Last Updated on April 19, 2026
As you probably know, the Windows 11 operating system will receive updates on a regular basis. Some of these updates will be for security patches or driver updates and then others will be major build updates which are also known as feature updates. These Windows updates should be automatically downloaded and installed on your computer without requiring any intervention from you.
If you are on an older version of Windows 11such as 22H2 or 23H2 and Windows Update doesn’t give you an option for the 24H2 update or it never finishes installing or fails with an error, then there is a way to get around this. In this article, we will be showing you how to manually install the Windows 11 24H2 update. This will work the same for the Windows 11 25H2 update. Before performing this upgrade, you may want to consider backing up your personal files just to be safe.
Why Won’t Windows 11 24H2 Update Automatically?
Many users find themselves stuck on version 23H2 because Microsoft uses “Safeguard Holds.” These holds prevent the update from showing up in Windows Update if there is a known compatibility issue with your specific hardware or drivers.
By following the manual installation steps below, you can bypass these holds. However, this is also why the manual method is often necessary if your update “fails with an error” or simply never appears in the settings menu.
If you go into the Windows settings and then System > About, you will be able to see what version of Windows you are running. For our example we are going to be updating a computer that is running version 23H2.
System Requirements and Preparation
Before you download the several-gigabyte ISO file, ensure your PC is ready for the 24H2 build:
- Disk Space: You should have at least 20GB to 30GB of free space on your C: drive for the installation files and temporary folders.
- Internet Connection: Since we are downloading a full Disk Image (ISO), a stable Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection is recommended to avoid file corruption.
- Disable Third-Party Antivirus: Occasionally, aggressive antivirus software can block the setup.exe from modifying system files. Consider disabling it temporarily during the upgrade.
The first step in manually installing the Windows 11 24H2 update requires downloading the 24H2 installation media from the Microsoft website here. You will need to go to the section that says download Windows 11 disk image (ISO) for x64 devices.
You will then need to select your language from the dropdown selection before being able to download the ISO file.
How to Access the 24H2 Installation Files
Once the ISO is on your hard drive, you don’t actually need to “burn” it to a DVD. You have three easy options to see the files inside:
- Mounting (Easiest): Right-click the ISO and select Mount. Windows will treat it like a virtual disc drive.
- Extraction: Use a tool like 7-Zip to right-click and “Extract files” to a folder on your desktop.
- Rufus: If you prefer to have a physical backup, use Rufus to create a bootable USB drive, then open that drive in File Explorer.
You can then do something like create a Windows 11 flash drive using a tool such as Rufus.
You can also use file extraction apps such as 7-Zip or WinRAR to extract the contents of your ISO file to your hard drive. Or you can right click on the ISO file and choose the mount option to have it mounted as a drive that you can then access. If you are missing the mount option for ISO files, then check out the fix in this video.
Once you have access to the contents of the ISO file, you will need to double click on the setup.exe file to begin the upgrade process. You have to do this procedure from within Windows and cannot boot to the Windows 11 installation media because you will not have the option to keep your files and apps if you do it that way.
Once you double click the setup.exe file, the Windows upgrade process will begin. You can click on the link that says Change how setup downloads updates if you do not want it to download any updates during the upgrade process. You will be able to download updates once the installation is complete.
The Windows setup will then check your PC to make sure it meets the requirements for the Windows 11 24H2 update which it should if you already have Windows 11 installed. You will then need to accept the license agreement to continue.
The default options should say to keep your personal files, but if you do not want to for some reason, you can click the link that says Change what to keep.
You will then see a screen that says Installing Windows 11 and this step will take some time to complete.
Your computer will reboot one or more times and you may also see a message about updates being installed.
Once the update is complete, you can log onto your computer and will most likely see the typical messages you would see when logging into Windows 11 for the first time. This process is configuring your user profile and will take a few minutes.
Once you are on your desktop, you can then go back to the Windows settings and you should see that you now have 24H2 for your installed version of Windows 11.
Windows 11 24H2 Manual Update FAQ
Will I lose my apps and settings?
As long as you run setup.exe from inside your current Windows session, you will see the option to “Keep personal files and apps.” If you boot from a USB drive instead, you may be forced to do a clean install.
How long does the 24H2 update take?
On a modern SSD, the process usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. On older hardware or slower internet connections, it can take over two hours.
What is the difference between 24H2 and 25H2?
While 24H2 is the current major release, Microsoft follows a similar manual update path for the upcoming 25H2 version. The steps in this guide will remain the same for future feature updates.
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