How To Dual-Boot Windows 10 and 11 On The Same PC

If you’re interested in experimenting with the newest operating system on your computer, consider dual-booting Windows 10 and Windows 11.

This article provides insights and guides you through the process, ensuring you know how to safeguard your system and data during the setup.

Dual-booting Windows has been a longstanding practice, allowing users to have both newer and older Windows versions on the same PC or laptop’s hard drive.

If your computer meets the minimum system requirements for Windows 11, you can dual-boot it with Windows 10. Here’s what you need and the steps to set it up:

Preparations:

• Ensure you have valid licenses for both Windows 10 and Windows 11.
• Create separate Microsoft accounts for each operating system.
• Have a USB drive with a minimum of 8GB of capacity.
• Maintain a stable internet connection for downloading Windows 11.

Follow these steps to dual-boot Windows 10 and 11:
Now, let’s dive into the guide to understand how to set up the dual-boot configuration on your computer. Let’s begin.

Step 1: Set up a partition for Windows 11

If you’re installing Windows 11 on a hard drive already running Windows 10, follow these steps to create a dedicated partition:

1. Press Windows + X and choose Disk Management.
2. Locate your Windows 10 hard drive, right-click, and select “Shrink Volume.”
3. In the “Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB,” enter 50000 or more. Click “Shrink.”
4. In Disk Management, you’ll see Unallocated space. Right-click and select “New Simple Volume.”
5. In the wizard, click “Next.” Set the Simple volume size in MB to the Maximum Disk Space and click “Next.”
6. Choose a drive letter and click “Next.”
7. Set a label for the new partition and click “Next.”
8. Click “Finish” to close the wizard. Your partition for Windows 11 is now ready.

Setup 2: Install Windows 11 on your Windows 10 Computer

1. Connect a USB flash drive to your PC.
2. Visit the Windows 11 download page. In the “Create Windows 11 Installation Media” section, click “Download now.”
3. Launch the downloaded software and accept the terms of service.
4. Confirm the correct edition and click “Next.”
5. Select the USB flash drive and click “Next.” Choose your USB drive in the next window and click “Next” to continue.
6. Wait for the process to complete.
7. Insert the Windows 11 installation USB drive, reboot your PC, and press the required key to access the boot menu. Choose the USB drive as the boot priority and save changes.
8. Press any key when prompted during the boot process.
9. Follow the installation wizard, selecting the correct disk volume as the installation drive.
10. Wait for the installation to complete; your computer will restart automatically.

Step 3: Set Default Operating System for Startup

When you have two operating systems installed, choose the default OS for startup:

1. Press Windows + I, go to System -> About and click Advanced system settings.
2. Under the Startup and Recovery section, click the Settings button.
3. Select the default operating system and set the time limit for choosing. Click OK to save changes.
4. Start your computer; you will see Windows 10 and Windows 11 options. If you don’t select anything, it will start the default OS after the specified time.