If you want to be able to run both Ubuntu Linux and Windows 11 on your PC, one option is to implement a dual boot configuration. This will give you the best of both worlds by allowing you to boot into either Ubuntu or Windows 11 whenever you turn on your computer. Having access to both operating systems is a powerful option in which you can take advantage of both system’s abilities.
A dual boot system works by prompting you at startup to select which operating system you would like to load into. The two installations remain completely separate, and once loaded into one, the other can be accessed with a quick reboot. In this tutorial, we will go through the step by step instructions required to install Ubuntu alongside Windows 11. We will also go over other considerations such as drive partitioning, BitLocker, and other factors that are known to trip up some users.
NOTE
Another viable option for running both operating systems is to install Ubuntu inside of a virtual machine, rather than alongside Windows 11. The advantage is that you will not need to reboot whenever you want to load into the other operating system. The disadvantage is that the virtual machine can’t integrate quite the same way with the host hardware, and you will always encounter the performance overhead of running one operating system on top of another.
In this tutorial you will learn:
- How to install Ubuntu alongside Windows 11 in dual boot configuration
- How to load into Ubuntu or Windows 11 during system boot
| Category | Requirements, Conventions or Software Version Used |
|---|---|
| System | Windows 11, Ubuntu 24.04 |
| Software | N/A |
| Other | Privileged access to your Linux system as root or via the sudo command. |
| Conventions | # – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of sudo command$ – requires given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user |
Preliminary Considerations
Before getting started, let’s go over some considerations, recommendations, and questions that some readers may have.
Creating a bootable USB for installation
Most users will probably want to install Ubuntu via USB. To do so, you can download an Ubuntu ISO file from the official download page, and then use a program like Rufus to create a bootable USB drive.
Which operating system should I install first?
In this tutorial, we are assuming that Windows 11 is already installed and you want to install Ubuntu Linux as an additional operating system. But, the reverse is also possible. It does not matter which one is installed first, as both operating systems can be installed in addition to a pre-existing OS.
Is it safe to install Ubuntu alongside Windows?
Installing Ubuntu will not affect your Windows installation. The hard drive you are installing Ubuntu onto may need to be partitioned to make a separate space for the new OS, but your Windows install and files should be perfectly safe. However, data integrity can never be guaranteed on any system, so we recommend backing up all your important files before proceeding.
Is dual booting compatible with BitLocker?
Windows’ BitLocker will need to be disabled in order to configure a dual boot system. BitLocker encrypts the hard drive’s contents, including partitioning information, so Ubuntu will not be able to detect a pre-existing Windows installation or be able to safely create a separate partition.
UEFI vs. legacy BIOS
Windows 11 officially requires UEFI to be installed, although workarounds do exist. Ubuntu can be installed on both UEFI and legacy BIOS. For best results, it is recommended to only implement the dual boot configuration on UEFI (essentially all computers produced in 2012 or later utilize UEFI).
Do I need two hard drives for dual booting?
You only need one drive to install Ubuntu alongside Windows 11. If you have one drive, then each operating system will have its own partition. However, if you have two hard drive disks, installing one operating system on each drive is also possible, and the installation process is easy and remains mostly the same.
Dual Boot Windows 11 and Ubuntu
Now that you have your bootable Ubuntu USB drive handy and have checked off all the considerations above, we are ready to install Ubuntu alongside Windows 11. Follow along with the step by step instructions below to configure the dual boot system:
- First, your computer should be off and the bootable USB drive should be inserted. When turning on the computer, depending on the configured boot order, the USB may load automatically. Otherwise, you will have to press a certain key – sometimes
Escapeor a function key likeF11orF12(it varies by manufacturer) – in order to load into the boot menu and select your installation media. - The GRUB menu will present you with several options. Select “Try or Install Ubuntu” to continue booting into the installation environment.Loading into the Ubuntu installation environment
- Next, you will need to flip through a few standard prompts about accessibility features, keyboard layout, and a few others. After clicking through these initial windows, you will be presented with the option to either install or try Ubuntu. If you are already sure that you want Ubuntu to be installed, then proceed by clicking “Install Ubuntu” and going to the next prompt.Click on Install Ubuntu to get started with the installation
- For the type of installation, you will want to select “Interactive Installation,” as we will need to configure all of the settings ourselves.Select Interactive Installation and proceed
- Next up is the Applications selection. This one is a matter of preference – whether you want to start off with a lightweight system, or have a bigger suite of default software to select from. Keep in mind that it is easy enough to install any applications you need after Ubuntu is done being installed anyway. Make your choice and click “Next.”Choosing between basic software utilities or the extended selection
- With being a completely free and open source operating system, Ubuntu does not come with any proprietary software. This may not be ideal for users that want to utilize the latest Nvidia driver or be able to playback formats such as MP3 and MOV. This is your chance to install the recommended proprietary software, or stick with a completely free system and leave the boxes unchecked.
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Choosing between proprietary support or free and open source - At this point, Ubuntu should detect that you already have Windows 11 installed, and give you the option to install Ubuntu alongside Windows 11. But we also have the option for manual installation, which gives us more control over how the disk is partitioned. In the vast majority of situations, we will want to proceed with the “Install Ubuntu alongside Windows Boot Manager” option and continue. This will still allow us the ability to shrink the Windows 11 partition if needed, and control the size of our Ubuntu installation.Proceed with installing Ubuntu alongside Windows Boot ManagerMULTIPLE HARD DISKS
If you have multiple hard drives and want to utilize a separate disk for installation, be sure to select “Manual installation” and customize the partitions to your liking, while specifying that you want Ubuntu installed to the separate disk. - On most systems, Windows is probably configured to take up the entirety of the disk storage, which means the disk does not have any room that Ubuntu can use for installation. In this case, the next window gives us the opportunity to shrink the Windows 11 partition, which will free up some space for Ubuntu. Note that this will not delete any of your Windows files, but give away some of the free space that Windows had to Ubuntu. Make sure your Ubuntu install has at least 20 GB to run smoothly.Resizing the Windows 11 partition to make room for the Ubuntu installUse the slider to select how much room you want to allot for Ubuntu, or enter a number manually. In our example, we’re going to shrink the Windows 11 partition by 50.8 GB and give that space to Ubuntu.
- Next, it is time to configure our default Ubuntu user account. This can be completely different from what you chose to use on Windows. Fill out the name, username, password, etc. as you see fit, and then click “Next” to proceed.
Configuring Ubuntu user during installation - The next prompt will ask for your time zone. You can click on the map or select from the drop down menu, whichever is easier for you.Select time zone to continue with the installation
- Ubuntu is finally ready to install. This window gives us a summary of what changes will be made to our hard disk(s). Review this information carefully to ensure that the partitioning scheme looks good. If you approve of all the upcoming changes, click on “Install” to start installing Ubuntu.Finalizing disk changes for installationIn the screenshot above, we can see that one partition will be used for the boot manager
/boot/efi, the windows partition will be resized from 213.92 GB to 163.10 GB, and a new partition will be formatted as ext4 (the default file system for Ubuntu) for Ubuntu. - The only thing left to do is sit back and wait for the Ubuntu installation to complete.Ubuntu is currently installing alongside Windows on our systemAfter the installation wraps up, you will be asked to reboot the system. Then, you will be able to select which operating system to boot into, as we show in the next section.
How to Boot Into Windows 11 or Ubuntu
From now on, when you start your system, the GRUB loader will ask you which operating system you want to load into. You can make your selection by using the arrow keys and then press the Enter key to load into what you selected.
If you do not interact with the menu for a few seconds, the system will load into Ubuntu by default.
DID YOU KNOW?
You may edit the GRUB_DEFAULT option within the /etc/default/grub file if you would like your boot menu to select Windows by default, instead of Ubuntu.
Closing Thoughts
In this tutorial, we guided you through the step by step instructions of installing Ubuntu alongside Windows 11. Implementing a dual boot configuration is perfect for users that need to utilize both operating systems on the same computer. In some cases, it is not as convenient as virtualizing your extra OS install, but it offers many advantages, such as having direct access to the system hardware.