How Long Does Windows 10/11 Install Take?

The installation times for Windows are difficult to predict. As it varies greatly depending on your system’s specifications. However, we can estimate that it will take between 15-30 minutes for a standard install.

To give you an idea, we installed it on our Dell XPS 13 laptop with a 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM and it took about 30 minutes.

How Long Does It Take To Install Windows 10 On Your PC?

Let’s look at each factors on your system that may impact the installation.

1. Type of Hard Drive:
   Installing on SSDs is much faster than compared to traditional hard drives.
2. Network Speed:
   The slower the connection, the more time it will take to download required components.
3. Processor and RAM:
   Both CPU and RAM directly impact how fast the installation can take place in your PC.
4. Installation Medium:
   Installation from modern USB sticks are much faster because of improved read/write speeds.
5. USB Port:
   Newer USB ports such as 3.0 or 3.1 support faster installation than older 2.0 ones.
6. External Devices:
   If you have external peripherals connected to your PC, they can interfere with the installation process.

According to Microsoft’s official site, you must meet at least the following specifications.

Please keep in mind that these are the absolute minimum requirements for Windows 10. A PC with low specifications will take much longer to install than a PC with beefy hardware. Since better hardware specifications allow for more room for a smooth installation experience.

Furthermore, as these specs get older, the installation time also may suffer. On an older PC, installing Windows 10 may take up to an hour.

Does the Edition of Windows Matter?

The type of Windows edition may affect how long the installation process takes. However, compared to the overall install time, the difference is minute.

Windows 10 Home edition has lesser power features compared to Pro or Enterprise editions. This results in a smaller install file size and thus faster installation.

How to Fix a Windows Installation Error?

If your Windows installation is stuck due to errors, try aborting the installation. Sometimes one of the files may have gone corrupt or missing. This would result in the installation process getting stuck. Here are a few helpful tips to fix Windows installation errors.

1. Check Disk space
   Your disk space may not be enough to copy new Windows files. Check your free space and try freeing up some more storage before trying again.
2. Remove Peripherals
   Remove any external devices that you don’t need for installation. If possible, switch to ethernet instead of Wi-Fi during the process.
3. Look for Error Codes
   If a system error is generated during installation, use that to troubleshoot your process. Make note of the error code first. They are usually of the format 0xC1900101 – 0xXXXX. Then go to this website and search for the error code and its resolution.
4. Change Installation Media
   It may be possible that the boot files in your USB stick got corrupted. Switch to a newer or different USB stick for installation medium. If your PC supports Optical drive, you can opt for using that as well.