Last Updated on May 7, 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.
1. Check Your Current Windows Version
Before doing anything else, you should verify exactly which build of the operating system you currently have installed. If you go into the Windows settings and then navigate to System and then About, you will be able to clearly see what version of Windows you are running. For our specific example in this tutorial, we are going to be updating a computer that is currently running version 23H2.
2. Verify Your Available Disk Space
Before you download the several-gigabyte ISO file from Microsoft, you need to ensure your PC is fully ready for the massive 24H2 build. You should have at least 20GB to 30GB of completely free space on your primary C: drive. This extra storage room is absolutely necessary to successfully house the large installation files and various temporary folders created during the upgrade process.
3. Ensure a Stable Internet Connection
Since we are going to be downloading a full Disk Image (ISO) directly from Microsoft servers, a highly stable Wi-Fi or hardwired Ethernet connection is strongly recommended. Attempting this massive download on a weak or spotty cellular connection can easily lead to file corruption. Corrupted files will inevitably cause the Windows setup wizard to fail halfway through the installation.
4. Temporarily Disable Third-Party Antivirus
Occasionally, highly aggressive third-party antivirus software can accidentally block the critical setup.exe program from successfully modifying your core system files. If you run into mysterious installation errors, consider completely disabling your security software temporarily during the upgrade process. Just remember to turn your protection back on once you safely reach your newly updated desktop.
5. Download the 24H2 Installation Media
The first major step in manually installing the Windows 11 24H2 update requires downloading the official installation media directly from the Microsoft website. Once you navigate to their download page, you will need to scroll down to the specific section that says download Windows 11 disk image (ISO) for x64 devices.
6. Select Your Language and Confirm
After choosing the correct ISO edition from the first drop-down menu, the website will prompt you to finalize your localized settings. You will then need to select your preferred system language from the second dropdown selection before being able to actually download the ISO file. Once confirmed, a large download link will be generated that you can click to begin saving the file.
7. Access the 24H2 Installation Files via Mounting
Once the massive ISO file is completely downloaded and sitting securely on your hard drive, you don’t actually need to “burn” it to a physical DVD anymore. The absolute easiest method to access the contents is by right-clicking the ISO file and selecting the Mount option. Windows will cleverly treat this digital file like a physical virtual disc drive that you can easily browse. If you are somehow missing the mount option for ISO files on your computer, then check out the fix in this video.
8. Extract the Files or Create a Bootable Drive
If you prefer not to mount the image, you can use file extraction apps such as 7-Zip or WinRAR to extract the contents of your ISO file directly to a standard folder on your hard drive. Alternatively, if you prefer to have a permanent physical backup, you can use a free utility like Rufus to create a bootable USB flash drive. You can then simply open that freshly created drive in File Explorer to view the installation files.
9. Launch the Windows Upgrade Process
Once you have full access to the contents of the extracted or mounted ISO file, you will need to double-click on the setup.exe file to begin the actual upgrade process. You absolutely must do this procedure from within your active Windows desktop environment. You cannot restart and boot directly to the Windows 11 installation media, because you will not have the option to keep your existing personal files and apps if you do it that way.
10. Adjust Setup Download Settings
Once you double-click the setup.exe file and get past any security prompts, the official Windows upgrade process will begin its initial system checks. On the first screen, you can click on the small link that says “Change how setup downloads updates” if you want to skip downloading patches right now. Selecting “Not right now” prevents the installer from pulling extra data during the core upgrade, but you will still be able to download those minor updates once the main installation is complete.
11. Accept the Software License Agreement
The Windows setup application will then perform a quick automated check of your PC hardware to make absolutely sure it meets the strict requirements for the Windows 11 24H2 update. Since you already have a previous version of Windows 11 installed, it should pass these checks without any major issues. You will then need to read through and accept the Microsoft software license agreement to continue moving forward.
12. Confirm What Files to Keep
Before the point of no return, the setup wizard will show you a final summary of what is about to happen to your computer. The default options on this screen should explicitly say to keep your personal files and apps. If you do not want to keep them for some reason and prefer a completely clean slate, you can simply click the blue link that says “Change what to keep” and make your adjustments.
13. Wait for the Installation to Complete
After clicking the Install button, you will then see a full-screen blue display that says Installing Windows 11, accompanied by a percentage counter. This step will take quite some time to complete depending on the speed of your processor and storage drive. It is very important that you do not turn off your computer or interrupt the power supply while this critical data transfer is happening.
14. Allow the System to Reboot Automatically
During this heavy installation phase, your computer will reboot one or more times entirely on its own. You may also see a black screen with a message talking about updates being installed and telling you to keep your computer turned on. Just be patient and let the automated setup process finish doing its job in the background without pressing any keys.
15. Finish the User Profile Configuration
Once the major update is totally complete, you can finally log onto your computer using your normal PIN or password. You will most likely see the typical pulsing messages you would normally see when logging into Windows 11 for the very first time. This final process is just configuring your new user profile features and will typically take a few minutes to complete before loading the desktop.
16. Verify the 24H2 Installation Success
Once you are finally back on your familiar desktop, you can easily verify that the massive update worked properly. Go back to the Windows settings menu, navigate down to System, and then click on About. You should now clearly see that you have 24H2 listed for your currently installed version of Windows 11, confirming the manual upgrade was a complete success.
Windows 11 24H2 Manual Update FAQ
Will I lose my apps and settings?
As long as you explicitly run the setup.exe program from inside your current active Windows session, you will see the clear option to “Keep personal files and apps” during the installation wizard. However, if you restart your computer and boot directly from a created USB drive instead, you may be forced to do a clean install which wipes everything.
How long does the 24H2 update take?
The amount of time required heavily depends on your specific system hardware specifications. On a modern NVMe SSD, the entire process usually takes anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes from start to finish. On older hardware or much slower internet connections, downloading and installing everything can easily take over two hours.
What is the difference between 24H2 and 25H2?
While 24H2 is the current major feature release, Microsoft follows a very similar manual update path for the upcoming 25H2 version. The foundational steps outlined in this specific guide will remain exactly the same for all future feature updates, allowing you to use this trick for years to come.
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