Everyone knows that it’s possible to download Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft using the official Media Creation Tool. There are some other tools also available to download Windows 10 ISO, but the Media Creation Tool is better than third-party tools for obvious reasons.
While downloading Windows 10 ISO using Media Creation Tool is easy, the method is tedious as you need to make about a dozen clicks to download the ISO image.
Microsoft has designed the official Windows 10 ISO download page URL such that the page shows different content depending on from what device you are accessing the download page.
When you visit the download page from a PC running Windows 10/8/8.1/7, the download page URL gives you a link to download the Media Creation Tool which in turn allows you download the ISO. The same URL, if you visit from a Mac or Windows Phone, you get direct Windows 10 download options instead of options to download the Media Creation Tool.
A small section of PC users download Windows 10 ISO whenever a new version of Windows 10 ISO is available so that they can perform a clean install of Windows 10.
For users who often download Windows 10 ISO, downloading the Media Creation Tool and running it on the PC is a time-consuming job. Because of this, many PC users want to know if Windows PC users can download Windows 10 ISO without the Media Creation Tool.
Yes, you can download Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft without the Media Creation Tool. To do so, all you need to do is disguise your PC as a Windows Phone or Mac machine. Wait, you don’t need to install any software to disguise your Windows 10 PC as a mobile device. You just need to change the default user agent in your web browser. Here is how to do just that.
Complete the given below directions to download Windows 10 ISO image files from Microsoft without using the Media Creation Tool.
Download Windows 10 ISO without Media Creation Tool
Step 1: On your Windows 10/8/7 PC, launch Internet Explorer browser. Head over to Windows 10 ISO download page to see the following page.
Step 2: When you are at the download page, press F12 key to open Developer tools. Don’t worry. It’s easy.
Step 3: Now, in the Developer Tools, switch to the Emulation tab. In the Browse profile, select Windows Phone from the drop-down dialog, and then select Windows Phone 10 from the User agent string drop-down dialog. You are almost done!
Step 4: Internet Explorer will automatically reload the page. If not, refresh the page (URL) now to see Download Windows 10 Disc Image page. Choose your edition of Windows 10 (Creators Update is the latest one) and then click Confirm button.
Step 5: Next, you will see Select the product language page. Choose your language and then Confirm button.
Step 6: Finally, click either 32-bit Download or 64-bit Download (depending on what type of Windows 10 you want to install and run on your PC) to begin downloading your Windows 10 ISO image file.
Once the download is complete, you may close the tab or browser.
Damon Burro says
I know this is an older article — but FYI when you go to the link now: “this website doesn’t work in Internet Explorer”
Maniscrack* says
I’m Very Impressive For This Information! Thank You.*
John Tan says
this article is so so so helpful…..many thanks!
i am rescuing my badly corrupted Win 10 on my personal computer and i am using my company’s laptop to download the ISO.
I can’t run the stupid Installation Media tool because i dont have admin rights on work laptop….this article helps!!!
Ulrich says
How to make a bootable usb stick from this iso, without elevated rights?
All tools I find either need admin rights already to install themselves or if porable version they need elevated rights whatsoever to be executed… this is not useful if you do this on a protected public library or university or company pc…
although this is most likely the only pcs you have access to once your own private pc had a hdd / ssd failure……… …. somehow nobody until 2019 has thought about this… very strange!
Stuie says
You can also download this via your android phone, then copy this to your machine and burn the iso.
Raju says
Thank you so much this worked
Mr. H. says
Awesome, thank you for this assistance! Worked like a charm! I have a valid code but didn’t want to do the media creator.
Nelson Opoku says
Hello Admin,
I want to say a big thank you, you are a genius i was able to use the same procedure to download, The latest version 1809 updated on October, 2018.. It works
Andrew Burrell says
PS, I used ‘Custom’ for the Agent, and then made the Orientation ‘Landscape’ to be able to see what I was doing.
Andrew Burrell says
Thank you so, so, so much! I tried using the MediaCreationTool1803.exe and it would not work. This has made my task so much quicker! Thanks again!
Amanda says
Thank you! I was lost without this article!
Kurt says
Great! thanks I was going insane trying to download the ISO before
Pablo says
Thanks Stephen, worked for me
Marc says
as you know that after leaving windows 10 installed for more then thirty days it erased the old operating system from the recovery partition.. I would like to reformate the drive and install the ios in the recovery partition. is this possible and is it complicated???
Stephen says
You can also use User Agent Switcher for Chrome and select Windows Phone and the page will reload and give you the same options described in this article.