Share this article
Improve this guide
Windows 11 Clean Install vs Upgrade: Which is Better?
Learn which among the two is best choice for you
9 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
Share this article
Improve this guide
Read our disclosure page to find out how can you help Windows Report sustain the editorial teamRead more
Key notes
Are you split between a Windows 11 clean install vs. an upgrade? This guide should make a choice easier.
Windows 11 has been out for some time, and users are eager to switch and give it a try. Microsoft has streamlined this process so you can upgrade with just a few clicks.
However, many are worried about potential compatibility issues, so they prefer to do a clean install instead.
Today’s guide will look at Windows 11 upgrade and a clean install. Then, we will see which is a better method to use if you want to upgrade to the latest version.
Should I go for a Windows 11 upgrade or a clean install?
What does Windows upgrade do?
In essence, a Windows 11 upgrade may do the following:
The upgrade process is designed to be straightforward, and it allows you to upgrade to Windows 11 with ease. This makes upgrading to the latest version as simple as installing a system update.
Head to theUpdate & SecuritySettings section, where you can download and install the latest version. Then, click the button and follow the instructions on the screen.
To learn more about this process,visit our guide on upgrading to Windows 11for step-by-step instructions.
If this method doesn’t work, youcan use Windows 11 Installation Assistant toolto download the update and upgrade seamlessly.
What are the disadvantages of an upgrade?
The disadvantages of upgrading to Windows 11 as opposed to performing a clean install are:
Although these issues aren’t common, some users reported them, so you should keep them in mind.
What should you perform before you do an upgrade installation?
If you are planning on an upgrade, you must do the following before trying the process:
Backing up your files isn’t mandatory. However, if anything goes wrong, it’s always a good idea to have your essential files in a safe location.
What does a clean install do?
A clean install is a bit more complex. It requires you todownload Windows 11 ISOfrom Microsoft’s website and create an installation media with third-party tools.
You can alsouse Media Creation Tool for Windows 11to download and create installation media from a single application. However, this method is more straightforward, so we recommend using it instead.
Once installation media is created, you need to change your boot configuration and boot from it to start the Windows 11 setup.
By using this method, you’ll get the following:
If you can’tenable TPM 2.0 in BIOS, then your only option is tobypass the TPM requirement when installing Windows 11, which is possible with a clean install. To learn more, you shouldread our Windows 11 and TPM guidefor in-depth information.
What are the disadvantages of a clean install?
Before performing a clean install, you should be aware of the following downsides:
It’s worth mentioning that you can accidentally format a wrong partition and install Windows on it by mistake if you’re not careful, so this is why this method is recommended for more advanced users.
What should you perform before you do a clean installation?
If you are planning on a clean installation, you must do the following before trying the process:
What is the difference between an upgrade installation vs. a clean installation?
The upgrade process is designed to be straightforward, so even if you’re not tech-savvy, you’ll be able to install Windows 11.
All your files will be there, so you can continue exactly where you left off. Plus, the upgrade is free for a limited time, so there’s no reason not to perform it.
The clean installation is a bit more complex, requiring you to create a bootable media and boot from it. This isn’t too complicated, but it does come with a learning curve.
The main benefit of the clean installation is that it will format your system drive, thus removing the previous installation and all your files and applications.
If you’re not tech-savvy and want to give Windows 11 a try without any file loss, the upgrade is the right choice for you.
On the other hand, if you’re an advanced user and you know what you’re doing, and you want a fresh start, you can use the clean install instead.
Is it better to upgrade or clean install Windows 11?
This depends entirely on your needs, but we suggest an upgrade for less experienced and advanced users.
By doing the upgrade, you’ll transfer the license to Windows 11, so you don’t have to deal with activation later.
Plus, the free upgrade process won’t last forever, and according to Microsoft, the free upgrade process should last at least until October 5th, 2022.
However, Panos Panay, chief product officer at Microsoft, stated that the upgrade offer to Windows 11 is reaching its final phase of availability, and many are speculating that the free upgrade period is quickly coming to an end.
If this turns out to be accurate, it might be a good idea to upgrade, save yourself the trouble, and use the free upgrade offer.
If you run into any issues, you can always roll back to the previous version 10 days after the upgrade. To learn more,visit our guide on how to roll back to Windows 10 from Windows 11.
The main problem with the upgrade is that you’ll keep all your files, even those you don’t need, along with all apps and registry entries, which might negatively affect your performance.
However, we would go for an upgrade, and if any performance issues appear, you can always perform a clean install to fix them.
This is everything you need to know about the differences between Windows 11 setup and upgrade, and we hope this guide will help you make the right choice.
For more information about this subject, we suggestvisiting our guide on installing Windows 11 without file loss.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below.
More about the topics:Install guides,windows upgrades
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Milan has been enthusiastic about technology ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. He’s a PC enthusiast and he spends most of his time learning about computers and technology.
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s one of the Troubleshooting experts in our worldwide team, specializing in Windows errors & software issues.
User forum
0 messages
Sort by:LatestOldestMost Votes
Comment*
Name*
Email*
Commenting as.Not you?
Save information for future comments
Comment
Δ
Milan Stanojevic
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer. Now, he’s specialized in Windows errors & software issues.
