How to download the Windows 11 LTSC ISO file in 2025

Although Microsoft reserves Windows 11 Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) editions for organizations, it’s possible to download the ISO file to install the operating system on virtually any hardware.

In this guide, I’ll explain the steps to download the official 90-day evaluation ISO file for Windows 11 LTSC.

Download Windows 11 LTSC ISO file

To download the Windows 11 LTSC ISO file, use these steps:

1. Open the Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC download page.

2. Click the “x64 or AMD64 edition” option.

3. Save the “Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024” ISO file on your computer.

Once you complete the steps, you will end up with an ISO file, which you can mount on a virtualization environment to create a virtual machine, or you can use it to create a Windows 11 LTSC USB bootable media.

Create Windows 11 LTSC bootable USB

Long-Term Servicing Channel releases do not come with the Media Creation Tool, meaning that you’ll need a third-party tool, such as Rufus, to create a bootable USB. Alternatively, you can use Command Prompt or other third-party solutions like Ventoy.

To create a bootable USB with Rufus using an existing ISO file, connect a USB flash drive with 8GB of space and use these steps:

1. Open Rufus website.

2. Click the link to download the latest version under the “Download” section.

3. Double-click the rufus.4.xx.exe file to launch the tool.

4. Select the USB flash drive to create the Windows 11 LTSC bootable media under the “Device” section.

5. Select the “Disk or ISO image” option under the “Boot selection” section.

6. Click the Select button.

   

7. Select the Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 ISO file.

8. Click the Open button.

9. Choose the “Standard Windows 11 Installation” option under the “Image option” setting.

10. Select the GPT option under the “Partition scheme” section.

11. Select the UEFI (non-CSM) option under the “Target system” section.

12. Specify a descriptive name for the bootable USB drive under the “Volume label” section. For example, Windows 11 LTSC Setup.

13. Use the default settings for the File system and Cluster size options.

14. Check the Quick format option.

15. Check the “Create extended label and icon files” option.

16. Clear the customization options (as necessary).

    

17. Click the Start button.

18. Click the OK button to confirm the USB’s deletion and the bootable drive’s creation.

After you complete the steps, the tool will begin creating a USB media with the Windows 11 LTSC installation media.

FAQs

To help you better understand Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) editions, I’ve answered some of the most common questions:

What’s Windows 11 LTSC?

The LTSC editions of Windows 11 are tailored for specialized devices requiring extended support and minimal feature changes. Microsoft offers two primary LTSC variants, including “Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC” and “Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC.” However, as of now, only the Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 Evaluation version is officially available for public download.

What’s the difference between IoT LTSC and Enterprise LTSC?

These editions of the operating system are built upon the same Windows 11 core, which means that they use the same underlying kernel, file system (NTFS), and core system components. Therefore, at a fundamental level, they are essentially the same.

The key differences lie in how they’re configured and the intended use cases. For example, Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC is optimized for embedded devices (industrial and medical PCs, machine controllers, robotics, Point-of-Sale (POS) systems, ATMs, etc.), often requiring a locked-down and stable environment.

This optimization usually involves restricting certain features, providing enhanced lockdown capabilities, and focusing on long-term stability rather than frequent feature updates.

In the case of the Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC, this variant is designed for broader enterprise deployments, where some flexibility is still needed, but long-term stability is still required. For example, mission-critical computers, specialized workstations, devices requiring long-term stability, etc.

For these and other reasons, typically, Microsoft supports Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC for 10 years and  Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC for 5 years.

Can I install Windows 11 LTSC on my PC?

Technically, yes. You can install Windows 11 LTSC on your computer, but there are a few caveats. First, Microsoft doesn’t offer the LTSC version for regular consumers. The company only makes these variants available through its volume licensing program for large organizations.

However, Microsoft is currently offering the Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 Evaluation version, which is officially available for public download.

At this time, the company hasn’t released a public ISO for Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC.

Can I install traditional desktop apps on Windows 11 LTSC?

Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC is based on Windows 11, which means that it’s natively compatible with the same apps and security solutions you already use on Windows 11 Pro and Home.

Can you fully activate a Windows 11 LTSC after the evaluation?

Microsoft does not officially support converting evaluation versions to full retail versions through direct activation. Attempting to input a valid product key into an evaluation version typically results in activation errors.

You can perform an in-place upgrade using a full-version ISO file to transition from an evaluation version to a fully licensed Windows 11 LTSC.

Do I need a product key to activate the evaluation setup?

It’s important to note that a product key is not required for the evaluation period. However, the operating system still needs to be activated (without a product key) upon prompt. If you don’t, or if the trial period ends, your desktop will go black, you’ll see a reminder about activation, and your computer will shut down every hour.

What are the Windows 11 LTSC hardware requirements?

The hardware requirements for Windows 11 LTSC align with those of the standard Windows 11 release for consumers, including the need for TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and specific processor models. However, the IoT edition of the operating system doesn’t require UEFI or TPM 2.0.

Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC hardware requirements:

• Processor: 1GHz (2 Cores)
• Memory: 4GB
• Storage: 64GB
• Storage type: SSD, HDD, SSHD, eMMC, SD, USB
• Firmware: UEFI
• TPM: TPM 2.0
• Secure Boot: Enabled
• DirectX: DirectX 12
• Display: 9-inch, 720p

Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC hardware requirements:

• Processor: 1GHz (2 Cores)
• Memory: 4GB
• Storage: 64GB
• Storage type: SSD, HDD, SSHD, eMMC, SD, USB
• Firmware: UEFI or BIOS
• TPM: TPM 2.0 (Optional)
• Secure Boot: Enabled (Optional)
• DirectX: DirectX 10 or higher (Optional)
• Display: Custom size

These system requirements are for Windows 11 24H2 LTSC and higher releases.