Microsoft To Finally Release ISOs For Windows On ARM

On Tuesday, Microsoft rolled out Windows 11, version 24H2, also known as the Windows 11 2024 Update, for eligible devices running Windows 11, version 22H2 and 23H2. This latest update is available through the Windows update and ISOs.

While the official ISOs for x64 PCs are already available for public download, the company has now decided to release Arm64 ISOs for Windows 11 24H2 to increase Windows’s reach on Arm-powered devices.

Currently, one can download Windows Arm64 ISO only through the Windows Insider Program and by downloading the VHDX file. The VHDX file is designed exclusively for use in virtual machines, such as Hyper-V, and cannot be directly installed on physical Arm hardware. This restricts users’ ability to install Windows 11 on their actual Arm devices.

To eliminate this limitation, Microsoft wants to release Windows Arm ISOs so anyone can download them directly from their official download page (via 
u/SilverseeLives
). While the company hasn’t revealed when it will be available, it does state on the Download Windows 11 page that “Windows 11 ISOs for Arm64 devices will be made available in the coming weeks.”

If the company releases Windows Arm ISOs on its official download page, this will enable users with physical Arm-based PCs to easily install Windows 11 directly on their devices without having to depend on Windows Insider Programs or virtual machine setups.

Although not confirmed yet, it is expected that Windows 11 ISOs for Arm devices may be made available through Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool to simplify the process of creating installation media for another Windows on Arm PC.

The availability of Windows ISOs for Arm devices is a crucial step towards enabling custom-built Arm PCs, eventually paving the way to a broader adoption of the Arm ecosystem in the PC world.