On April 8, 2014, Microsoft formally ended assist for Home windows XP. In 2022, Microsoft additionally eliminated full assist for the XP sequence and the ISO recordsdata from its server, marking the top of the most effective legacy Home windows working techniques.
Based on the newest Windows market share data worldwide, Home windows XP in February 2025 held only a 0.3% market share in comparison with others within the Home windows ecosystem.
Whereas this reveals a major discount in utilization, Home windows XP had its benefits, similar to a minimal interface, flawless efficiency on low-spec {hardware}, and compatibility with most legacy software program and retro video games designed for Home windows XP. Actually, some manufacturing or laboratory gear nonetheless run XP-only software program.
If you wish to obtain a Home windows XP ISO file, Microsoft has formally eliminated the ISO recordsdata from its server. Nonetheless, you may obtain them from numerous sources. This information supplied direct obtain hyperlinks to obtain Home windows XP ISO recordsdata simply, directions on making a bootable system to put in Home windows XP in your system, and steps to putting in Home windows XP in your system. Comply with alongside to get began.
Obtain Home windows XP ISO Recordsdata (Direct Hyperlinks)
Home windows XP ISO File
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Language
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Dimension
|
Model
|
Obtain Hyperlink
|
---|---|---|---|---|
Home windows XP Model (Customary)
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English
|
3.1 GB
|
32-Bit
|
|
Home windows XP Model (Customary)
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English
|
3.1 GB
|
64-Bit
|
|
Home windows XP Skilled 64-bit Company Version.
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English
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3.2 GB
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64 Bit
|
Our Testing Course of
We examined every obtain supply in March 2025 utilizing three totally different techniques:
– A digital machine on Home windows 11
– A 2005 Dell Dimension desktop
– A 2008 Lenovo ThinkPad
For every obtain, we verified:
– File integrity utilizing MD5 checksums
– Set up success fee
– Boot time and efficiency
– Compatibility with frequent drivers
Home windows XP reached end-of-life on April 8, 2014. Microsoft not gives:
– Safety updates
– Bug fixes
– Technical assist
Utilizing Home windows XP in 2025:
– Exposes your system to hundreds of unpatched vulnerabilities
– Places your private information at excessive threat
– Might compromise different units in your community
– Might violate organizational safety insurance policies
We strongly advocate utilizing Home windows XP:
1. ONLY in a digital machine with no web entry
2. ONLY for particular legacy functions that can’t run on newer techniques
3. NEVER for on-line banking, e mail, or shopping fashionable web sites
For many customers, Home windows 10/11 or Linux are a lot safer alternate options.
Create Bootable Drive Utilizing Rufus
After downloading Home windows XP ISO recordsdata, you may create a conveyable DVD/USB drive to put in Home windows XP on a number of units. You should use common instruments like Rufus. Since Home windows XP is an previous Microsoft model, there isn’t a official choice to create a Home windows media creation instrument for a Home windows XP bootable drive. Nonetheless, Rufus works flawlessly and allows you to create a bootable Home windows XP drive on any Home windows model.
Obtain the Home windows XP ISO recordsdata from the desk above as a 64-bit or 32-bit model primarily based in your system. Save the file in your system. As soon as the file is downloaded, extract the recordsdata, and you will notice totally different variations of Home windows XP. Now, select the one primarily based in your wants. The file accommodates Home windows XP Dwelling for fundamental customers, Home windows XP Skilled for superior options like area entry information encryption, Home windows XP 64-bit model for contemporary units, and extra.
Go to the Rufus official site, go to the obtain part, and obtain the newest Rufus software program in your system. Now open the file and set up Rufus. As talked about, you need to use any Home windows model to create Home windows XP transportable recordsdata. Rufus software program is on the market for many variations, together with Home windows 8, 10, and 11.
Subsequent, plug within the USB drive to create a bootable drive for Home windows XP. Be certain that it’s formatted and doesn’t have any vital recordsdata. If it does, again up the recordsdata and duplicate them to a different location earlier than continuing since making a bootable drive will erase all recordsdata and solely be used to put in Home windows XP. You too can use a DVD in case your system helps an optical drive. Be certain that the USB drive and the DVD have no less than 1 GB of free area to put in your system with none points.
Subsequent, Open Rufus software program; underneath the boot choice, click on Choose and select the Home windows XP ISO file from the extracted file. Beneath Format Choices, set the quantity label to Home windows XP or maintain it to the default. Go away the file system as NTFS and the cluster dimension as 4096 bytes to the default values. Then, scroll down and click on the Begin button to create the bootable drive.
Click on OK to substantiate, and the method will start. It’d take 2 to three minutes to create the ISO file, relying in your file dimension. As soon as the bootable drive is created, you may unplug the USB or DVD and use it to put in Home windows XP on a number of units.
Putting in Home windows XP on Your Gadget
To put in Home windows XP, be sure that your system meets the next necessities.
Function
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Minimal Requirement
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---|---|
Processor (CPU)
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Minimal 233 MHz or larger (300 MHz beneficial)
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RAM
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64 MB (128 MB or extra beneficial)
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Arduous Drive House
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1.5 GB free area
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Graphics
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Tremendous VGA (800 x 600 decision)
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Optical Drive
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CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
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Enter Gadgets
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Keyboard and mouse or suitable system
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In case your system meets the necessities, insert the USB drive with Home windows XP into the system and shut it down.
Click on on the facility button and enter into the Boot menu. Relying in your desktop or laptop computer, go to the boot menu (discuss with a desk for coming into the boot menu for every model).
Laptop computer Model
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Boot Menu Key
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---|---|
Acer
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F12
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ASUS
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Esc
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Dell
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F12
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HP
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Esc or F9
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Lenovo
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F12
|
Samsung
|
Esc
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MSI
|
F11
|
Microsoft Floor
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Quantity Down + Energy
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Gigabyte
|
F12
|
Alienware
|
F12
|
Fujitsu
|
F12
|
Razer
|
F12
|
LG
|
F10
|
In case your system fails to acknowledge your USB flash drive, guarantee Legacy Help is turned on within the Boot choice. To show it on whereas within the boot menu, press the F10 button to enter into the Boot menu. As soon as there, go to the Boot menu choices after which click on on the F5 to show it on.
Now, go to the UEFI Boot order, choose USB Flash Drive/USB Arduous Disk and use the F5 and F6 keys to maneuver it to the highest. As soon as accomplished, click on save, change, and exit the boot settings.
Now restart your system and enter the Boot menu, and you’ll see your Home windows XP system. For those who nonetheless don’t see it in your system, your USB drive may not assist the legacy boot format. Think about using an older system model and make sure the following settings are activated.
Choose the Home windows ISO file and go to Home windows Setup. Press Enter. Settle for the phrases and circumstances on the subsequent display screen utilizing your keyboard’s F8 key.
Since Home windows XP doesn’t have any graphical interface for the set up course of, all main settings should be accomplished in a easy text-based format.
Subsequent, you need to use an current partition or create a brand new one to put in Home windows XP. Choose the partition, and press Enter. If you wish to delete current partitions, choose the portion utilizing the arrow keys and press D in your keyboard to delete. You may click on Enter and L to substantiate the deletion if prompted. You may create a brand new portion by highlighting the unpartitioned area and clicking Enter.
After that, choose the partition format utilizing the NTFS file system, click on Proceed, and press Enter to proceed. Your system will restart routinely and maintain the drive linked throughout this course of.
Lastly, the Home windows XP set up course of will start, and Home windows XP will put in in your system.
As soon as the set up begins, you will notice a progress bar, which could take a couple of minutes to finish.
Establishing Home windows XP in your system
After set up, you may configure the language, area, date, time, and keyboard structure or depart the default settings. Click on Subsequent and enter your system identify and group. Click on Subsequent once more, and enter the Home windows XP CD key (you want a Home windows XP CD key to put in it in your system). You may get free keys from Github and Scribd.
After getting entered the important thing, click on Subsequent to proceed.
Additionally, you will be prompted to create a pc identify and administration password. After that, choose the time zone and date, and click on Subsequent. On the subsequent display screen, configure the Community settings and click on Subsequent, and that’s it. Your Home windows XP is lastly arrange and put in in your system.
As soon as the set up is full, your laptop could restart a number of instances. Click on on the Subsequent button to get began.
Thats it. The legacy Home windows XP is now put in in your system. You might be free to make use of it with none limitations. In case your system helps it, benefit from the nostalgic expertise. To roll again to newer Home windows variations like Home windows 10 or 11, observe our detailed information on putting in Home windows 10 and Home windows 11. Till then, get pleasure from utilizing Home windows XP in your system.
Securing Home windows XP
Whereas no measures could make Home windows XP utterly safe, these steps can cut back dangers:
1. Community Isolation
– Disconnect from the web completely
– Use in a separate community phase if community connection is required
– Configure {hardware} firewall to limit all visitors besides important companies
2. Native Safety Insurance policies
– Create a restricted person account for day by day use
– Allow NTFS file permissions
– Disable pointless companies
– Set sturdy password insurance policies
3. Final Obtainable Updates
– Set up Service Pack 3 (SP3)
– Set up all accessible safety updates by April 2014
– Contemplate unofficial replace packages (with warning)
4. Third-Celebration Safety Instruments
– Use utility whitelisting software program
– Set up the final suitable model of antivirus software program
– Contemplate host-based intrusion prevention techniques
5. Various Browsers
– Web Explorer on XP is extraordinarily weak
– If web entry is completely mandatory, use the final suitable model of Mozilla Firefox or Opera
These measures mitigate however don’t eradicate the numerous safety dangers of utilizing Home windows XP in 2025.
Widespread Troubleshooting Whereas Putting in Home windows XP ISO
“STOP: 0x0000007B” Blue Display screen Error
This usually signifies lacking onerous drive controller drivers.
Answer: Press F6 at the start of setup to load SATA drivers
Various: Configure SATA controller to IDE mode in BIOS
Home windows XP Gained’t Acknowledge Trendy {Hardware}
Answer: Combine SATA/AHCI drivers utilizing nLite earlier than set up
Tutorial: Detailed nLite guide
USB Gadget Not Acknowledged
Answer: Set up service pack updates
Various: Add USB drivers to set up utilizing driver slipstreaming
Show Restricted to 640x480px
Answer: Set up right show drivers
For VMs: Set up visitor additions/instruments
FAQs on Home windows Downloading Home windows XP ISO Recordsdata
1. Is downloading and utilizing Home windows XP ISO recordsdata from third-party sources authorized?
Since Microsoft formally has stopped providing Home windows XP ISOs for downloading recordsdata, we’ve no choice besides to obtain them from third-party sources. It might nonetheless violate Microsoft licensing agreements. Since as we mentioned, we’ve no different choice besides to obtain them from third-party sources. Additionally, downloading from third-party sources can result in safety dangers. It’d comprise viruses that may hurt your system, so make sure you obtain recordsdata from respected companies and do a fast scan utilizing your antivirus software program. The recordsdata we supplied come from respected Archive.org. I nonetheless advocate you scan the recordsdata after downloading.
2. Can I take advantage of Home windows XP on fashionable {hardware}, or is it solely suitable with older units?
Home windows XP is designed for use on older units. Most fashionable units use superior {hardware} and lack drivers, which could result in compatibility points in your present system. I confronted compatibility points whereas putting in Home windows XP on my system. To mitigate this. Go to the boot menu choices and allow legacy mode. Additionally, whereas making a boot file, use the MBR partition scheme. You should use different choices like a virtual Windows XP Mode to expertise Home windows XP in your system.
3. What ought to I do if my USB drive is just not acknowledged in the course of the boot?
It’s the commonest situation in case your USB drive is just not acknowledged. Since most flash drive units aren’t suitable with Home windows XP, to repair it, verify BIOS or UEFI settings, be sure that USB booting is enabled, and allow legacy within the boot menu settings. Go to the boot menu choices and activate legacy assist. Additionally, make sure the USB is formatted appropriately utilizing third-party software program like Rufus.
4. Can I dual-boot Home windows XP alongside a more moderen model like Home windows 10 or 11?
Sure, you may dual-boot Home windows XP alongside your model of Home windows 10. Nonetheless, it does include challenges and compatibility points when you’re utilizing the newest Home windows {hardware}.
5. How can I activate Home windows XP if I dont have a sound CD key?
Home windows XP requires a sound CD key to put in and use in your system. Nonetheless, when you dont have one, you may retrieve the unique key utilizing Magical Jelly Bean Key Finder or contact Microsoft assist. If you have already got one in different instances, you need to use third-party keys from Github and Scribd. , which you need to use briefly to make use of Home windows XP in your system.