Windows 11 Installation Assistant slow

Windows 11 Installation Assistant is software from Microsoft that helps users install or update Windows 11 on their systems. You can also use it to upgrade to Windows 11 from the previous version of Windows OS. This article shows what you can do if Windows 11 Installation Assistant is slow.

Windows 11 Installation Assistant slow

If you are installing, updating, or upgrading to Windows 11 using the Installation Assistant but the Windows 11 Installation Assistant is slow, use the following suggestions to resolve the problem.

1. Are you installing Windows 11 on HDD or SSD?
2. Use a high-speed internet connection
3. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
4. Run Network Adapter troubleshooter
5. Temporarily disable your antivirus
6. Clear the SoftwareDistribution folder and try again
7. Use Media Creation Tool
8. Download the ISO file of the latest build of Windows 11

Let’s see all these fixes one by one.

1] Are you installing Windows 11 on HDD or SSD?

The time taken to install Windows 11, update Windows 11, or upgrade to Windows 11 from an older version also depends on your hardware. SSDs are always faster than HDDs. That’s why today, most users prefer installing the Windows Operating System on SSD instead of HDD. If your system has an HDD and you are installing Windows 11 on it, it will take time. In this case, you can do nothing to boost the speed of Windows 11 installation.

If you have a budget, you can upgrade your hardware by installing an SSD. This will not only speed up the Windows 11 installation process but also increase your system’s performance.

2] Use a high-speed internet connection

Windows 11 Installation Assistant requires an active internet connection because it downloads updates before applying them to your system. The time taken by the Windows 11 Installation Assistant to download updates also depends on your internet connection speed. Hence, the speed of your internet connection is another thing that you have to take care of. Connect your system to a high-speed internet connection to speed up the process.

3] Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

The Windows Update Troubleshooter fixes the problems and issues related to Windows Updates. If you are using Windows 11 Installation Assistant to install Windows Updates, you can run this troubleshooter and see if it helps.

4] Run Network Adapter troubleshooter

As stated above, the slow speed of Windows 11 Installation Assistant also occurs due to internet connectivity issues. We suggest you run Network Adapter Troubleshooter. It will scan your network and fix all network-related issues.

Follow the steps provided below:

1. Open Windows 11/10 Settings.
2. Go to “System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.”
3. Scroll down and find Network Adapter.
4. Once you find it, click Run.

5] Temporarily disable your antivirus

Your antivirus might be conflicting with the Windows 11 Installation Assistant and causing the problem. You can check this by disabling your antivirus. If this works, keep your antivirus disabled until the Windows 11 installation is completed. After that, you can enable your antivirus.

Read: Windows 11 Installation Assistant is not working

6] Clear the SoftwareDistribution folder and try again

The Windows Update files downloaded by Windows 11 Installation Assistant are stored in the SoftwareDistribution folder. Because Windows 11 Installation Assistant is slow on your system, it is better to clear all the contents inside this folder and start from scratch. Clear the SoftwareDistribution folder and try again.

7] Use Media Creation Tool

There are multiple ways of installing Windows 11 on a computer. By developing Windows 11 Installation Assistant, Microsoft has made the process of upgrading to Windows 11 easier for all users. But if the Installation Assistant does not work despite trying multiple fixes, it is better to switch to another way to install Windows 11. We suggest you use Media Creation Tool to install Windows 11 on your system.

The Media Creation Tool will show you the following two options while creating the installation media:

• USB flash drive
• ISO file

The first option will download Windows 11 to your external USB flash drive and make it bootable automatically. Now, you can use that USB flash drive to install Windows 11 on any computer. The second option will download the ISO file of Windows 11 on your system. If you select the second option, you have to make a USB flash drive bootable manually by using this ISO file. For this, you need a third-party tool.

If your system is slow, you can use another person’s computer to create Windows 11 installation media on an external USB flash drive via the Media Creation Tool.

Read: Windows 11 Installation Assistant not opening

8] Download the ISO file of the latest build of Windows 11

This is one more way to install Windows 11 on a computer. If you are performing the clean installation of Windows 11, you can use this method. You can download the Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft’s official website. Now, you have to create a bootable USB flash drive using this ISO file to perform the clean installation of Windows 11.

Read: Windows Update stuck downloading updates.

Why is the Windows 11 installation so slow?

Windows 11 installation is not slow actually. The time taken to install Windows 11 on a computer depends on different factors. A computer’s hardware plays a great role in Windows 11 installation. For example, installing Windows 11 on an HDD takes more time compared to the installation of Windows 11 on an SSD.

How long does Windows 11 Installation Assistant take?

If you are installing Windows 11 on a powerful computer via the Windows 11 Installation Assistant, the process will be completed within half an hour. But if your computer is slow or it has performance issues, you will experience several issues while installing Windows 11. Additionally, the Windows 11 Installation Assistant also requires an internet connection. Hence, to speed up the process, make sure that you are connected to a high-speed internet connection.

Read next: Windows 11 won’t install.