The Easiest Way To Install Windows 11/10 On Ubuntu Linux

There are many kinds of Windows and Linux users in the world, but some of the popular ones are —The ones who absolutely love Windows but everything else, others who hate Windows but use it because they think they’ve got no other options to try, and the third and most prevalent folks who love Linux to death but don’t essentially hate Windows 10. The third kind is fairly widespread.

If you think you resemble the third kind that can’t let go of Windows, you’re at the right place. In this guide, let’s look at the easiest way to install Windows 11/10 on Ubuntu or any Debian/Ubuntu-based distro for the fact.

Ways to Use Windows alongside Ubuntu

There are two ways to use Windows alongside Ubuntu:

• Dual-booting
• Installing and using a Virtual Machine in Ubuntu

Out of both, Dual-booting is harder, especially if you’re new to computers and/or Linux, but using a VM is the easiest way of using Windows in Ubuntu. If you’re curious, here’s what dual-booting can do if you have no prior knowledge of the same.

The Problem With Dual-Boot

The issue that most people face with dual-boot is, it requires you to fiddle with your computer’s memory while increasing the risk of accidentally losing your important files. If you still want to try it, check out our how to Dual-boot Linux Mint alongside Windows 10 article.

Hence, installing Windows on a Virtual machine is the fastest and the safest way. In this article, let’s look at the easiest way to install Windows 10 on Ubuntu Linux or any Ubuntu-based distro. The tool that we’ll be using is GNOME Boxes which was released in January this year.

Installing Windows 11/10 On Ubuntu Linux

With that out of the way, here’s how to install Windows 11 or Windows 10 on Ubuntu Linux. It’s fairly simple and straightforward.

Install GNOME Boxes On Ubuntu/Ubuntu-based Distros

To install GNOME Boxes, fire up the terminal and type the following command

sudo apt install gnome-boxes

If the above command doesn’t work for some reason, or if you’re using a different Linux distro, you can download and install GNOME Boxes from Pkgs.org on any distro. All you’ll need to do is download the package and double-click the .deb or .rpm package to install.

Download the Windows 11/10 ISO

Follow the steps mentioned below to download the official Windows 10 ISO.

1. Head over to Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page.
   
2. Select the edition and click on the Confirm button.
   
3. The website will validate your request. Next, you’ll be asked to select the product language. Click on Confirm.
   
4. You’ll be redirected to a new download page where you’ll see two links – 32-bit Download and 64-Bit Download. Click on the 64-bit Download.
   
5. The ISO will start downloading. Have a coffee until then.

Install Windows 10/11 In Ubuntu: Create A Windows VM In Boxes

All you need to do is wait for some time until the OS is done installing. You’ll need to reboot a few times during the process. Once done, you can access Windows from Ubuntu from Linux without restarting your PC. This not only saves you from messing up your PC but also saves a lot of time.

Also, the default resolution is set to 1000×708 pixels. You can easily resize it by going to Windows settings -> Display Resolution and changing the resolution to 1920×1080 pixels for a more immersive experience.

If you first installed Ubuntu and now want to install Windows 11 alongside, the process is slightly different from your normal dual-boot installation. Let us know if you want an article on the same, and we’ll do it for you.

Do share your thoughts about this article in the comments section below. Also, let us know if you’re having trouble following this tutorial, and we’ll help you right away.

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