A: Yes. Create a bootable USB using Rufus (with the ISO you downloaded), boot from the USB, and perform a clean installation.
The ISO is the installation media. Without a license, you can install Windows 10 Pro but it will run in an unactivated state (with a watermark and limited personalization). Download Windows 10 Pro Iso Without Media Creation Tool
Downloading a directly from Microsoft usually requires using their Media Creation Tool if you are visiting the site from a Windows machine. However, you can bypass this requirement by "tricking" the website into thinking you are using a different operating system (OS), such as macOS, Linux, or a mobile device. The "User Agent" Method A: Yes
. Microsoft only provides direct ISO links to devices that cannot run the .exe tool. Microsoft Learn Method: The Browser "User Agent" Trick This method works in Google Chrome Microsoft Edge Without a license, you can install Windows 10
| Updated: May 2026
What if you want a clean, portable directly on your hard drive? What if you want to create a virtual machine, perform an in-place upgrade, or simply keep a backup? You need to download the ISO directly—without the Media Creation Tool.