This process is called a clean install, which is ironic as there's nothing particularly clean about it: Microsoft has enshittified Windows Setup.

In June 2025, Microsoft announced that, in June 2026, it would begin deprecating Secure Boot certificates of Windows systems ...

A new version of the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool is now available, offering you the latest Windows 11 version and its updates.

Microsoft releases KB5077178, KB5077180, and KB5077374 with WinRE upgrades, Secure Boot updates, and Dynamic Setup improvements.

Microsoft's KB5077181 security update has caused endless restart loops and system lockouts for Windows 11 users, with no official fix released as of February 13.