you want to manually install Windows 11 version 24H2 on your PC. We generally recommend waiting for the new release to be offered normally through Windows Update, but if you're eager to try out the fancy latest features, the methods mentioned above let you get it right now.