Alex Ruben
How To Upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11 Without USB or Data Loss
Upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 isn’t always straightforward, especially if your PC isn’t officially supported — like lacking TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot. Sometimes, just following Microsoft’s upgrade tools gives errors or refuses to install. The good news? There are ways to do it without a USB stick or wiping your data, but it requires a bit of manual work and bypassing those hardware checks. It’s kind of annoying, but it’s doable if you follow the steps carefully. The end goal is to get Windows 11 running smoothly on your existing system, keeping all your apps and files intact, even if your hardware isn’t 100% compliant. Just keep in mind, this isn’t an official method, so proceed at your own risk.
How to Upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 Without a USB Drive
Check Your System Language
It’s supposedly important to match your system language to the ISO you’re about to download. Anyway, just in case you’re trying to be precise, it helps ensure the installer runs without fuss. This also helps avoid weird language mismatch errors later, on some setups that can cause weird behavior or failed installs.
- Open the Command Prompt as an administrator. You can do that by searching in the Start menu, right-clicking, and choosing Run as administrator.
- Type this command and press Enter:
DISM /Online /Get-Intl - Look for the Default System UI Language. Note the code, like en-US for English (United States). This’ll be useful for the ISO download.
On some setups, this command might not show every detail perfectly, but it’s worth doing if you want things to go smoothly.
Download the Windows 11 ISO File
Now, grab the official ISO — no hacks, just the real thing. You want the same language code you noted earlier to avoid issues.
- Visit the official Microsoft download page. Yeah, Microsoft’s site — don’t trust shady third-party sites here.
- Scroll down and find the section for downloading the Windows 11 ISO.
- Select Windows 11 Multi Edition ISO — I’ve seen some people pick the Home edition, but the Multi Edition is usually what you want for flexibility.
- Pick the same language code as before, then click the 64-bit Download button. Save the file somewhere accessible.
If the download link doesn’t work immediately, just wait a bit, Microsoft’s servers can be slow during busy times.
Mount & Copy the ISO Files
This part is kind of weird, but it works. You mount the ISO so that the system treats it like a virtual DVD, then copy all files into a folder. This way, you can run the installer without extra fuss.
- Right-click the downloaded ISO and select Mount. It’ll appear as a new drive in This PC.
- Open that drive, select all the files inside (Ctrl+A). Then right-click and choose Copy.
- Navigate to your C: drive, create a folder named Win11 (or whatever), and paste all the files there. Easy. This step helps avoid path issues when running setup.
This can be a little buggy on some machines, so if it doesn’t work on the first try, try rebooting or remounting the ISO.
Run the Setup to Bypass Hardware Checks
This is where you kinda cheat the system. You tell Windows to run the setup, ignoring the hardware requirement checks — like TPM, Secure Boot, or even CPU generation. Not something Microsoft officially recommends, but if your hardware is fine otherwise, it can work.
- Open Command Prompt as administrator again. (Win + X → Command Prompt (Admin))
- Type this command, assuming your ISO copy is in
C:\Win11:
C:\Win11\setup.exe /pkey - The weird part about that command I used before was, some people say adding /pkey triggers the setup to run with hardware checks bypassed. But on some configs, you might need to add /CompatibilityMode or use the registry tweak instead.
- Ignore any warning about your hardware, and proceed.
Not sure why, but on some machines this fails the first time, then works after a reboot or trying again. Windows has to make it harder than necessary sometimes.
Finish the Installation
Follow the normal prompts as if you’re doing a standard upgrade. It’ll ask about keeping files/apps — choose to keep everything. The installer will run, and your PC will restart a few times. Sitting through the reboots can take a bit, so don’t turn off the PC mid-way.
- Accept all licensing terms and click Next.
- Select “Keep personal files and apps” — if prompted.
- Click Install and wait. The setup will do its thing. On some systems, it’s faster or slower — just have patience.
Once all’s done, you’ll be greeted with a shiny new Windows 11 desktop. Expect your files to be there, and most of your apps too, since you told the installer to keep everything.
Verify the Upgrade & Clean Up
Double-check that Windows 11 is installed properly:
- Open the Start Menu and type
winver. Then hit Enter. - You should see Windows 11 latest version info.
If that checks out, you’re good. Delete the Win11 folder on your C drive to free space, unless you want to keep a backup of the setup files.
Option: Revert to Windows 10
If Windows 11 isn’t playing nice or you just want to go back:
- Open Settings (Win + I) and go to System → Recovery.
- Under Recovery options, click Go back. If it’s grayed out, you might be past the kill date, or the files are gone.
- Follow instructions, and it’ll restore your Windows 10 setup (assuming it’s within 10 days of upgrade).
This isn’t guaranteed on unsupported hardware, so if you hit roadblocks, backup first just in case.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
- Backup your stuff — better safe than sorry with these kinds of hacks.
- Make sure your internet connection is stable during downloads, or you’ll just get stuck.
- If the installer refuses to run, double-check that your ISO was downloaded correctly, and that you’re running the command prompt as administrator.
- Some hardware just won’t play nicely, so be prepared for possible troubleshooting or even sticking with Windows 10 if things get too weird.
Wrap-up
This method’s kind of a manual workaround, but it’s satisfying when it works since you get Windows 11 on unsupported hardware without wiping your drive. Not every setup is flawless, but it’s worth trying if you’re determined to get the latest stuff without new hardware. Just remember, this isn’t officially supported, so proceed carefully. On one machine it worked on the first shot, on another I had to fiddle around more. Good luck — fingers crossed this helps someone get through that upgrade grind.
Summary
- Verify your system language matches the ISO.
- Download a legit Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft.
- Mount and copy the ISO files to your C: drive.
- Run the setup with commands to bypass requirements.
- Follow the installation prompts, keep your files, and reboot as needed.
- Check your Windows version afterward with
winver. - If needed, revert back within 10 days via Settings.