How to Install Tiny 11 Without Losing Your Files

Back up your files first, then use a USB drive to install Tiny 11 alongside Windows

Tiny 11 is a stripped-down version of Windows 11 that removes built-in apps, telemetry, and system bloat. You can install it without erasing your existing Windows setup by creating a dual-boot system — both operating systems live on the same drive, and you choose which one to start when you turn on your computer. The key to keeping your data safe is backing up everything before you touch your disk partitions, then following the installation steps in the right order.

The process takes roughly two to three hours and requires a USB drive with at least 8 GB of space, a second computer to prepare that drive, and access to your BIOS settings. If you have never opened BIOS before, the steps are straightforward but unfamiliar — this guide walks through each one.

Key Takeaways

Back up all your files to an external drive or cloud storage before you begin, because disk partitioning can fail and erase data if something goes wrong.
Download Tiny 11 from the official source, create a bootable USB drive using Rufus or a similar tool, and test the USB on another computer first if you can.
Shrink your existing Windows partition using Disk Management to make room for Tiny 11, leaving your current files untouched in the smaller partition.
Boot from the USB drive, install Tiny 11 to the new unallocated space, and your original Windows installation stays intact on its own partition.
After installation, use your BIOS boot menu to choose which Windows version to start, or set a default in the Windows boot loader.

Back up your data before you start

Before you touch your disk, copy everything you care about to a separate drive or cloud storage. This is not optional. Disk partitioning is usually safe, but if a tool crashes, your power fails, or you make a mistake, you can lose files that are hard or impossible to recover.

Use an external USB drive, a cloud service like OneDrive or Google Drive, or both. Copy your Documents, Pictures, Downloads, Desktop, and any other folders where you keep work. If you have installed programs that store data in their own folders (like game saves, photo libraries, or project files), back those up too. This step takes time, but it is the only real protection you have.

Download Tiny 11 and create a bootable USB drive

Tiny 11 is distributed as an ISO file — a disk image that contains the full installation. Download it from the official Tiny 11 source (search for "Tiny 11 official" to find the current link, as it changes). The file is roughly 4 GB, so use a wired connection if your Wi-Fi is slow.

Once you have the ISO, you need to write it to a USB drive using a tool like Rufus (free, Windows only) or Balena Etcher (free, Windows/Mac/Linux). Plug in a USB drive with at least 8 GB of space — the tool will erase it, so make sure it is empty or backed up. Open Rufus, select your USB drive, choose the Tiny 11 ISO file, and click Start. The process takes five to ten minutes. When it finishes, safely eject the USB drive.

If you have another computer available, plug the USB drive in and boot from it to make sure it works. You should see the Tiny 11 setup screen. If you do not, the USB drive did not write correctly — try creating it again with a different tool.

Shrink your Windows partition to make room

Your current Windows installation lives in a partition — a section of your disk. To install Tiny 11 without erasing Windows, you need to shrink that partition and leave unallocated space where Tiny 11 will go. Open Disk Management by right-clicking the Start button and selecting it from the menu, or by typing "Disk Management" into the search box.

Find your main Windows drive (usually labeled C: and marked as NTFS). Right-click it and select "Shrink Volume". Windows will scan the disk to see how much space it can free up. In the dialog that appears, enter how much space to shrink — if your drive is 500 GB and you want to give Tiny 11 100 GB, enter 100000 (the number is in megabytes). Click Shrink. This process can take ten to thirty minutes depending on your disk size and speed. Do not turn off your computer or close the window.

When it finishes, you should see a new block labeled "Unallocated" in Disk Management. That is where Tiny 11 will install. If the shrink fails or shows an error, restart your computer and try again — sometimes files are locked and need to be released.

Boot from the USB drive and start the installer

Plug the Tiny 11 USB drive into your computer. Restart your computer and immediately press the key that opens the boot menu — this is usually F12, F2, Esc, or Del, depending on your computer maker. The key often appears on the startup screen for a fraction of a second. If you miss it, restart and try again, pressing the key repeatedly as soon as you see the logo.

A menu will appear showing your drives. Select the USB drive (it may be labeled with the USB manufacturer name or "UEFI: [USB name]"). Your computer will boot from the USB and load the Tiny 11 setup screen. This takes one to two minutes.

If you cannot find the boot menu key, restart and enter BIOS instead. The key for BIOS is usually Del or F2 and is also shown briefly at startup. In BIOS, look for a menu called "Boot Order" or "Boot Priority" and move the USB drive to the top of the list. Save and exit. Your computer will restart and boot from the USB.

Install Tiny 11 to the unallocated space

The Tiny 11 installer will load and ask where you want to install. You will see a list of partitions and the unallocated space you created. Do not select your C: drive — that is your current Windows. Select the unallocated space. If you do not see unallocated space, go back and check that your shrink operation completed in Disk Management.

The installer will ask you to choose a partition type. Select the unallocated space and click Next. Tiny 11 will format that space and begin copying files. This takes fifteen to thirty minutes. Your computer may restart several times — this is normal. Do not unplug the USB drive or turn off your computer.

When the installer finishes, it will ask you to remove the USB drive and restart. Do that. Your computer will boot into a setup screen where you create a user account for Tiny 11. Use a different username than your current Windows account if you want to keep them separate, or use the same name if you want them to share files (you can configure this later).

Choose which Windows to boot and manage your dual setup

After you restart, your computer will show a boot menu asking which Windows version you want to start — your original Windows or Tiny 11. Select one and press Enter. It will load. You can change which one boots by default, or you can set a timeout so the menu appears every time you start.

To change the default or timeout, open System in your original Windows (right-click This PC and select Properties, then click Advanced System Settings). Go to the Advanced tab and click Settings under Startup and Recovery. You will see options to choose the default operating system and set how long the menu appears before it auto-boots. In Tiny 11, the process is the same.

Your original Windows files remain on the C: drive partition and are not touched by Tiny 11. You can access them from either operating system by opening File Explorer and navigating to the C: drive. If you want to share files between both systems, copy them to a shared folder or use cloud storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I see an error during the shrink operation?

Restart your computer and try again. Windows sometimes locks files that prevent shrinking. If it fails a second time, open Disk Cleanup (search for it in the Start menu) and delete temporary files, then try shrinking again. If you still cannot shrink, you may need to disable hibernation or move the page file — search for "shrink partition fails Windows 11" for detailed steps.

Can I access my original Windows files from Tiny 11?

Yes. Both operating systems can see the C: drive partition where your original Windows lives. You can open File Explorer in Tiny 11 and navigate to C: to view and copy files. However, do not delete or move files from the Windows folder itself, as that could break your original installation.

How do I remove Tiny 11 if I change my mind?

Boot into your original Windows, open Disk Management, right-click the Tiny 11 partition, and select Delete Volume. The space becomes unallocated. You can then expand your C: drive partition back to its original size by right-clicking it and selecting Extend Volume. Your original Windows and files are unaffected.

Will my programs and settings transfer to Tiny 11?

No. Tiny 11 is a separate Windows installation, so it has no programs or settings from your original Windows. You will need to reinstall any programs you want to use in Tiny 11. However, your files remain on the C: drive and are accessible from both systems.

What if my computer will not boot from the USB drive?

Make sure the USB drive was created correctly by trying it on another computer if possible. If it works elsewhere, your computer may have Secure Boot enabled in BIOS, which blocks unsigned USB drives. Restart, enter BIOS, find Secure Boot, and disable it. Save and exit, then try booting from the USB again.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.