Note: Windows 10 remains fully supported by Microsoft through October 14, 2025. If you need to reinstall Windows 10, set up a new PC, or run Windows 10 in a virtual machine, downloading the official Windows 10 ISO is still the safest and most reliable option.
Looking for how to download the Windows 10 ISO? Follow this post. It guides you in downloading Windows 10 with or without Microsoft via step-by-step instructions, plus a clear overview of system requirements.
We'll also show our experience on how to create a bootable USB drive for Windows 10, and how to install Windows 10 quickly and easily.
Quick Answer: How to download Windows 10
- Best official source: Microsoft
- Alternative third-party source: archive.org
- Formats available: ISO only
- Activation: Requires a valid Windows 10 license (digital or product key)
- Use cases: Clean install, repair, downgrade from Windows 11, VM testing
You can legally download Windows 10 ISO for free, but activation is required to use it without limitations.
If you only need to download a specific edition of Windows 10, get it from:
Download Windows 10 Professional ISO
Is Windows 10 free to download?
Yes, but to run Windows 10 with all features unlocked, a valid product key is required.
- You can download Windows 10 ISO for free from Microsoft.
- You need a valid license to activate Windows 10.
- Without activation, Windows 10 runs with limited personalization options.
Note: Downloading the Windows 10 ISO does not grant a license.
Direct links for free downloading Windows 10 ISO 64-bit
You can follow this direct link to get Windows 10 without the Media Creation Tool; no extra setup steps required.
Here is the earlier version of Windows 10 - 21H1:
⬇️ Download Windows 10 ISO - 21H1 (5.4 GB, from archive.org)
Get the latest update of Windows 10 ISO - 22H2:
⬇️ Download Windows 10 ISO - 22H2 (5.7 GB, from archive.org)
Download Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft (64-bit & 32-bit)
Downloading the Windows 10 ISO file from Microsoft is free and ensures security and authenticity.
The Windows 10 ISO 64-bit version (5.7 GB) is for modern (post-2010) PC, while the Windows 10 ISO 32-bit (4.0 GB) is for old PCs that are pre-2010.
Note: Microsoft officially stopped support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. If you continue using Windows 10, your PC may be more vulnerable to security threats. We suggest you update your computer to Windows 11 - Download Windows 11 ISO
Option 1: Download via Media Creation Tool (Recommended)
Best for most users on Windows PCs.
Steps:
- Download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.
- Choose Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO).
- Select language, edition, and architecture.
- Download the Windows 10 ISO or create a bootable USB.
Option 2: Direct Windows 10 ISO download (No tool required)
Best for macOS, Linux, or Chromebook users.
Steps:
- Access the Microsoft Windows 10 ISO (Disc Image) download center.
- Choose "Windows 10 (multi-edition ISO)" from the drop-down menu and click "Confirm."
- Choose the language you're currently using and click "Confirm." Here, I selected English.
- Click "64-bit Download" or "32-bit Download" and wait for the download process to complete.
Share the detailed steps to obtain Windows 10.
Windows 10 editions explained
| Edition | Best for |
| Windows 10 Home | Personal & home use |
| Windows 10 Pro | Business, remote desktop, BitLocker usage |
| Windows 10 Education | Schools & academic use |
The Windows 10 ISO file downloaded from Microsoft is generic. It contains multiple editions, including Windows 10 Home ISO, Windows 10 Pro ISO, Windows 10 Education ISO, Windows 10 Enterprise ISO, etc.
Your license determines which edition activates.
Windows 10 system requirements
If you are going to install Windows 10 64-bit or 32-bit, check its system requirements first.
Windows 10 64-bit system requirements:
| Processor | 64-bit CPUs |
| RAM limit | 2GB to 128 GB |
| App compatibility | Support both 64-bit and 32-bit apps |
| Installation storage | 32GB clean install or 20 GB for existing install |
| Graphics | DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver |
| Display | 800 × 600 resolution or higher |
| Firmware | UEFI or BIOS |
Windows 10 32-bit system requirements:
| Processor | 32-bit CPUs |
| RAM limit | Minimum 1 GB |
| App compatibility | Support only 32-bit apps |
| Installation storage | At least 16 GB free disk space |
| Graphics | DirectX 9 or later with WDDM 1.0 driver |
| Display | 800 × 600 resolution or higher |
| Firmware | BIOS or UEFI |
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How to verify Windows 10 ISO integrity
Checking the integrity of a Windows ISO file confirms that the download is complete and unchanged. This helps prevent installation errors caused by corrupted or modified ISO files.
Windows includes a built-in utility called CertUtil, which allows you to verify ISO checksums without installing additional software.
This step is recommended before creating a Windows 10 installation media.
Step 1: Open Command Prompt with Administrator Rights
- Press Win + R.
- Type cmd.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to run Command Prompt as administrator.
Step 2: Calculate the MD5 checksum
In the Command Prompt window, enter the following command:
certutil -hashfile "C:\path\to\your\windows10.iso" MD5
Replace C:\path\to\your\windows10.iso with the actual file path of your Windows 10 ISO.
Windows will generate a long alphanumeric string. It is the MD5 hash of the Windows 10 ISO file.
Step 3: Compare the MD5 value
Check whether the generated MD5 hash exactly matches the official MD5 checksum published by the ISO download source.
- Matching values confirm file integrity.
- Mismatched values indicate the ISO should be re-downloaded.
Step 4: Generate the SHA-1 checksum
For additional verification, run the following command:
certutil -hashfile "C:\path\to\your\windows10.iso" SHA1
Make sure the file path points to the same Windows ISO file.
Step 5: Validate the SHA-1 hash
Compare the displayed SHA-1 value with the official SHA-1 checksum provided by the source.
If both MD5 and SHA-1 hashes match, the Windows 10 ISO file is verified and safe to use.
🔔 Important Note: MD5 and SHA-1 are no longer recommended for cryptographic security, but they remain commonly used for detecting file corruption during downloads. For stronger verification, SHA-256 is preferred when available.
How to install Windows 10 from the ISO
You can install Windows 10 using:
- A bootable USB flash drive (recommended)
- Virtual machine software
- DVD
Here, we take the easiest way - using a bootable USB to install Windows 10 as an example and show you the detailed steps.
The workflow to install Windows 10 with a bootable USB:
- Create a Windows 10 bootable USB installer.
- Plug the Windows 10 bootable USB into the PC.
- Restart the computer and simultaneously press the Boot Menu key.
Dell: F12
HP: F9 or Esc
Lenovo: F12
Acer: F12
ASUS: Esc or F8
MSI: F11
Note: If your computer doesn't have a Boot Menu, enter BIOS/UEFI (usually press Delete, F2, or Esc) and change the Boot Order to put USB first. - Choose the USB drive as the boot device and press Enter.
- Now, your computer boots from the USB.
- Follow the on-screen setup instructions.
- On the activation screen:
If you enter a product key for a specific edition, the setup will automatically install that edition.
If you don't have a product key, skip the screen, manually choose between editions to install, and use Windows 10 for free.
Notification: Some limitations are inevitable when you use Windows 10 without a valid license key.
How to create a Windows 10 bootable USB
A bootable Windows 10 USB is used for fresh system installation, system recovery, system upgrade, or downgrade, etc.
iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Windows is recommended to create a Windows 10 bootable USB installer. This tool simplifies the complex creation process and converts it into only simple clicks.
Step-by-step guide to create a Windows 10 bootable USB installer:
- Free download, install, and open iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Windows on your PC.
- Connect an empty USB drive with at least 32 GB of free space to your PC.
- Click "Windows" > "Create Windows OS USB Installer" from the Download and create boot disk module.
- Choose the connected USB drive as the target disk and click "Select."
- Choose Windows 10 and click "Start creating boot disk" > "Yes" to start downloading Windows 10 ISO.
Once downloaded, this tool will automatically start creating a Windows 10 bootable USB installer for you.
Directly make a bootable copy of Windows 10
Suppose you have a Windows 10 PC and only use the bootable Windows 10 USB to start up an unbootable computer, or test Windows 10 with the same configuration on different PCs.
In that case, we suggest you use iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Windows to directly clone the OS disk from a Windows 10 computer via a few clicks.
Then, you'll get a bootable copy of Windows 10 and can directly use it to start a PC up Windows 10 without configuration.
Here's how:
- Download, install, and launch iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Windows on a Windows 10 computer.
- Connect a USB drive to the computer.
The USB drive must be larger than the OS disk on the Windows 10 PC. Or else, the disk clone will fail. - Check the OS disk in the Source OS disk section, where the software automatically lists the system partition.
- Click "Select a destination disk" to choose your USB drive as the destination.
- Click "Confirm" to start cloning the Windows 10 partition to the USB drive.
Tips: If you only have a Mac and want to create a Windows 10 bootable USB, read: How to create a Windows 10 bootable USB on a Mac
Common Windows 10 download issues
Most Windows 10 download failures are environment-related (network, permissions, disk space) rather than ISO issues themselves.
Here are the common Windows 10 download problems you should pay attention to. Corresponding causes and solutions are also available.
1. Windows 10 download is stuck or not progressing
Causes: Unstable internet connection, browser cache conflicts, Microsoft server congestion
Solutions:
- Switch to a stable wired or high-quality Wi-Fi connection
- Clear the browser cache or use a different browser
- Pause and resume the download or try again later
2. Windows 10 download is extremely slow
Causes: Limited bandwidth or background downloads, peak traffic on Microsoft servers
Solutions:
- Pause other downloads and Windows Updates
- Try downloading during off-peak hours
- Use the Media Creation Tool instead of the browser
3. The downloaded Windows 10 ISO is corrupted
Causes: Interrupted or incomplete ISO download, disk errors during saving
Solutions:
- Verify ISO integrity using MD5/SHA-1 or SHA-256
- Re-download the ISO from an official source
- Save the file to a different drive if possible
Final words
Windows 10 ISO is available for free on the Microsoft website. You can easily get the full versions of both 64-bit and 32-bit.
If you download a Windows 10 ISO for creating a bootable USB drive, it's not at all worth it. We suggest using a cloning tool like iBoysoft DiskGeeker for Windows to directly clone the system partition of a Windows 10 PC.
Using this method to create a bootable USB for Windows 10 is far simpler than the normal way.
Share this post with others who are also seeking where to download Windows 10 ISO.
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FAQs about Windows 10 ISO download
- QCan I download Windows 10 ISO without product key?
-
A
Yes, you can directly download Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft without a product key. After that, you can also install and use Windows 10 without a product key in an unactivated state. However, there are some limitations when using Windows 10 without a valid license key.
- QCan I get Windows 10 ISO for free?
-
A
Yes, you can download Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft or archive.org for free. Downloading Windows ISO usually don't need to pay any moneny but installing it requires.
- QWhere can I download an ISO file for Windows 10?
-
A
You can download an ISO file for Windows 10 from Microsoft's official website.