Installing Ubuntu on Windows 10 in dual boot can seem kinda intimidating at first. There’s a lot of steps, and maybe you’re worried about messing things up — especially if important files are involved. But honestly, once you understand the process and follow each step carefully, it’s pretty doable. Better yet, you’ll finally be able to pick between Windows and Ubuntu just by hitting the power button, which is kinda awesome if you’re juggling multiple OSs. This process is especially handy if you want to dip your toes into Linux without ditching Windows altogether.
So, here’s the deal: You basically need to free up some space on your drive, get the Ubuntu ISO, make a bootable USB stick, and then install Ubuntu alongside your existing Windows install. It’s not foolproof, and on some setups, you might run into quirks, like boot options not showing right away or Secure Boot causing issues. But with patience, you’ll have both worlds at your fingertips. Expect to do backups, double-check BIOS settings, and follow prompts carefully. Because Windows and Linux are different animals, some little issues pop up — like Windows not recognizing the boot menu right away or Secure Boot blocking the installer. Still, these are solvable with the right tweaks.
How to Put Ubuntu on Your Windows 10 PC in Dual Boot Mode
Back Up Everything Before You Mess Around
- Backing up your files is crucial — better safe than sorry. Head to your Settings > Update & Security > Backup or just copy your important docs to an external drive or cloud storage. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary, and sometimes things go sideways during partitioning or install. On one rig, it worked perfectly, on another, the installer froze halfway, so don’t skip this.
Create Space on Your Hard Drive to Make Room for Ubuntu
- Open Disk Management (just search for it in the Start menu).Find your main partition (probably C:).Right-click and select Shrink Volume. You’ll want at least 20–50 GB free, depending on what you plan to do with Ubuntu. That space turns into unallocated disk space, ready to be used for the Linux partition.
- Pro tip: Sometimes Windows grabs tight-fisted control over the disk, and shrinking doesn’t work smoothly. If that happens, try running
chkdsk /f /rin Command Prompt or boot into Windows Recovery and run these commands to fix disk issues first.
Download Ubuntu and Prepare Your Bootable USB
- Head to the official Ubuntu site and grab the latest ISO. Not sure which one? Go for the Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support) version — tends to be more stable.
- Use a tool like Rufus or UNetbootin to create a bootable USB. Pop in a 4+ GB USB stick (fingers crossed you don’t need those files anymore, because it’ll be wiped).Select the ISO and let Rufus do its thing. The process is pretty straightforward, but make sure to choose the correct USB device, or you’ll be reformatting the wrong drive.
Boot from the USB and Install Ubuntu
- Restart and get into your BIOS/UEFI. Usually mash F12, Esc, Del, or F2 during startup (depends on the motherboard).Look for the boot menu or boot order and set your USB as the first device. If Secure Boot is enabled, you might want to disable it in your BIOS because it sometimes blocks Linux installers.
- Once you’ve booted from the USB, you’ll see the Ubuntu installer. Pick Install Ubuntu. When asked about installation type, choose Install Ubuntu alongside Windows Boot Manager. That way, it’ll handle the dual boot setup automatically. If this option doesn’t show up, you might need to manually partition the unallocated space or repair the Windows boot loader after.
- Follow the prompts, pick your timezone, username, and password. The installer usually does most of the heavy lifting, but keep an eye out for errors or warnings that pop up. After installation, reboot, and you should see a menu offering Windows or Ubuntu — that’s your new bootloader showing up.
Dealing with Common Quirks
- If Ubuntu doesn’t show up at startup or your PC boots straight into Windows, you might need to repair the GRUB bootloader. Boot from the Ubuntu USB again, choose Try Ubuntu, then open a terminal and enter
sudo update-grub. Reboot and see if the menu appears. - Sometimes, Secure Boot is a pain. Turning it off in BIOS often clears up install issues. On newer systems, you might also need to disable Fast Boot or enable CSM/Legacy mode to see the boot menu correctly.
- Windows Fast Startup can also mess with dual boot, so you might want to disable that in the Power Options.
Tips for Making Dual Boot Less Painful
- Double-check your BIOS settings — Secure Boot, Fast Boot, CSM — get those right before installing.
- Backup first no matter what. Things go wrong, especially with partitioning or boot repair.
- If Windows doesn’t see Ubuntu, or vice versa, boot into the Ubuntu Live session and run
sudo update-grub. That usually pulls in Windows boot info. - Be prepared to troubleshoot. The dual boot dance isn’t always seamless, and each computer can have quirks.
FAQs to Keep in Mind
What exactly is dual booting?
Basically, it’s installing two operating systems on one PC, and you pick which at startup. Handy if you need Linux for some tasks but still want Windows for others.
Can I wipe Ubuntu later if I want?
Absolutely, but you’ll need to delete the Linux partitions and restore the Windows boot loader with a tool like EasyUEFI or by repairing it via Windows recovery environment.
Will dual boot slow down my PC?
Nah, each OS runs independently of the other. The only thing that might slow things down is your disk space — make sure you’ve got room for both systems to breathe.
Can I access my Windows files from Ubuntu?
Yeah, Ubuntu can read your Windows partitions — you just have to mount the drive, which Ubuntu usually detects automatically.
Wrap-up
Getting dual boot set up isn’t exactly a walk in the park, but once you figure out the quirks, it’s pretty rewarding. You’re basically getting the best of both worlds — Windows for gaming or work, Linux for dev or tinkering. Just make sure to back things up before starting and be patient if you hit snags. Usually, a quick BIOS tweak or a boot repair fixes most issues. Fingers crossed this helps someone save some headaches with their setup.
Summary
- Backup your important data first.
- Free up disk space via Disk Management.
- Download Ubuntu and create a bootable USB using Rufus.
- Boot from USB and select installation options carefully.
- Disable Secure Boot if it causes issues.
- Fix bootloader problems with update-grub or repair tools if needed.