How to clean install Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update)

UPDATED 11/13: Windows 10 version 1809 (October 2018 Update) is rolling out to compatible devices starting October 2, and if you want to avoid problems the best way to upgrade is to perform a clean installation.

Although doing an in-place upgrade using Windows Update is usually the recommended method to install a new version, it’s likely that you’ll come across issues and errors as a result of custom configurations, possible software and device driver incompatibility, and other problems. A clean installation minimizes the change of running into problems, because it deletes everything on the hard drive and installs a fresh copy of Windows 10 with the October 2018 Update.

Additionally, if you’ve been using the same installation for some time, a clean installation of Windows 10 can help to improve startup times, memory usage, performance, and fix existing problems.

In this hands-on video, you’ll learn the steps to properly perform a clean installation of Windows 10 version 1809 on your desktop, laptop, or tablet using a USB bootable media created with the Microsoft Media Creation Tool.

How to do a clean install of Windows 10 version 1809

After creating the USB bootable media using the Media Creation Tool, use these steps to do a clean install of Windows 10 to upgrade to the October 2018 Update:

Start your PC with the USB bootable media.
Press any key to begin.
Click Next.
Click Install now.
Click the Skip button if you’re reinstalling. (After the installation Windows 10 will re-activate automatically.)
Check the I accept the license terms option.
Click the Next button.
Select the Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) option.
Select each partition in the hard drive that you want to install Windows 10, and click the Delete button. (Usually, the “Drive 0” is the drive that contains all the installation files.)

Warning: Deleting a partition also deletes all data within. Also, it’s not a requirement to delete the partitions from a secondary hard drive.
Select the hard drive (Drive 0 Unallocated Space) to install Windows 10.
Click the Next button.
After the installation, select your region in the first page of the out-of-the-box experience (OOBE).
Click the Yes button.
Select your keyboard layout.
Click the Yes button.
If you’re not setting a second keyboard layout, click the Skip button.
If your device is using an Ethernet connection, your PC will connect to the network automatically. Otherwise, if you’re using a wireless connection, you’ll need to set up the connection manually.
Select the Set up for personal use option.
Click Next.
Type your Microsoft account email, phone, or Skype identification.
Click the Next button.
Type your Microsoft account password.
Click the Next button.
Click the Create a PIN button.
Create a new PIN password.
Click the OK button.
Click the Do it later button. (You can always link your phone to your PC using the Settings app.)
Click the Accept button to enable Cortana on your device. (If you want to use the “Hey Cortana” feature, also check the Respond when I say “Hey Cortana” option.)
Select your privacy settings that best suits your needs.
Click the Accept button.

You can also check this guide that outlines every step to prepare, create a backup, and start with a fresh copy of Windows 10. In the case you want to speed up the installation process, you can also do an in-place upgrade using these instructions.

Update November 13, 2018: The October 2018 Update was originally released on October 2, but due to serious problems with the operating system, Microsoft was forced to pause the rollout, and starting November 13, the update is once again available for download.