How To Dual Boot Windows And Pop!_OS

Thinking about running both Windows and Pop!_OS on one computer? Dual booting is a great way to enjoy the flexibility of both systems—whether you’re gaming on Windows or coding on Pop!_OS. Here’s how to set it up the right way, with zero fluff and clear steps.

What You’ll Need

• A computer with Windows installed
• At least 20GB of free disk space
• A USB drive (8GB or more)
• Pop!_OS ISO (from system76.com/pop)
• Free tool: balenaEtcher or Rufus for USB creation

Step 1: Back Up Your Data

First things first—back up your important files. Partitioning your drive and installing a new OS always carries a risk, so don’t skip this.

Step 2: Make Space For Pop!_OS

1. In Windows, search for Disk Management.
2. Right-click your main partition (usually C:) and select Shrink Volume.
3. Decide how much space to shrink. At least 20GB is recommended for Pop!_OS.
4. Complete the shrink operation. You’ll see “Unallocated space”—this is for Pop!_OS.

Step 3: Create a Pop!_OS USB Installer

1. Download the Pop!_OS ISO.
2. Open balenaEtcher or Rufus.
3. Select the ISO and your USB drive.
4. Click “Flash” or “Start” to create the bootable USB.

Step 4: Boot From USB

1. Plug the USB into your PC.
2. Restart and enter your BIOS/UEFI (usually by pressing F2, F12, Esc, or Del during boot).
3. Set USB as the first boot device.
4. Save and restart—your computer should boot into the Pop!_OS installer.

Step 5: Install Pop!_OS

1. On the welcome screen, select Clean Install or Custom (Advanced) Install.
2. When prompted for installation location, select the unallocated space you made earlier.
   • For “Custom Install,” create:
     • A root partition (/) of at least 20GB, ext4 format
     • An optional swap partition (same size as your RAM, or 4GB+)
3. Continue installation. Do not overwrite your Windows partition.
4. Follow the rest of the prompts to finish installing.

Step 6: Set Up Dual Boot

• Pop!_OS uses systemd-boot, not GRUB. After installation, your computer should automatically present a boot menu where you can pick Pop!_OS or Windows.
• If Windows doesn’t appear in the boot menu, reboot and enter the BIOS/UEFI. Move “Pop!_OS” or “ubuntu” (sometimes labeled this way) to the top of the boot order.

Step 7: Update Everything

• Once booted into Pop!_OS, open a terminal and run:
  sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
• Boot into Windows to make sure it works too.

Tips & Troubleshooting

• Boot menu missing? Use your BIOS/UEFI boot menu to select the OS.
• Pop!_OS not showing Windows? Boot into Pop!_OS and run:
  sudo os-prober && sudo update-grub
• Secure Boot errors? Disable Secure Boot in your BIOS/UEFI.

Final Thoughts

Dual booting Windows and Pop!_OS gives you the best of both worlds—no need to sacrifice your favorite apps or your open-source workflow. Follow these steps, and you’ll have a rock-solid dual boot setup with minimal hassle.

Questions? Drop them in the comments below!

Mark Vincent

Tech enthusiast and content creator passionate about making technology simple for everyone. I share practical tips, guides, and reviews on the latest in computers, software, and gadgets. Let’s explore the digital world together!