Windows 11 Professional
Version 25H2 · Microsoft Corporation · x64 bootable ISO · ranked #15 in the library
The current desktop system image in its professional edition, prepared so the hardware checks that block installation on older machines do not stop setup, with every interface language in the one file.
Read the installation section below before you start. The order of the steps matters on this release.
About this release
Overview
This is the professional edition installation media for the current feature release. The image installs the standard system, with the centred taskbar, the redesigned settings application, snap layouts, virtual desktops, the reworked file explorer with tabs, and the current window management behaviour. Nothing is stripped out or replaced with a third party shell.
The practical difference in this image is the hardware requirement handling. The stock installer refuses to continue on machines without a supported TPM module, secure boot enabled, or a processor on the approved list, which rules out a great deal of hardware that runs the system perfectly well. Those checks are bypassed in setup here, so an older workstation installs without editing the registry mid-install or building custom media.
The professional feature set is intact: BitLocker, group policy, Hyper-V, remote desktop hosting, domain join and the enterprise management tooling. Every interface language ships in the image and is picked at the first setup screen, and the recovery environment is present for repairs, resets and command line work on a machine that will not start.
What it does
Feature breakdown
Hardware checks bypassed at setup
TPM, secure boot and processor list checks do not block installation, so older but capable machines install normally.
BitLocker and device encryption
Full volume encryption with recovery key export, available on machines with or without a TPM using a startup key.
Group policy and policy based management
Local group policy editor and the full policy surface, so update behaviour, privacy settings and device rules are configurable.
Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox
Native virtualisation plus a disposable sandbox environment for testing something you do not trust.
Remote desktop host
Accept incoming sessions, which the home edition cannot do.
Multilingual image
One ISO covering every interface language, selected at the start of setup.
Changed in this build
Version 25H2
- Current cumulative servicing integrated so a fresh install starts close to up to date.
- Updated storage, chipset and network drivers slipstreamed for recent and older hardware alike.
- Setup no longer requires a network connection or an online account to complete.
- Recovery environment refreshed to match the main image.
- Component store cleaned of superseded packages, reducing the installed footprint.
Installation
Follow these in order
- Back up the target machine completely before you begin.
- Write the ISO to a USB stick of 8 GB or larger.
- Boot from the stick through the firmware boot menu.
- Select your language, then choose custom install.
- Remove the old system partitions if you want a clean install, then continue into the unallocated space.
- At the out of box setup, choose the offline account option rather than signing in.
Release notes
From whoever packed it
- Check the file hash before writing. Setup failures on this image are almost always a bad download.
- Stay offline through first boot so setup does not insist on an online account.
- A future feature upgrade may reintroduce the hardware checks. Defer feature updates if the machine is unsupported.
System requirements
Minimum and recommended
| Processor | 1 GHz or faster with two or more cores, 64-bit. The approved processor list is not enforced |
|---|---|
| Memory | 4 GB minimum, 8 GB or more recommended |
| Storage | 64 GB minimum, an SSD strongly recommended |
| Graphics | DirectX 12 compatible with a WDDM 2.0 driver |
| Firmware | UEFI preferred, legacy BIOS supported through the bypassed checks |
Questions about this release
Answered before you ask
- Does it really install without a TPM?
- Yes, the checks are bypassed in the setup configuration of this image.
- Will updates still arrive?
- Security updates install normally. Feature upgrades on unsupported hardware may not be offered.
- Can I upgrade over an existing install?
- Yes, run setup from inside the running system and choose to keep files and applications.
Download
Pick a mirror