The best way to upgrade to Windows 10 22H2 is to perform a clean installation using a USB flash drive with a bootable media. Usually, you should perform an in-place upgrade using Windows Update, but changing the current installation can lead to problems and errors due to possible compatibility issues and custom configurations. A clean install of Windows 10 22H2 minimizes the risks because it deletes everything on the hard drive and sets up a fresh copy of the operating system.
If you have had the same installation for some time, starting from scratch may be the best option to improve performance, startup times, and memory usage, and it can help to resolve existing problems. However, reinstallation isn’t necessary on computer running versions 21H2, 21H1, 20H2, or 2004 since Windows 10 22H2 is a minor update that applies just like those cumulative updates you receive every month.
You can use the Media Creation Tool, but you should only use it to upgrade from an older version (for example, November 2019 Update) or fix current setup problems.
In this guide, you will learn the steps to perform a clean install of Windows 10 22H2 using a bootable USB flash drive.
Clean install Windows 10 22H2 from USB
Before beginning, you need to create a USB flash drive with the Media Creation Tool. You then have to start the computer with the bootable media to launch the Windows Setup wizard. Also, you have to make sure the device can boot from USB, which means that you may need to adjust the BIOS or UEFI settings. However, since most devices have different settings, you must check your manufacturer support website for more specific details.
To perform a clean installation of Windows 10 22H2, use these steps:
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Start the PC with the Windows 10 USB flash drive.
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Press any key to continue.
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Click the Next button.
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Click the Install now button.
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Click the I don’t have a product key option if you are doing a reinstallation. If Windows 10 was already activated after the installation, reactivation will happen automatically.
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Select the edition of “Windows 10” that your license key activates (if applicable).
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Check the “I accept the license terms” option.
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Click the Next button.
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Select the “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)” option.
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Select each partition in the hard drive you want to install Windows 10 and click the Delete button. (Usually, the “Drive 0” is the drive that contains all the installation files.)
Warning: When you delete a partition, it also deletes all data on the storage. Also, it is not required to delete the partitions from a secondary hard drive. -
Select the hard drive (Drive 0 Unallocated Space) to install Windows 10.
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Click the Next button.
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Select your region setting after the installation on the first page of the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE).
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Click the Yes button.
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Select your keyboard layout setting.
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Click the Yes button.
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Click the Skip button if you do not need to configure a second layout.
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The computer will automatically connect to the network if it uses an Ethernet connection. If you have a wireless connection, you will need to set up the connection manually (a security key may be required).
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Select the “Set up for personal use” option on Windows 10 Pro. The “Home” edition does not have this option.
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Click the Next button.
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Confirm your Microsoft account email, phone number, or Skype identification to create an account.
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Click the Next button.
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Confirm your Microsoft account password.
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Click the Next button.
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Click the Create a PIN button.
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Create a new PIN password.
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Click the OK button.
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Confirm your privacy settings that best suit your needs by turning on or off the toggle switch for each setting.
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Click the Accept button.
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(Optional) On the “Customize your device” page, select one or more ways you plan to use the device to allow the setup to suggest tools and services customization during this experience.
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Click the Accept button to continue. Or click the Skip button to skip this part of the setup.
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Click the “Skip for now” button to skip linking your phone to your PC. (You can always do this from the Settings app.)
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Click the Next button to allow OneDrive to automatically backup your Desktop, Pictures, and Documents folders to the cloud. Or click the “Only save file to this PC” option to skip this step.
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Click the No, thanks button to skip the Microsoft 365 setup.
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Click the Not now button to disable Cortana.
Once you complete the steps, a clean install of Windows 10 22H2 will be performed on the computer.
For additional assistance, check this guide that includes every step to prepare, create a backup, and start with a new installation of Windows 10.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.