- Windows 11 LTSC edition is designed for enterprise customers who want long-term support with stability and security.
- It provides 5 to 10 years of support with minimal updates and offers a bloat-free experience out of the box.
- General users can also try the Windows 11 LTSC edition for an evaluation period of 90 days, after which you will need a license.
Microsoft released the first LTSC edition of Windows 11 in 2024 for enterprise customers. It’s based on Windows 11 24H2 with an increased focus on stability, security, and minimal updates. The LTSC edition of Windows 11 is an excellent choice for those who prefer a clean and bloat-free experience. If you are interested, learn about Windows 11 LTSC in detail along with its system requirements. We have also added steps to download and install Windows 11 LTSC on your PC.
Windows 11 LTSC Explained
Microsoft designs different editions of Windows for specific use cases. For example, the Home and Pro editions of Windows are designed for general consumers while the Education edition is built for schools and universities. Similarly, Windows 11 LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel), technically called “Windows 11 Enterprise LTSC”, is designed for enterprise customers who need long-term stability and minimal feature updates.
Unlike Windows 11 consumer editions, the LTSC version provides long-term support for 5 to 10 years. On top of that, large feature updates are released every 2-3 years, but they are optional, and customers can choose whether to install the feature update or stay on the current version.
The Windows 11 LTSC edition mostly receives security updates and critical bug fixes. It’s completely bloat-free and only ships with the classic version of Windows apps like Microsoft Paint, Notepad, Calculator, and Snipping Tool. By the way, Microsoft recently added Microsoft Edge to Windows 11 LTSC.
That said, these apps remain barebones, meaning they don’t have the latest AI features, Copilot integration, or other modern enhancements. While that’s the best thing about this version, there’s a major caveat too. You don’t have the Microsoft Store on the LTSC edition. As a result, Windows 11 LTSC feels pretty lightweight, and apps launch fast.
Now, coming to where is Windows 11 LTSC used? The Windows 11 LTSC version is used by banks, financial institutions, governments, healthcare institutions, research labs, manufacturing units, and more. These kinds of institutions require long-term stability and security with minimal updates. For instance, the LTSC edition powers ATMs, medical devices, airport kiosks, stock exchange systems, etc.
Can General Users Install Windows 11 LTSC?
Although Windows 11 LTSC is designed for enterprise customers, general users can try the LTSC edition for evaluation. Microsoft officially provides the ISO file for Windows 11 LTSC, which you can download from here.
Note that the LSC version comes with a 90-day evaluation period. To continue using Windows 11 LTSC, you need to obtain Microsoft’s volume license from authorized distributors.
Windows 11 LTSC: Minimum System Requirements
Unlike Windows 11’s strict hardware requirements, the LTSC edition has more relaxed minimum specifications. You can run the LTSC edition even without TPM or Secure Boot. Not only that, Windows 11 LTSC can be installed on systems with just 2GB of RAM.
Component | PREFERRED Minimum Requirements | OPTIONAL Minimum Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 1 GHz, 2 Cores | 1 GHz, 2 Cores |
| System Memory | 4 GB | 2 GB |
| Storage Size | 64 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage Type | Solid‑State Drive (SSD) | Solid‑State Drive (SSD) Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Hybrid Hard Drive (SSHD) Flash (eMMC, SD, USB) |
| System Firmware | UEFI | BIOS |
| TPM | TPM 2.0 | Optional |
| Secure Boot | Enabled | Optional |
| DirectX | DirectX 12 | DirectX 10 / None |
| Display | 9″ diagonal 720p HD | Custom Size / Optional |
How to Download and Install Windows 11 LTSC
- Download Windows 11 LTSC ISO from Microsoft’s website for free.
- Next, flash the ISO using Rufus or load it into a virtual machine like I did.
- After that, like regular Windows 11, follow on-screen instructions to install the LTSC edition.
- Once installed, click the Sign-in option -> Domain join instead and enter your name.
- Now, after installing the update, you can start using Windows 11 LTSC on your PC.
My Experience with Windows 11 LTSC
First off, Windows 11 LTSC is incredibly lightweight. I installed it on a VM, and the installation size was just 12GB, compared to Windows 11 Pro’s 24GB. Even Tiny11 consumes around 10GB after removing nearly all major components so LTSC’s footprint is really small. Best of all, it’s completely debloated and the Start menu is entirely blank.
You only get Notepad, Edge, Calculator, MS Paint, and Snipping Tool out-of-the-box. There is no Microsoft Store on the LTSC build, as I mentioned above. However, you can download and install apps from the web like usual. As for system resources, Windows 11 LTSC was consuming around 2GB of RAM and about 5% of CPU at idle.
I would say if you have an old PC, you can try using the Windows 11 LTSC edition. This is also a great choice for elderly users looking for a stable and hassle-free experience. However, note that after 90 days, you will have to get a volume license from Microsoft.
