To set up a new Windows 11 PC the right way, go in this order: finish first-boot setup with careful privacy choices, run Windows Update until nothing is left (including optional driver updates), uninstall trial apps you don’t want, turn on backup, check Windows Security and save your BitLocker recovery key, then create a restore point.
It takes about an hour, most of it waiting for updates. Doing it now saves you from a slow, cluttered laptop later.
This guide is about the new PC itself. Moving your files from an old computer is a separate job, covered in how to move everything to a new Windows 11 PC, and once you’re done here, our list of Windows 11 settings to change handles ads, the Start menu and notifications. More help is in our Windows guides.
Step 1: First boot and setup screens
Plug the laptop in before you start, because the first round of updates can take a while. Then work through the setup screens.
- Pick your country, keyboard layout and Wi-Fi network.
- Sign in with your Microsoft account. Use the one you already have for Outlook, OneDrive or Xbox so your settings and backups follow you.
- If setup offers to restore from a previous PC’s backup, only accept it if you’ve already backed up the old one. Otherwise choose to set up as a new PC and move files later.
- Create a PIN when asked. It works only on this device and is quicker than typing your password. If the laptop has a fingerprint reader or face camera, set up Windows Hello too.
The privacy screen: what to choose
Setup shows a page of privacy switches. Two worth thinking about: optional diagnostic data, which Microsoft says can include websites you browse and how you use the device, and tailored experiences, which uses that data for tips and offers. Microsoft says your PC is just as secure and works normally if you don’t send optional data, so it’s safe to turn both off.
Keep Find my device on if it’s offered, especially on a laptop. You can change all of these later in Settings → Privacy & security.
Setup may also pitch Microsoft 365, extra OneDrive storage or Game Pass. You can skip all of these with the “No thanks” or “Skip” option and sign up later if you want them.
Step 2: Run every update, including drivers
A new PC has often been sitting in a warehouse for months. It needs a stack of Windows updates and driver updates before it’s truly ready.
- Open Settings → Windows Update and select Check for updates.
- Install everything, restart, and check again. Repeat until it says you’re up to date. Two or three rounds is normal.
- Go to Windows Update → Advanced options and turn on Receive updates for other Microsoft products.
- Under Additional options, select Optional updates. If you see driver updates, install them.
- Open the Microsoft Store, go to Downloads (or Library) and update your apps.
Windows installs recommended drivers on its own, but optional ones wait for you. Your PC maker’s support app or website (Dell, HP, Lenovo and others) can also have firmware (BIOS) updates that Windows Update doesn’t always deliver.
Step 3: Remove bloatware and trial apps
Most new laptops come with extras: game shortcuts, the maker’s own utilities, and trial versions of antivirus or photo software. Some are useful, some just slow things down.
- Go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps.
- Sort by name and look through the list. For anything you don’t recognize, search the name before removing it.
- Select the three-dot More menu next to an app you don’t want, then Uninstall.
- Go to Settings → Apps → Startup and switch off apps that don’t need to open every time you sign in.
Keep drivers and hardware tools from your PC maker, such as audio, touchpad or “support assistant” apps, unless you’re sure what they do. Removing them can break sound, the trackpad or future firmware updates.
Antivirus trials: Microsoft Defender Antivirus turns itself off when a compatible third-party antivirus is installed. If you don’t plan to pay for the trial when it ends, uninstall it now. Then open Windows Security and confirm Virus & threat protection is on.
Step 4: Turn on backup
Set up backup before you have anything worth losing. The built-in Windows Backup app is the easiest start.
- Select Start, type backup, and open Windows Backup.
- Turn on backup for your folders (Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Videos and Music). These sync to OneDrive.
- Turn on backup for apps, settings and Wi-Fi details, so a future PC can pick up where this one left off.
Free OneDrive space is limited, so photos and videos can fill it quickly. Our guide to backing up a Windows PC explains how to add an external drive as a second copy.
Step 5: Security basics
- Open Windows Security (search for it in Start). Every tile should show a green check. Fix anything marked with a warning.
- Save your BitLocker recovery key. Many new PCs encrypt the drive automatically. If Windows ever asks for the 48-digit recovery key, you’ll find it at aka.ms/myrecoverykey when signed in to your Microsoft account. Check it’s there now, from another device if you like.
- Secure your Microsoft account. Make sure two-step verification is on, and consider a passkey. See how to set up passkeys.
- Use a strong password for the account itself. Our password generator makes one in a click.
- Install apps from trusted places, like the Microsoft Store or the developer’s own site, not download pop-ups.
Step 6: Create a restore point
A restore point lets you roll back system files and settings if a driver or app breaks something. Microsoft says System Protection, which creates restore points, isn’t turned on by default, so do it now while the PC is clean.
- Select Start, type Create a restore point, and open it.
- On the System Protection tab, select your main drive and choose Configure.
- Select Turn on system protection, set the disk space slider to a few percent, and select Apply.
- Back on the tab, select Create, name it something like “Clean setup”, and select Create.
Newer Windows 11 updates also add point-in-time restore, which can roll back the whole PC, including apps and files, to a recent snapshot. Microsoft says it’s on by default for personal PCs whose system drive is 200 GB or larger and keeps up to 72 hours of history. Check it in Settings → System → Recovery. It’s a safety net, not a backup.
Quick checklist to set up a new Windows 11 PC
| Step | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy choices | Setup screens, later Settings → Privacy & security | 5 min |
| Updates and drivers | Settings → Windows Update | 20–60 min |
| Remove trial apps | Settings → Apps → Installed apps | 10 min |
| Startup apps | Settings → Apps → Startup | 2 min |
| Backup | Windows Backup app | 5 min |
| Security check | Windows Security app | 5 min |
| Restore point | Start → Create a restore point | 3 min |
If something goes wrong
- Updates keep failing: restart, make sure you have at least several GB free, and try again. Plugging into power helps.
- An uninstalled app comes back: some maker apps are reinstalled by driver packages. Turn it off in Startup instead.
- “Create a restore point” options are grayed out: you need to sign in with an administrator account. The first account made during setup normally is one.
- Coming from Windows 10? Our Windows 10 end of support guide explains what to do with the old PC.
FAQ
Do I need antivirus on a new Windows 11 PC?
Windows 11 includes Microsoft Defender Antivirus in the Windows Security app. If no other antivirus is installed, it runs automatically. Just keep Windows updated.
Should I remove all preinstalled apps?
No. Remove trials, games and promos you don’t want, but keep drivers and hardware tools from your PC maker. When unsure, search the app name first.
How long does setting up a new PC take?
Plan for about an hour. Most of it is downloading updates, which can take longer on slow internet.
Can I skip the Microsoft account?
Setup is built around signing in with a Microsoft account, and features like Windows Backup and the online BitLocker key need one. We recommend using it.
Is System Restore the same as a backup?
No. A restore point rolls back system files and settings but doesn’t protect your photos and documents. Use Windows Backup or an external drive for those.
Sources
- Diagnostics, feedback, and privacy in Windows (Microsoft Support)
- Automatically get recommended and updated hardware drivers (Microsoft Support)
- Uninstall or remove apps and programs in Windows (Microsoft Support)
- Configure startup applications in Windows (Microsoft Support)
- Back up and restore with Windows Backup (Microsoft Support)
- Virus and threat protection in the Windows Security app (Microsoft Support)
- Find your BitLocker recovery key (Microsoft Support)
- System Protection (Microsoft Support)
- Point-in-time restore for Windows (Microsoft Support)
