Windows 11 22H2 will be the first major update to Microsoft’s operating system and the latest information points to a September 20 release. The date is not officially confirmed, but it makes sense considering that the company usually uses the fall season to release these updates and that the RTM version was delivered several weeks ago to OEMs.
Windows 11 22H2 will be distributed free of charge to upgrade PCs with valid licenses from previous Windows 11, for those still on Windows 10 (or others such as 8.1) and will be the reference version for pre-installations on new PCs for release later this year and 2023.
Microsoft already announced the main new features of the version and we have analyzed them in several specials No chance for a ‘revolution’ because the basic core remains the same as Windows 10 and earlier, the company has focused on adding some of the features promised at launch, the renewal of internal applications and a necessary tuning in various parts of the user interface. We will go through them in depth at launch, but today we wanted to review with you the installation possibilities.
How to install Windows 11 22H2 now
Microsoft will adopt a phased rollout approach to improve the stability of the release and prevent serious bugs from reaching a mass audience. The rollout will take weeks/months and therefore the final version will not be equally available to all users. This does not mean that installation cannot be brought forward, even before the release of the final version.
It must be said that Windows 11 22H2 has been under development and testing in the Insider channel for quite a few months. We have been testing the version for some time and have not noticed any critical bugs that would prevent its release. In addition, Microsoft released in May the hardware compatibility program and the RTM version that OEMs will use for pre-installations on new PCs and in upgrade programs for existing PCs.
The RTM version corresponds to the compilation 22621 which is the one we are going to take as a base to show you how to get the new version. As always in these cases, we must give due warning for non-final software releases. Although development is complete and the final version will not differ too much except for bug fixes and security patches, you should avoid installing it on production equipment.
Pre-step (optional) requirements
The minimum hardware requirements are known and we have discussed them in depth. If the increase of RAM or storage space is totally reasonable and necessary in this day and age, and the vast majority of current computers have much higher levels, the lockout for some processor series, the requirement for a graphics section supporting DirectX 12, a UEFI BIOS with secure boot and especially the need for a TPM chip to increase security, are more controversial.
To avoid any problems in testing (although it is possible to easily installed on equipment that does not meet the requirements by skipping the Out of Box Experience checker) you can run Microsoft’s official ‘PC Health Check’ utility or alternative applications such as ‘WhyNotWin11’ free and open source ‘WhyNotWin11’ available on GitHub.
Either of these is simple to install. It examines the PC hardware and gives a clear indication if it passes the requirements set, returning the compatibility results for installing Windows 11. In any case, you know, you can install it without meeting the requirements.
Installation from scratch
Personally I prefer to perform âcleanâ installationsâ in this type of testing or when jumping from major versions. Of course, not without first making full backups of at least the personal files. You can make a full backup of applications as well, but on new systems I prefer to do it by hand afterwards and check the system behavior well.
Step 1: get the ISO
The process consists, as you know, in obtaining an ISO image of the operating system. Since the final commercial version has not been released, we have to go to the test channel. As follows:
- We select the language and confirm.
- We will already have available the ISO  “Windows11_InsiderPreview_Client_x64_en-en_22621.iso” to download.
Step 2: Create the bootable media
Once we have the image in our possession, the process is similar to the one we used to create the bootable media  “burning” the image and create a Windows media or any GNU/Linux distribution. We remind you:
- We use our favorite application, Rufus, which is free and works perfectly especially with Windows images. Download and install the latest version. (You can also use the portable version and even skip the above download step and do it in the application itself)
- Insert the media you will use for burning. You can use a DVD, but we recommend a pendrive or USB disk, faster and safer. Its minimum capacity should be 8 Gbytes.
- Run Rufus. You will see a very simple interface in which you will first have to select the downloaded Windows image by selecting the “Boot choice”.
- All that remains is to configure the rest of the options. GPT in “partition scheme”, target system “UEFI (not CSM) and NTFS or FAT32 as file system. Click on start to get the installation media.
* Remember that the latest versions of Rufus allow you to create an installation media bypassing the TPM and Secure Boot controls.
Step 3: Install Windows 11 22H2
With the created installation media you can install the system from scratch on any computer (officially those that meet the requirements) and you can also upgrade third party systems. The installation of Windows 11 is trivial and is performed as in previous Windows. We are not going to repeat ourselves. It is simply a matter of accessing the BIOS/UEFI and place the installation media that we have created as first boot device. Restart the computer and the automated installation will begin.
Just a reminder that you can also install Windows 11 while keeping other systems you have installed, as long as you have enough disk space. If you are interested, you can review our Windows 10 and Windows 11 installation guide or Windows 11 and Linux installation guide. The process is the same.
Virtual machine installation
For users who are attracted by the new version of Windows 11, but do not want to compromise their current configuration in any way, the use of virtual machines is the recommended option. And it is that the use of virtualization is a fast, convenient and secure method for running softwarewhether in production tasks with operating systems, applications or for software testing in general without modifying the main host system.
Once you have obtained the ISO image in the previous point it is simply a matter of loading it into a dedicated application. You can use free or commercial solutions, such as VirtualBox, VMware or Parallels or the Hyper-V offered by Microsoft in the professional versions of Windows 10. And the good thing is that this option allows you to test Windows 11 from Linux or macOS, without affecting those systems at all.
A few months ago we offered you a complete tutorial to run the first version of Windows 11 in a virtual machine The process with the new version is identical. If you want to keep your current operating system and do not want any compromises of any kind, virtual machines are a great option for testing software, although they will not offer the same performance as a standard installation.
Upgrades
From the bootable media created from the ISO image we have seen above, we can update our own or third-party equipment. Another possibility to do this directly from the system itself is to using the Windows Insider program. You can do it both from previous versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10 as you will see in this step by step.
- Access the general Configuration tool from the Start menu or with the hot keys  “Windows + I”.
- Click on  “Update and security > Windows Insiders Program”. Activate the optional diagnostic data if it asks for it.
- Link a Microsoft ID account.
- Select your account.
- Log in with your account and password.
- Select the Insider channel you will use, to install Windows 11 you need to activate the “Release Preview”.
When you restart go back to the Settings > Update and security > Windows Update tool. There click on “check for updates” and you will see that is available the version ‘Insider Preview’ with build number 22621 which is the RTM sent to OEMs and the basis for the final version.
Upgrading is trivial from the automated installer which will allow you to keep files, applications and user settings or perform a clean upgrade. Simply follow the instructions and when you restart you will already be using Windows 11 22H2. It returns to accede to Windows Update because Microsoft has published corrections of errors and security patches.
And if you do not want to complicate your life, you know, virtual machines are a good option. Also, the final general availability version is expected very soon, by the end of September.