How to dual-boot Windows 10 and 11

On your computer, you can set up a dual-boot system running Windows 10 and 11 or vice versa, and in this guide, I will outline the steps to complete this configuration in two different ways. A dual-boot (multi-boot) system defines the process of installing two different operating systems on a single computer, allowing you to choose which one to boot into from the bootloader when you start your computer.

The ability to use a device to boot into multiple operating systems comes in handy in different situations. For example, if you’re still on Windows 10, you can use a dual-boot system to try Windows 11 before switching. If you have a computer with the latest version of the operating system, you may need to set up another installation for compatibility with a specific application. Or you can set up a second installation to test build previews from the Windows Insider Program.

Regardless of the reason, you can set up a dual-boot system on Windows in two ways. You can shrink the primary partition to configure a second installation, or it’s possible to install another version of the operating system on a Virtual Hard Disk (VHDX) without modifying the original setup.

In this guide, I’ll outline two ways to set up a dual-boot system using Windows 10 and 11. However, the instructions will work to set up Windows 10 on 11, 11 on 11, or 10 on 10.

Get ready to set up a dual-boot system

Before proceeding, you must understand that setting up a dual-boot using Windows 11 and 10 is different from configuring Windows 10 with 11. The reason is that Windows 11 has higher system requirements than Windows 10, and if you don’t confirm the requirements, you may not be able to complete the setup. (If you have a computer with unsupported hardware, you may be able to bypass the requirements creating a special USB bootable media.)

If you have a device already running Windows 11, you can install Windows 10 as the second operating system without extra steps. However, if you have a computer running Windows 10, you have to ensure that the device uses UEFI as the firmware type, TPM 2.0 is enabled, and the computer has a supported AMD or Intel processor. Also, at least 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage are required, and Secure Boot is not a requirement, but it might be needed.

Since you will be using the same hardware, you may be able to activate Windows with the same product key, assuming you’re using compatible versions of the operating system, such as Windows 11 and 10.

Dual-boot Windows 10 and 11 using partition
Dual-boot Windows 10 and 11 using virtual drive

Dual-boot Windows 10 and 11 using partition

If you want to create a dual-boot system using Windows 10 and Windows 11, you will need to shrink the current partition to make space available for the new installation. Then, in the Windows Setup, you can proceed with a standard installation of Windows 11 using the unallocated space. Here’s how.

1. Create a Windows 11 USB bootable media

To create a Windows 11 bootable USB, use these steps:

Open Rufus website.
Under the “Download” section, click the link to download the latest version.
Double-click the executable to launch the tool.
Click the Settings button (third button from the left) at the bottom of the page.
Under the “Settings” section, use the “Check for updates” drop-down menu and select the Daily option.
Click the Close button.
Click the Close button again.
Open Rufus again.
(Optional) Under the “Device” section, use the drop-down menu and select the USB flash drive to create the installation media.
Under the “Boot selection” section, use the drop-down menu and select the “Disk or ISO image” option.
Click the down-arrow button (on the right side) and select the Download option.
Click the Download button.
Select the Windows 11 option.
Click the Continue button.
Under the “Release” section, select the “22H3 (Build 22631.xxx – 2023.12)” option.
Click the Continue button.
Select the Windows 11 Home/Pro/Edu option.
Click the Continue button.
Select the language for the Windows 11 installation.
Click the Continue button.
Select the x64 architecture.
Click the Download button.
Select the location to save the Windows 11 ISO file automatically.
Under the “Image option” setting, select the “Standard Windows 11 Installation” option.
(Optional) Continue with the default settings after the download.
(Optional) Under the “Volume label” setting, specify a name for the drive—for example, Windows 11 22H2 Setup.
Click the Start button.
Clear the “Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0” option.

Quick note: If you want to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware, you want to check this option.
Clear the “Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account” option.
(Optional) Check the “Create a local account with username” option if you want an installation with a local account instead of a Microsoft account (not recommended).
Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the tool will begin creating a bootable media with the Windows 11 installation media.

You can also create a bootable USB with the Media Creation Tool, Command Prompt, and a third-party tool known as Ventory.

2. Set up a partition to install Windows 11

If you have another hard drive, you don’t need to modify the primary partition, as you can use the secondary drive to install the operating system. If you only have a system with a single hard drive, you will have to shrink the partition to make space available for the new installation.

To create a partition to create a dual-boot system, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for “Create and format hard disk partitions” and click the top result to open the Disk Management app.
Right-click the installation drive (C:) and choose the Shrink Volume option.
Confirm at least 64GB of storage (more is recommended).
Click the Shrink button.
Shut down the computer.

After creating the partition, shut down the device and continue with the steps below to dual-boot Windows 11 alongside Windows 10.

3. Install Windows 11 alongside Windows 10

To install Windows 11 as a dual-boot system with Windows 10, use these steps:

Start the PC with the Windows 11 USB flash drive.
Press any key to continue.
Click the Next button.
Click the Install now button.
Click the “I don’t have a product key” option.
Select the edition of “Windows 11” that your product key activates (if applicable).
Check the “I accept the license terms” option.
Click the Next button.
Select the “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)” option.
Select the portion (Drive 0 Unallocated Space) to install Windows 11 in a dual-boot setup.
Click the Next button.
Choose the “Windows 11” option in the boot menu (if applicable).
Select your region setting after the installation on the first page of the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE).
Click the Yes button.
Select your keyboard layout setting.
Click the Yes button.
Click the Skip button if you do not need to configure a second layout.
The computer will automatically connect to the network using an Ethernet connection. If you have a wireless connection, you must set up the connection manually (a security key may be required) and click the Next button.
(Optional) Confirm a name for the computer.
Click the Next button. (The device will restart automatically.)
Select the “Set up for personal use” option if configuring Windows 11 Pro. The “Home” edition does not have this option.

Quick tip: Use the “Set up for work or school” option to skip the Microsoft account and create a local account.
Click the Next button.
Click the Sign in button.
Confirm your Microsoft account email or phone number to create an account.
Click the Next button.
Confirm your Microsoft account password.
Click the Next button.
Click the “More options” setting.

Quick tip: You can also click the “Restore from this PC” button to restore your files, apps, settings, and credentials from the system backup available in your OneDrive account. You can learn more about the Windows Backup app in this guide.
Click the “Set up a new device” option to continue or select the backup to restore.
Click the Create PIN button.
Create a new four-digit PIN.
Click the OK button.
Scroll down and confirm the privacy settings that best suit your situation by turning on or off the toggle switch for each setting.
Click the Accept button.
(Optional) On the “Let’s customize your experience” page, select one or more ways you plan to use the device to allow the setup to suggest tools and service customizations during this experience.
Click the Accept button to continue. Or click the Skip button to skip this part of the setup.
Click the Skip button for the Android phone link process.
Click the “Continue without” button to skip the Microsoft 365 setup.
Click the Decline button to skip the OneDrive offer.
Click the “Skip for now” button to skip the Game Pass subscription promotion.

Once you complete the steps, you will be able to use two different operating systems on the same computer.

The process will be the same if you want to dual-boot Windows 10 and 10 or 11 and 11. Furthermore, you’re not limited to two operating systems. You can always create additional partitions to set up a triple-boot system or install even more operating systems.

4. Change dual-boot order

On a dual-boot system, the boot manager will always set the last operating system installation as the default, and it will the system that will load automatically after 30 seconds without input from the user. However, you can always change the boot order.

To change the dual-boot order on your computer, use these steps:

Start the computer.
Click “Change defaults or choose other options” from the boot manager.
Click the “Choose a default operating system” option.
Choose the installation you want to start by default.
(Optional) Click the “Change the timer” option to set a different timeout for the boot manager.
Click the back button from the top-left corner.
Select the system to start the computer.

After you complete the steps, the new settings will apply to the boot manager.

5. Remove an operating system

You can always undo the changes if you no longer need to use the dual-boot setup.

To remove the second Windows installation from the computer, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for “Create and format hard disk partitions” and click the top result to open the Disk Management app.
Right-click the partition with the installation to delete and choose the Delete Volume option.
Click the Yes button.
(Optional) Right-click the current setup partition (C:) and click the Extend Volume option to relocate the empty space to the system.
Click the Next button.
Click the Next button again.
Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, the computer will once again have only one operating system.

Dual-boot Windows 10 and 11 using virtual drive

Alternatively, you can create a dual-boot without changing the current setup by using a virtual hard disk (VHDX). After you finish configuring this process, there’s no virtualization involved, and Windows 11 will be able to take full advantage of the hardware.

You can use this method to create a dual-boot system on a computer running Windows 10 or 11, and you can use 11 or 10 as the second operating system.

It’s important to note that in the past, you were not able to upgrade a system when using a native boot with a VHDX, but you should now be able to complete the upgrade to another version of the operating system. If it doesn’t work, you may delete and recreate the setup.

1. Download Windows 11 ISO file

To download the Windows 11 ISO file, use these steps:

Open Microsoft Support website.
Under the “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64” section, select the Windows 11 option.
Click the Download button.
Select the installation language.
Click the Confirm button.
Click the Download button to save the current Windows 11 ISO file to your computer.

Once you complete the steps, the ISO file of Windows 11 will download to your computer.

If this method isn’t working, you can download the ISO file in several other ways.

2. Set up a VHDX drive to install Windows 11

To create a virtual drive to set up a dual-boot system, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for “Create and format hard disk partitions” and click the top result to open the Disk Management app.
Click on Action and choose the Create VHD option.
Choose the VHDX option under the “Virtual hard disk format” section.
Choose the Dynamically expanding option under the “Virtual hard disk type” section.
Click the Browse button.
Select a location to store the virtual drive, for example, the root of the “C:” drive.
Confirm a name for the VHDX, such as “windows-11-setup.”
Click the Save button.
Confirm at least 64GB of storage for the VHDX.
Click the OK button.
Right-click the newly created drive and choose the “Initialize Disk” option.
Choose the GPT option.
Click the OK button.
Right-click the unallocated space and choose the “New Simple Volume” option.
Click the Next button.
Click the Next button again.
Confirm the drive letter.
Click the Next button.
(Optional) Use the VHDX name for the “Volume label.”
Click the Next button.
Click the Finish button.

After you complete the steps, you have to copy the installation files to the virtual drive using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command-line tool.

3. Install Windows 11 alongside Windows 10

To install Windows 11 on a virtual drive inside Windows 10 to create a dual-boot system, use these steps:

Open File Explorer.
Open the folder containing the Windows 11 ISO file.
Right-click the file and choose the Mount option.
Open Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to open the virtual drive and press Enter:
```
F:
```
In the command, change “F” for the letter of the virtual drive with the installation files.
Type the following command to open the Sources folder and press Enter:
```
cd Sources
```
Type the following command to apply the “install.wim” image to the VHDX and press Enter:
```
dism /apply-image /imagefile:install.wim /index:1 /ApplyDir:E:\
```
In the command, change “E” for the drive letter of your VHDX. Also, the “index:1” will install the Windows 11 Home image. Usually, if you want to install Windows 11 Pro, you will have to use the “index:6”. However, you can always query this information using the dism /Get-ImageInfo /ImageFile:E:\sources\install.wim command.
Type the following command to make the Windows 11 setup in the VHDX available to the bootloader and press Enter:
```
bcdboot E:\Windows
```
In the command, change “E” for the drive letter of your VHDX.
Restart the computer to continue with the Windows 11 setup to create the dual-boot system.
Choose the “Windows 11” option in the boot menu (if applicable).
Select your region setting after the installation on the first page of the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE).
Click the Yes button.
Select your keyboard layout setting.
Click the Yes button.
Click the Skip button if you do not need to configure a second layout.
The computer will automatically connect to the network using an Ethernet connection. If you have a wireless connection, you must set up the connection manually (a security key may be required) and click the Next button.
(Optional) Confirm a name for the computer.
Click the Next button. (The device will restart automatically.)
Select the “Set up for personal use” option if configuring Windows 11 Pro. The “Home” edition does not have this option.

Quick tip: Use the “Set up for work or school” option to skip the Microsoft account and create a local account.
Click the Next button.
Click the Sign in button.
Confirm your Microsoft account email or phone number to create an account.
Click the Next button.
Confirm your Microsoft account password.
Click the Next button.
Click the “More options” setting.

Quick tip: You can also click the “Restore from this PC” button to restore your files, apps, settings, and credentials from the system backup available in your OneDrive account. You can learn more about the Windows Backup app in this guide.
Click the “Set up a new device” option to continue or select the backup to restore.
Click the Create PIN button.
Create a new four-digit PIN.
Click the OK button.
Scroll down and confirm the privacy settings that best suit your situation by turning on or off the toggle switch for each setting.
Click the Accept button.
(Optional) On the “Let’s customize your experience” page, select one or more ways you plan to use the device to allow the setup to suggest tools and service customizations during this experience.
Click the Accept button to continue. Or click the Skip button to skip this part of the setup.
Click the Skip button for the Android phone link process.
Click the “Continue without” button to skip the Microsoft 365 setup.
Click the Decline button to skip the OneDrive offer.
Click the “Skip for now” button to skip the Game Pass subscription promotion.

After you complete the steps, Windows 11 will install on the VHDX on the same partition where Windows 10 is installed.

4. Change dual-boot order

To change the dual-boot order, use these steps:

Start the computer.
Click “Change defaults or choose other options” from the boot manager.
Click the “Choose a default operating system” option.
Choose the installation you want to start by default.
(Optional) Click the “Change the timer” option to set a different timeout for the boot manager.
Click the back button from the top-left corner.
Select the system to start the computer.

After you complete the steps, the new settings will apply to the boot manager.

5. Remove an operating system

To delete the Windows 11 installation from the dual-boot system, use these steps:

Open File Explorer on Windows 10.
Open the location with the VHDX file that contains the Windows 11 installation.
Select the file and click the Delete button from the “Home” tab.
Confirm the deletion.
Open Start.
Search for Run and click the top result to open the app.
Type the following command and click the OK button: msconfig
Click the Boot tab.
Select the Windows 11 entry (or the installation installed in the virtual drive).
Click the Delete button.
Click the Apply button.
Click the OK button.
Click the Restart button.

Once you complete the steps, the computer will start with the original operating system installation.