How to Install Windows 10 to a New PC

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of installing Windows 10 onto a brand-new computer. Whether you’ve just unboxed a bare-bones system or are looking for a clean start, this tutorial covers everything from preparing your installation media to the final configuration steps.

Preparing Your Installation Media

Before you can install Windows 10, you’ll need a bootable USB drive or DVD containing the Windows 10 installation files. The most common and recommended method is using a USB drive due to its speed and widespread compatibility.

Downloading the Media Creation Tool

1. Visit the Official Microsoft Website: Navigate to the official Microsoft Windows 10 download page. Search for “Download Windows 10” on your preferred search engine, and ensure you are on a legitimate Microsoft URL.
2. Download the Tool: On the download page, you will find a button to “Download tool now.” Click this to download the Media Creation Tool. This small utility is essential for creating your bootable media.
3. Run the Media Creation Tool: Once the download is complete, run the executable file. You may need administrator privileges. Accept the license terms when prompted.

Creating a Bootable USB Drive

1. Select “Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC”: On the “What do you want to do?” screen, choose this option and click “Next.”
2. Choose Language, Edition, and Architecture: The tool will typically select recommended options based on your current PC. For a new PC, you can uncheck “Use the recommended options for this PC” and manually select your desired language (e.g., English), edition (e.g., Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro), and architecture (64-bit is standard for modern PCs). If you’re unsure, 64-bit is almost always the correct choice.
3. Select “USB flash drive”: On the “Choose which media to use” screen, select “USB flash drive” and click “Next.”
4. Insert a USB Flash Drive: Plug in a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of storage. Important: All data on this USB drive will be erased, so ensure you have backed up any important files.
5. Select Your USB Drive: The Media Creation Tool will list available USB drives. Select the one you intend to use and click “Next.”
6. Downloading and Creating: The tool will now download the necessary Windows 10 files and create the bootable USB drive. This process can take some time depending on your internet speed and the performance of your USB drive. Once completed, you will receive a “USB flash drive is ready” message.

Creating a Bootable DVD (Alternative)

If you prefer a DVD, you can select the “ISO file” option in step 3 and save the ISO image to your computer. Then, you’ll need to use DVD burning software (often built into Windows or available third-party) to burn the ISO image to a blank DVD. Ensure you select the option to “Burn disk image” or a similar function, not just to copy the file.

Booting from Installation Media

With your bootable media prepared, the next step is to configure your new PC to start from it, bypassing the default boot order that usually points to a non-existent operating system or an empty hard drive.

Accessing the BIOS/UEFI Settings

1. Power On Your New PC: Turn on your new computer.
2. Enter BIOS/UEFI: Immediately after powering on, you’ll need to press a specific key to enter the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) settings. This key varies depending on your motherboard manufacturer but is commonly one of the following: Delete, F2, F10, F12, or Esc. You’ll usually see a brief on-screen message indicating which key to press (e.g., “Press DEL to enter Setup”).
3. Navigate the BIOS/UEFI: Once inside, use your keyboard’s arrow keys to navigate the menus. The interface can differ greatly, but you’re looking for settings related to “Boot,” “Boot Order,” “Boot Priority,” or “Startup.”

Setting the Boot Order

1. Locate Boot Settings: Find the section that controls the order in which your computer attempts to boot from different devices.
2. Prioritize Your Installation Media: You will see a list of storage devices (e.g., Hard Drive, CD/DVD Drive, USB Drive). You need to move your bootable USB drive or DVD drive to the top of this list, making it the first device your PC tries to boot from.
   • For USB: Look for an entry like “USB HDD,” “USB Storage Device,” or the specific name of your USB drive.
   • For DVD: Look for “CD/DVD Drive,” “ODD,” or a similar designation.
3. Save and Exit: Once you have set the boot order, navigate to the “Exit” section of the BIOS/UEFI. Select the option to “Save Changes and Exit” (often mapped to F10). Confirm your choice.

Your PC will restart. If you have successfully configured the boot order, it should now boot from your Windows 10 installation media, and you will see the Windows Setup screen. If it attempts to boot normally and fails, power off the PC and re-enter BIOS/UEFI to double-check the boot order.

Installing Windows 10

With the PC booting from your installation media, you’ll proceed through the Windows Setup wizard, a guided process that installs the operating system onto your hard drive.

Initial Setup Screens

1. Language, Time, and Keyboard: The first screen will ask you to select your language, time and currency format, and keyboard layout. Choose your preferred options and click “Next.”
2. Install Now: Click the prominent “Install now” button to begin the installation process.
3. Product Key: You will be prompted to enter your Windows product key.
   • If you have a product key: Enter it now and click “Next.”
   • If you don’t have a product key yet: You can click “I don’t have a product key.” You can activate Windows later after the installation is complete if you’re planning to purchase one or if it’s a digital license tied to your Microsoft account.
4. Choose Your Operating System: If you skipped the product key, you’ll need to select the edition of Windows 10 you wish to install (e.g., Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro). Make sure this matches the edition for which you have a license. Click “Next.”
5. Accept License Terms: Read through the Microsoft software license terms, check the box to “I accept the license terms,” and click “Next.”

Installation Type

1. Choose Installation Type: You’ll be presented with two options:
   • Upgrade: This option installs Windows and keeps your files, settings, and applications. This is not recommended for a new PC as it requires an existing Windows installation, which you don’t have.
   • Custom: Install Windows only (advanced): This is the option you need for a new PC or a clean installation. Select this.

Drive Selection and Partitioning

This is a crucial step where you tell Windows where to install itself.

1. Where do you want to install Windows? You will see a list of drives and partitions available on your PC.
   • New PC with unallocated space: If this is a brand-new system with a new hard drive, you will likely see “Drive X: Unallocated Space” with the size of your drive.
   • Existing drives (less common for new PCs): If you have a drive that was previously used, you might see multiple partitions.
2. Creating Partitions (for unallocated space):
   • Select the “Unallocated Space” on your primary drive (usually Drive 0).
   • Click “New.” Windows will automatically suggest a partition size. For most users, using the entire drive for a single Windows partition is sufficient. Windows will automatically create additional small partitions for system files (like the Recovery partition and System Reserved partition). Click “Apply.”
   • You’ll receive a warning that Windows might create additional partitions for system files. Click “OK.”
3. Selecting the Installation Target: Once partitions are created or if they already exist, select the primary partition where you want to install Windows (this will be the largest partition on your main drive). Click “Next.”

Installing Windows

1. Installation Process: Windows will now begin installing. This involves copying files, installing features, installing updates, and finishing up. Your computer will restart several times during this process. Do NOT press any keys when prompted to “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD…” or similar messages during restarts. Allow the computer to continue booting from the hard drive.
2. Automatic Restarts: The system will automatically reboot. If you see the prompt to boot from USB/DVD again, just let it time out or remove the installation media. The setup will then resume from your hard drive.

Configuring Windows 10

After the main installation files are copied and the system has restarted a few times, you’ll enter the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) or the setup wizard to configure your Windows 10 settings.

Initial Setup and Personalization

1. Region and Keyboard Layout: Confirm your region and keyboard layout. You might be asked to set up a second keyboard layout if needed.
2. Connect to a Network: Connect your PC to your network. If you’re using Wi-Fi, select your network from the list and enter your password. If you’re using an Ethernet cable, it should connect automatically.
3. Microsoft Account or Local Account:
   • Microsoft Account: You will be prompted to sign in with your Microsoft account (Outlook, Hotmail, Live). Using a Microsoft account allows for synchronization of settings, access to the Microsoft Store, and other cloud-based features.
   • Local Account: If you prefer not to use a Microsoft account, you can create a local account. On some versions, you might need to click “Offline account” or “Skip this step” and then look for the option to create a local account. You’ll create a username and password for this account.
4. Create a PIN: For faster sign-in, you’ll be prompted to create a PIN for your account.
5. Privacy Settings: Review and configure your privacy settings for location, diagnostic data, inking and typing, tailored experiences, and advertising ID. It’s advisable to read through these and choose what you are comfortable with.
6. Cortana: You’ll be asked if you want to set up Cortana, Microsoft’s virtual assistant. You can choose to set it up or skip it.

Desktop and Post-Installation Tasks

Once you’ve completed the OOBE, you’ll arrive at the Windows 10 desktop.

1. Windows Update: The very first thing you should do is run Windows Update.
   • Go to Settings (Windows key + I).
   • Click on Update & Security.
   • Click on Windows Update.
   • Click Check for updates. Install all available updates, including optional ones that might contain important drivers. Your PC will likely need to restart multiple times.
2. Install Drivers: While Windows Update often installs generic drivers, it’s crucial to install the specific drivers for your hardware for optimal performance and functionality.
   • Motherboard Drivers: Visit the manufacturer’s website for your motherboard and download the latest drivers for chipset, audio, network (LAN/Wi-Fi), USB, and any other onboard components.
   • Graphics Card Drivers: If you have a dedicated graphics card (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel), go to their respective websites to download the latest drivers.
   • Other Peripherals: Install drivers for any other devices like printers, scanners, or specialized input devices.
   • You can check Device Manager (Windows key + X, then select Device Manager) for any devices with a yellow exclamation mark, indicating a missing or problematic driver.
3. Install Essential Software: Install your preferred web browser (if not using Edge), antivirus software (if not using Windows Defender), office suite, and any other applications you need.
4. Activation: If you skipped product key entry earlier, now is the time to activate Windows. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation and enter your product key or sign in with your Microsoft account if you have a digital license.
5. Create a Recovery Drive: It’s good practice to create a recovery drive. Go to Control Panel > Recovery > Create a recovery drive. This can be a lifesaver if you ever encounter serious system problems.

By following these steps, you will have successfully installed and configured Windows 10 on your new PC, ready for you to use and personalize.