Yes—you can install openKylin alongside Windows 11 without deleting Windows. The safe method is to back up your files and recovery information, verify the correct openKylin image, shrink the Windows volume so space becomes unallocated, boot the installer in the same UEFI mode Windows uses, and choose custom partitioning. Never select the installer’s full-disk option for a dual-boot computer: the openKylin guide says that option formats the entire disk.
What a safe dual boot requires
A dual-boot installation places two independent operating systems on one computer. Windows keeps its existing partitions, while openKylin receives new Linux partitions in space that Windows no longer uses. A boot manager then lets you choose which system to start.
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The critical safety rule is to distinguish unallocated space from a partition containing data. You create unallocated space by shrinking the Windows partition. You do not format the Windows partition, delete the EFI System Partition, or delete Windows Recovery partitions.
- Recovery first: Have a current backup on another device and a working Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) path.
- Firmware consistency: Install the USB in UEFI mode if Windows is installed in UEFI mode; do not mix UEFI and legacy/CSM boot modes casually.
- Manual partitioning: Select only the unallocated space made for Linux.
- Rollback information: Save the BitLocker or device-encryption recovery key before changing partitions or firmware.
- Verification: Check the ISO’s MD5 value before writing it to a USB drive.
Check your computer before changing anything
Identify the Windows disk and boot mode
In Windows, open diskmgmt.msc as administrator and identify the disk containing the Windows (usually C:) volume. In Disk Management, right-click the disk label (for example, “Disk 0”) and inspect its partition style. A modern Windows 11 installation normally uses GPT with UEFI firmware, but verify rather than assume.
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To check the firmware mode, open msinfo32 and read BIOS Mode. Record whether it says UEFI or Legacy. Your openKylin USB must be selected through the matching firmware entry. If Windows is in Legacy mode, converting the installation to UEFI is a separate migration project; do not attempt that conversion as an unplanned part of this install.
Confirm WinRE and make a recovery path
Windows Recovery Environment includes Startup Repair, restore tools and a link to UEFI firmware settings. From Windows 11, open Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now, then choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options. You can also hold Shift while selecting Restart. Confirm that WinRE opens before you repartition.
Microsoft documents that Startup Repair addresses common startup failures, including damaged boot configuration data. If the computer uses BitLocker or device encryption, WinRE may require the recovery key. Save that key somewhere you can reach without relying on the Windows installation you are about to modify; an encrypted device can otherwise leave you unable to complete recovery.
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Back up files and record the current layout
Copy personal files, browser data, passwords and any license or configuration information to an external drive or another trusted location. A disk image is useful if you need to restore the entire Windows installation, while a normal file backup protects the documents you are most likely to need immediately. Take photographs or screenshots of the current Disk Management layout so you can recognize the Windows, EFI and Recovery partitions during installation.
Choose the correct openKylin image
Use the official openKylin download catalog and record the exact filename and release date. For a conventional Intel- or AMD-compatible PC, choose the AMD64/x86 desktop image. The catalog also lists separate ARM, LoongArch and RISC-V images; those are for different processor architectures and will not boot on a normal Intel or AMD Windows desktop.
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The openKylin 3.0 AMD64 desktop image is approximately 7.5 GB according to the project’s 2026 catalog. The catalog can change, so keep the filename and release information with your installation notes rather than relying on a generic “latest ISO” description.
Verify the MD5 checksum
After downloading, calculate the file’s MD5 value and compare it with the value published beside that image. In Windows PowerShell, run:
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md5sum openKylin-image.isoCompare every character. The openKylin installation guide instructs you to download the image again when the calculated and official values differ. Do not write a mismatched image to USB; a damaged download can look like a partitioning or boot-loader problem later.
Write the image as boot media
Use a trusted image-writing utility to write the verified ISO to a USB flash drive. Writing an image is not the same as copying the ISO as an ordinary file: the utility creates the bootable structure the firmware expects. The operation erases the USB drive, so check the target device carefully. When writing completes, safely eject it from Windows.
Create unallocated space from Windows
Shrink the Windows volume
- Sign in to Windows with an administrator account and close applications that may be writing heavily to disk.
- Press Win+R, enter
diskmgmt.msc, and press Enter. - In the lower pane, locate the Windows volume on the disk you identified earlier.
- Right-click that volume and choose Shrink Volume.
- Enter the amount to remove, confirm the operation, and wait for Windows to show a block labeled Unallocated.
Microsoft’s Disk Management documentation warns that formatting a volume destroys the data on that partition. Choose Shrink, not Format, and do not assign the new unallocated area a drive letter or filesystem. Leave it untouched for the openKylin installer.
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How much space should you leave?
The openKylin community guide gives a baseline of more than 15 GB for the Linux root partition. That is a minimum installation figure, not a comfortable allowance for a desktop, updates, applications and personal files. A practical planning target is 30 GB or more for a basic openKylin desktop, with additional space if you intend to install large applications, development tools or games. Keep Windows’ own free-space needs in mind as well; shrinking it too aggressively can make Windows updates and temporary files fail.
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The 7.5 GB ISO size is the size of the installer download, not the amount of disk space the installed system will require. The installer USB also needs capacity greater than the image and is erased during writing.
Partitions you must not remove
- EFI System Partition (ESP): Contains boot files used by Windows and, after installation, entries for Linux.
- Windows Recovery partitions: Preserve WinRE and manufacturer recovery tools.
- Microsoft Reserved (MSR) and diagnostic partitions: Leave them as Windows created them.
The openKylin guide’s full-disk option formats the drive. That option is appropriate only for a computer whose existing contents may be erased, never for this dual-boot procedure.
Boot the USB in the right firmware mode
Open the one-time boot menu
Restart the computer and use the manufacturer’s boot-menu key (the key varies by model). Select the entry that explicitly identifies the USB as a UEFI device when Windows uses UEFI. Some firmware shows two entries for the same stick; choosing the non-UEFI entry can start the installer in legacy mode and create a boot configuration that does not match Windows.
Handle Secure Boot deliberately
A community UEFI tutorial for openKylin documents its procedure with Secure Boot disabled. That is a procedure-specific instruction, not proof that every openKylin release or computer requires Secure Boot to be off. Check the documentation for the exact release you downloaded and your computer manufacturer’s firmware guidance.
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If you must disable Secure Boot, record the original setting so you can restore it later. Enter firmware setup, change only the Secure Boot setting requested by the release documentation, save and boot the USB. Do not change storage-controller, boot-mode or TPM settings at the same time unless the documentation explicitly requires it.
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Select custom or manual installation
When the installer asks how to use the disk, choose Custom, Manual or the equivalent advanced option. Do not choose “erase disk,” “use entire disk,” or “quick install.” Read the disk map slowly: the Linux target must be the unallocated space you created in Windows.
Use the existing EFI partition carefully
The openKylin guide describes an EFI partition of roughly 256 MB to 2 GB and a root partition formatted as ext4 and mounted at /. On a Windows dual-boot disk, an EFI System Partition already exists. Select it only when the installer clearly identifies it as the ESP, assign it the EFI mount point (often /boot/efi), and make sure format is unchecked. Formatting the ESP can remove Windows’ boot files.
If the installer cannot identify the existing ESP, stop and recheck the disk and boot mode rather than creating or formatting partitions at random. A second EFI partition may work in some firmware, but it complicates recovery and is unnecessary when the existing ESP is usable.
Recommended layout inside the unallocated area
| Partition | Use | Filesystem or setting | Size guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux root | Operating system, applications and system data | ext4, mounted at / |
More than 15 GB is the openKylin guide’s baseline; allocate more for regular desktop use. |
| Swap (optional) | Memory pressure and hibernation scenarios | Linux swap | Choose according to your RAM and whether you need hibernation; the guide does not mandate a size. |
| Home (optional) | User files kept separate from the system | ext4, mounted at /home |
Use only if you want a separate data area; otherwise keep user files under the root partition. |
| Existing EFI System Partition | UEFI boot files for Windows and openKylin | FAT32; mount as the EFI partition; do not format | The guide’s general EFI baseline is approximately 256 MB–2 GB, but reuse the existing Windows ESP when it is correctly identified. |
Only the Linux partitions should be created in the unallocated region. If a partitioning screen labels a Windows volume, Recovery partition or ESP as the target for formatting, cancel and reselect the unallocated space.
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Finish the installation and test both systems
- Review the installer’s final summary. Confirm the root partition is the new Linux space, the ESP is the existing Windows EFI partition with formatting disabled, and no Windows partition is marked for deletion.
- Start the installation and wait for it to finish. Do not interrupt power while partitions or boot files are being written.
- When prompted, remove the USB drive and restart.
- At the boot menu, verify that both openKylin and Windows Boot Manager are listed.
- Start openKylin and check networking, display resolution, keyboard layout and access to the Linux partition.
- Restart and select Windows Boot Manager. Confirm that personal files, applications and activation are intact.
- Keep the backup and the verified USB until both systems have booted successfully through at least one complete restart.
Boot entries are stored in UEFI firmware, while the files they reference reside on the EFI System Partition. If one operating system is not shown, use the firmware’s one-time boot menu first; that distinguishes a missing menu entry from a damaged operating-system installation.
Troubleshoot common failures
The USB does not appear in the boot menu
- Confirm that the ISO checksum matched before writing it.
- Try another USB port, preferably a port directly on the computer rather than through a hub.
- Recreate the USB with the image-writing utility; a plain file copy is not bootable media.
- Look for a separate UEFI entry for the same USB and select it.
- Check whether Secure Boot must be disabled for the exact openKylin release and hardware.
- Verify that firmware boot mode matches Windows’ recorded mode instead of switching between UEFI and Legacy at random.
Windows asks for a BitLocker recovery key
This can happen after firmware, boot-order or partition changes. Enter the saved recovery key when WinRE requests it. If you did not save the key, retrieve it through the Microsoft account or organization that manages the encrypted device before making further changes. Once Windows starts, suspend or resume protection only according to your organization’s policy; do not delete encryption metadata to bypass the prompt.
Windows no longer starts
- Use the firmware boot menu and select Windows Boot Manager directly.
- If that fails, enter WinRE from Windows recovery media or Advanced startup.
- Choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Repair. Microsoft identifies Startup Repair as a tool for common startup problems, including corrupted boot configuration data.
- Provide the BitLocker recovery key if requested.
- If automatic repair cannot restore the entry, stop editing EFI files until you have consulted the computer manufacturer’s and Microsoft’s recovery instructions. Your backup and the original partition-layout record are the safest basis for further repair.
The installer shows no usable free space
Return to Windows and confirm that Disk Management shows a clearly labeled unallocated region. If you accidentally created a new NTFS volume, delete only that new empty volume from Windows to return it to unallocated space; never delete a partition whose identity you cannot verify. Windows may be unable to shrink by the full amount requested because immovable files are near the end of the volume. Shrink by a smaller amount rather than using a third-party partition editor during the installation.
Linux boots but Windows is missing from the menu
First select Windows Boot Manager from the firmware’s one-time menu. If Windows starts there, the operating system is intact and the issue is the boot menu configuration. Recheck that both systems were installed in UEFI mode and that the existing ESP was reused without formatting. Avoid repeatedly reinstalling boot loaders; each attempt can change the firmware order and make diagnosis harder.
One disk or two?
| Layout | Advantages | Risks and precautions |
|---|---|---|
| One physical disk, shared EFI partition | Uses existing hardware and keeps both boot entries in one UEFI system partition. | A partitioning mistake can affect both systems; backups and careful manual selection are essential. |
| Separate physical drives | Windows data and Linux data are isolated, making replacement or recovery of one drive simpler. | Firmware boot order can change when drives are added or removed; install in the intended UEFI mode and verify which drive contains each EFI entry. |
Using a second drive does not remove the need for backups or checksum verification. It only changes where Linux partitions are placed.
Decide whether dual boot is the right fit
- Choose dual boot when you need native Windows software and full Linux hardware access and are comfortable restarting to change systems.
- Prefer a virtual machine when you need occasional Linux tools but cannot risk changing partitions; performance and hardware access may be lower.
- Use a separate Linux drive when the Windows disk is nearly full or you want the cleanest physical separation.
- Postpone installation if you cannot produce a verified backup, cannot obtain the BitLocker key, or cannot identify the Windows disk and boot mode with confidence.
Final pre-reboot checklist
- Windows files are backed up to another device.
- WinRE opens, and Startup Repair is available.
- The BitLocker or device-encryption recovery key is recorded.
- The openKylin image matches the computer architecture and its MD5 matches the published value.
- The USB was written as an image and safely ejected.
- Windows was shrunk rather than formatted, leaving unallocated space.
- The Windows EFI and Recovery partitions remain untouched.
- The USB will be selected in the same UEFI or Legacy mode Windows uses.
- Installer mode is custom/manual, not full-disk or erase-disk.
- The final installer summary shows Linux changes only in the intended unallocated area.
Following those checks gives you a reversible installation plan: Windows remains on its original partitions, openKylin occupies newly allocated Linux space, and WinRE plus your backup provide a recovery route if the first boot does not go as expected.
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