Build a Windows 11 Pro computer that lives inside your PC

Before anything else, make sure your PC can run a virtual machine. Nothing here changes your PC.

1. Open the About page

   Click Start, then Settings. Go to SystemAbout (About is at the very bottom of the list).

2. Check that you have Windows 11 Pro

   Under “Windows specifications”, the Edition line must say Windows 11 Pro. Enterprise or Education also work.

   If it says Windows 11 Home, stop here and see the yellow box below.

3. Check how much memory (RAM) your PC has

   Under “Device specifications”, look at Installed RAM. Write it down; you’ll need it in Part 4.

   Your PC has	Give the VM
   8 GB	4096 MB (works, but a bit slow)
   16 GB or more	8192 MB (recommended)

4. Check your free disk space

   Press Windows + E to open File Explorer and click This PC. Under Local Disk (C:) it says how many GB are free. You need at least 80 GB free.

5. Check that virtualization is turned on

   Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Click Performance on the left (the icon looks like a small graph), then CPU.

   At the bottom right, find Virtualization. It must say Enabled.

   While you’re here, also write down the number next to Logical processors. You’ll use it in Part 5.

Hyper-V is the part of Windows that runs virtual machines. It’s already on your PC, just switched off.

1. Save your work and close your programs

   Your PC will need to restart at the end of this part.

2. Open “Turn Windows features on or off”

   Click Start and type Windows features. Click Turn Windows features on or off in the results. If Windows asks for permission, click Yes.

3. Tick Hyper-V and click OK

   In the list, find Hyper-V and tick its box. Click the small + next to it and check that both Hyper-V Management Tools and Hyper-V Platform are ticked too. Then click OK.

4. Restart when asked

   Windows installs some files. When it says “Windows completed the requested changes”, click Restart now. The PC may restart twice; that’s normal.

5. Open Hyper-V Manager

   After the restart, click Start, type Hyper-V Manager and open it. On the left, click your PC’s name.

   You should see

   A window with a Virtual Machines list in the middle (empty for now) and an Actions list on the right. Keep this window open; you’ll use it a lot.

You’ll download the official Windows 11 installer from Microsoft as a single file called an ISO. It works like an installation DVD for the VM.

1. Open Microsoft’s download page

   Go to microsoft.com/software-download/windows11. It opens in a new tab.

2. Find the “Disk Image (ISO)” section

   Scroll down past the Installation Assistant and the Media Creation Tool. Stop at “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices”.

3. Choose Windows 11 and click Download Now

   In the Select Download box, choose the Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO) option, then click Download Now. Windows 11 Pro is included in this download.

4. Pick your language and confirm

   Under Select the product language, choose the language you want inside the VM, for example English (United States). Click Confirm.

5. Click “64-bit Download” and wait

   Click 64-bit Download. The file is about 7 GB and is named something like Win11_…_English_x64.iso. It saves to your Downloads folder.

   Wait until the download is completely finished. You don’t need to open the file; Hyper-V uses it as it is.

   Good to know

   The download link only works for 24 hours. If it stops working, go back to step 1 and get a new one.

A short wizard asks you a few questions. Use the answers below.

1. Start the New Virtual Machine wizard

   In Hyper-V Manager, on the right under Actions, click New → Virtual Machine…. On the Before You Begin page, click Next.

2. Name it WIN11VM

   In the Name box, type WIN11VM. Leave the location as it is and click Next.

   Only if drive C: is short on space and you have another drive: tick Store the virtual machine in a different location and choose a folder there, such as D:\Hyper-V.

3. Choose Generation 2

   Select Generation 2 and click Next.

   Important

   Windows 11 will not install on Generation 1, and this choice can’t be changed later.

4. Set the memory

   In Startup memory, type 8192 if your PC has 16 GB or more, or 4096 if it has 8 GB (from Part 1).

   Untick “Use Dynamic Memory for this virtual machine”. Click Next.

5. Connect it to the network

   In the Connection drop-down, choose Default Switch. Click Next.

   This gives the VM internet through your PC and lets your PC find it by name later.

6. Create the virtual hard disk

   Leave Create a virtual hard disk selected, and leave the name and size (127 GB) as they are. Click Next.

   Don’t worry about the 127 GB

   The disk only takes up space as Windows uses it, usually 30–40 GB after setup and updates.

7. Point it to the Windows 11 file

   Choose Install an operating system from a bootable image file. Click Browse…, go to your Downloads folder, select the Win11…iso file and click Open. Click Next.

8. Click Finish, but don’t start it yet

   On the Summary page, click Finish.

   You should see

   WIN11VM in the Virtual Machines list with State Off. Leave it off. Part 5 has three settings that must be changed first.

$VMName = "WIN11VM"
$ISO    = (Get-ChildItem "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\Win11*.iso" | Select-Object -First 1).FullName
$VHD    = "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Virtual Hard Disks\$VMName.vhdx"

New-VM -Name $VMName -Generation 2 -MemoryStartupBytes 8GB -SwitchName "Default Switch" -NewVHDPath $VHD -NewVHDSizeBytes 127GB
Set-VMMemory    -VMName $VMName -DynamicMemoryEnabled $false
Set-VMProcessor -VMName $VMName -Count 4        # use 2 if your PC has fewer than 8 logical processors
Set-VMKeyProtector -VMName $VMName -NewLocalKeyProtector
Enable-VMTPM    -VMName $VMName
Add-VMDvdDrive  -VMName $VMName -Path $ISO
Set-VMFirmware  -VMName $VMName -FirstBootDevice (Get-VMDvdDrive -VMName $VMName)
Set-VM          -Name $VMName -AutomaticCheckpointsEnabled $false
vmconnect.exe localhost $VMName
Start-VM -Name $VMNameCopy

Windows 11 checks for a security chip (called a TPM) and at least two processors. The wizard doesn’t set these up. If you skip this part, the installation stops with “This PC doesn’t currently meet Windows 11 system requirements”.

1. Open the VM’s settings

   In Hyper-V Manager, right-click WIN11VM and choose Settings….

2. Turn on the security chip (TPM)

   Click Security on the left. Tick Enable Trusted Platform Module.

   Also check that Enable Secure Boot is ticked and Template says Microsoft Windows. Click Apply.

3. Give it more processors

   Click Processor on the left. Set Number of virtual processors using the number you wrote down in Part 1:

   Logical processors on your PC	Set the VM to
   Fewer than 8	2
   8 or more	4

   Click Apply.

4. Turn off automatic checkpoints

   Lower in the list, under Management, click Checkpoints. Untick “Use automatic checkpoints”. This stops Hyper-V from keeping save-point files you don’t need, which use up disk space.

   Click OK to close the settings.

From now on, a second window shows the VM’s screen. Anything you do in that window happens inside the VM, not on your real PC.

1. Open the VM window and click Start

   In Hyper-V Manager, double-click WIN11VM. A window opens saying the virtual machine is turned off. Click Start.

2. Press a key when it says “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD”

   This message appears on a black screen for only about 5 seconds. As soon as you see it, click inside the black area of the window and press Space a few times.

   If you missed it, see the first yellow box below. It’s easy to fix.

3. Choose language and keyboard

   Windows Setup appears. Check the language and time format, then click Next. Check the keyboard and click Next.

4. Choose “Install Windows 11”

   Select Install Windows 11 and tick “I agree everything will be deleted including files, apps, and settings”. Click Next.

   Your real PC is safe

   This only refers to the VM’s new, empty virtual disk. Nothing on your own PC is touched.

5. Skip the product key

   On the Product key page, click I don’t have a product key. It’s a small link near the bottom of the page. This is how you install now and activate later.

6. Pick “Windows 11 Pro”

   In the list of editions, select exactly Windows 11 Pro and click Next.

   Choose carefully

   Pick exactly Windows 11 Pro: not Home, Pro N or Pro Education. Home can’t be reached with Remote Desktop (Part 9), and the other variants are meant for special uses.

7. Accept the license terms

   Click Accept.

8. Choose the disk and install

   Select Disk 0 Unallocated Space (about 127 GB) and click Next. Then click Install.

9. Wait while Windows installs

   The VM restarts by itself a few times. This can take 15–30 minutes.

   If you see “Press any key to boot from CD or DVD” again, don’t press anything. Let it pass and it continues on its own.

Windows now asks a series of setup questions, just like a new laptop. The order can vary a little.

1. Country and keyboard

   Choose your country or region and click Yes. Confirm the keyboard layout with Yes. When it offers a second keyboard layout, click Skip.

   Windows may check for updates and restart here. Let it.

2. Name the device WIN11VM (if asked)

   If you see “Let’s name your device”, type WIN11VM and click Next. The VM restarts.

   If this screen doesn’t appear, that’s fine. You’ll do it in Part 9.

3. Choose “Set up for personal use”

   When asked how you’d like to set up this device, choose Set up for personal use and click Next.

   Shortcut, if your screen offers it: create a local account here

   Some versions let you skip the Microsoft account. Choose Set up for work or school → Sign-in options → Domain join instead. Then create a user named vmuser with a password and three security questions.

   If you do this, you can skip steps 4 and 5 below, and steps 2 and 3 of Part 9. If you don’t see these options, just use personal setup as described.

4. Sign in with a Microsoft account

   Type the email address of your Microsoft account, click Next, then enter the password or the code Microsoft sends you.

   No Microsoft account? Click Create one. It’s free and takes about two minutes.

5. Create a PIN

   Click Create PIN and choose a PIN. You’ll use it to sign in through the VM window. Write it down.

6. Privacy choices and offers

   On the privacy page, switch off anything you don’t want and click Accept.

   The next screens offer things like restoring from another PC, linking a phone, OneDrive backup and Microsoft 365. None of them are needed. Choose Set up as a new PC, Skip, No thanks or Decline as they come.

7. Reach the desktop

   You should see

   The Windows 11 desktop inside the VM window. A small “Activate Windows” message in the bottom corner is normal. You’ll take care of that later (Part 12).

A fresh install is missing months of security fixes. You’ll run Windows Update a few times until nothing is left.

1. Open Windows Update

   Inside the VM, click Start → Settings → Windows Update (at the bottom of the left list).

2. Check for updates and install them

   Click Check for updates. If a Download & install all button appears, click it. Wait while the updates download and install.

3. Restart when asked

   When the button changes to Restart now, click it. The VM shows “Working on updates” for a while. Don’t turn it off.

4. Repeat until it says “You’re up to date”

   Sign back in, open Windows Update again and click Check for updates. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until it says “You’re up to date”. This usually takes 2 or 3 rounds.

5. Update the Microsoft Store apps Optional

   Open Microsoft Store. Click Downloads at the bottom left, then Get updates (it may be called Check for updates).

6. Make a save point (checkpoint) Optional, recommended

   On your PC, in Hyper-V Manager, right-click WIN11VM → Checkpoint. A checkpoint appears in the middle of the window. Right-click it → Rename and call it Clean install with updates.

   If something ever goes badly wrong inside the VM, right-click this checkpoint → Apply to go back to this moment.

   Checkpoints use extra disk space. Delete old ones you no longer need (right-click → Delete Checkpoint).

Remote Desktop shows the VM full-screen, with copy and paste between your PC and the VM. First the VM needs a name, an account with a real password, and Remote Desktop switched on.

1. Check the VM’s computer name

   Inside the VM, go to SettingsSystemAbout. The name at the top must be WIN11VM.

   If it isn’t, click Rename this PC, type WIN11VM, click Next and then Restart now. (Names can use letters, numbers and dashes, up to 15 characters, no spaces.)

2. Create a local account for Remote Desktop

   Go to SettingsAccountsOther users and click Add account.

   1. Click I don’t have this person’s sign-in information.
   2. Click Add a user without a Microsoft account.
   3. User name: vmuser. Type a password twice. Write the password down.
   4. Answer the three security questions and click Next.

   Why a separate account?

   Remote Desktop needs a normal password. Microsoft accounts often sign in with a PIN or with no password at all, and Remote Desktop can’t use those. A local account with a password just works.

3. Make vmuser an administrator

   Still on Other users, click vmuser to open it, then click Change account type. Choose Administrator and click OK.

4. Turn on Remote Desktop

   Go to SettingsSystemRemote Desktop. Switch Remote Desktop to On and click Confirm.

   Leave “Require devices to use Network Level Authentication” ticked.

5. Set the network to Private

   Go to SettingsNetwork & internetEthernet. Under Network profile type, choose Private network. This lets your PC connect to the VM through the firewall.

6. Write down the VM’s IP address (as a backup)

   Click Start, type cmd and open Command Prompt. Type ipconfig and press Enter. Write down the IPv4 Address (it looks like 172.27.80.15).

   You can also see it on your PC: in Hyper-V Manager, click WIN11VM and open the Networking tab at the bottom.

   Why only a backup?

   This number can change when your PC restarts. The shortcut in Part 10 uses the VM’s name instead, which stays the same.

7. Sign out and close the VM window

   Inside the VM, click Start, click your name or picture, and choose Sign out. Then close the VM window with the X.

   Closing the window does not turn the VM off. It keeps running in the background, ready for Remote Desktop.

You’ll make an .rdp file: a desktop icon that opens the VM full-screen with one double-click. Your PC finds the VM at WIN11VM.mshome.net, a name Hyper-V’s Default Switch gives it automatically.

1. Create the .rdp file (choose A or B)

   A. The quick way: let this page make it. If you used the names from this guide, everything is already filled in.

   VM computer name From Part 9, step 1.

   User name The local account from Part 9, step 2.

   IP address Only fill this in if the name doesn’t work (Part 9, step 6).

   Options

   Full screen Use all my monitors Copy and paste between PC and VM Use my printers in the VM Play VM sound on this PC

   Download “Windows 11 VM.rdp”

   See what’s inside the file

   Then open your Downloads folder and drag Windows 11 VM.rdp onto your desktop. If your browser asks whether to keep the file, choose Keep; it’s a small text file with the settings above.

   B. By hand, with Remote Desktop Connection.

   1. Click Start, type Remote Desktop Connection and open it.
   2. Click Show Options at the bottom left.
   3. On the General tab: Computer: WIN11VM.mshome.net. User name: WIN11VM\vmuser. Tick Allow me to save credentials.
   4. On the Display tab: drag the slider all the way to Full Screen.
   5. On the Local Resources tab: keep Clipboard ticked so copy and paste works. Untick Printers if you don’t need them.
   6. Back on the General tab, click Save As…, choose Desktop, name it Windows 11 VM and click Save.

2. Make sure the VM is running

   In Hyper-V Manager, the State of WIN11VM must say Running. If it says Off or Saved, right-click it → Start and wait about a minute for Windows to load.

3. Double-click the shortcut

   Double-click Windows 11 VM on your desktop.

   Windows may first show a warning about the remote connection or an unknown publisher. Check that the computer shown is WIN11VM.mshome.net (or your IP address), tick Don’t ask me again if offered, make sure Clipboard is ticked if there’s a list of things to share, and click Connect.

4. Enter the vmuser password

   Type the password you created in Part 9. Tick Remember me so you don’t have to type it every time. Click OK.

5. Accept the certificate message

   You’ll see “The identity of the remote computer cannot be verified”. This is normal for your own VM. Tick Don’t ask me again for connections to this computer and click Yes.

6. You’re in

   You should see

   The VM’s desktop filling your screen, with a small bar at the top center. Use – on that bar to go back to your own PC, and X to disconnect. Disconnecting leaves your programs running inside the VM, so they’re still there next time.