What you need to know
In a significant development for users of Arm64 PCs, Microsoft has officially released the long-awaited Windows 11 ISO media. This milestone allows users to perform clean installations of Windows 11 on devices powered by Arm64 processors, including the latest Snapdragon X Copilot+ PCs.
The newly available ISOs, which are approximately 5GB in size depending on the selected language, can be downloaded directly from Microsoft’s official website. While these ISOs are primarily intended for use in virtual machines, they also support direct installation on compatible Arm64 hardware.
For those utilizing Snapdragon X chips, the installation process is straightforward, as the ISOs will boot without any additional modifications. However, users with older Snapdragon systems, such as the Microsoft SQ3 based on the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 found in the Surface Pro 9, will need to integrate drivers into the ISO prior to booting. This additional step is not typically required for Intel or AMD machines, making it essential for users with older devices to prepare accordingly.
Integrating drivers into an ISO image is manageable but does necessitate some prior knowledge. Users will first need to obtain the necessary drivers from their hardware’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Following that, the process involves extracting the install.wim and boot.wim images from the ISO, using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool to integrate the drivers, and then repackaging the .wim files before rebuilding the ISO. While this may seem daunting, resources are available to guide users through the process.
The year 2024 marks a pivotal moment for Windows on Arm, as Microsoft has begun to elevate the platform to a status akin to its x86 counterparts. This shift not only enhances performance and efficiency but also broadens the availability of Arm-based hardware across the Windows PC ecosystem. The release of official Arm64 media is a testament to this commitment, signifying a new era for Windows users on Arm architecture.
