How to install Ubuntu alongside windows 10?
Tags: beginners, ubuntu, dualboot, windows
Published: 2021-11-18 19:54:33

#Dualboot Ubuntu alongside windows 10
---

Apart from all the OS, Ubuntu bags it's own advantages to standout from the queue. Some of them are as follows:
1) Free of cost.
2) Ubuntu is Better Suited for Development.
3) Ubuntu’s outstanding Command Line
4) Ubuntu can be run without actually installing which means that 
   you can work on this platform directly from live USB.
5) This OS can be installed alongside windows. 

Now, today I am gonna guide you how to install ubuntu alongside windows 10. Let's dive in!
**Note:-** This tutorial is for the system with preinstalled windows 10 only.

**Prerequisites:**
* A computer that comes preinstalled with Windows 10.
* A USB key (pen drive or USB drive) of at least 4 GB in size and no data on it.
* Internet connection (for downloading Ubuntu ISO image and live USB creating tool). You can do this on any system, not necessarily on the system you are dual booting.
* Optional: External USB disk for making back up of your existing data.
* Optional: Windows recovery or bootable disk (if you encounter any major boot issues, it could be fixed).

**Step 1: Make a Backup of your windows System** (optional)
I recommend you to backup all your data to an external storage and make a backup of your windows system, incase if something fails utterly, you can always have windows operating system to install on your pc again.

**Step2: Download Ubuntu**
Ride over to Ubuntu's Website to download the ISO file.
![image here](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/zb107tkiqq2xxqod4tsy.png)
Here is the [link](https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop) to official website and I also recommend you to go through the [installation guide](https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/install-ubuntu-desktop#1-overview) given in website.

**Step 3: Create a live USB/disk of ubuntu**
There are many free applications available that will help you create a live USB of Ubuntu.
Let's go with Rufus to create a live USB. [download](https://rufus.ie/en/) the *.exe* file.

Plug in your USB. This device will be formatted so make sure that you don’t have any important data on this USB disk.

Run the Rufus tool you downloaded, it will automatically detect your USB disk. Now, browse the ISO image file you just downloaded from Ubuntu website.
![Image here](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/nthvnpkqqykzo04cwtxj.jpg) Hit the Start button.
Bang!! you are all set with the Live USB. Let's go ahead and boot in.


**Step 4: Make some free space on your computer to install Ubuntu**
Usually an option is provided for many systems to make disk partition for ubuntu while installing. But, that is not in all the cases. It is better to make some space for Ubuntu before installing.

In the Windows search, search for ‘disk partitions’ and go to ‘Create and format hard disk partitions’.
![Image here](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/lg6ohwk7iwqzv77ozsjq.png)
In the Disk Management tool, right-click on the drive which you want to partition and select **shrink volume**.
#####How much space u need for dual boot?
This depends on how much total disk space you have. These days, you should have at least 120 GB of disk. In that case, go for 30-40 GB of disk for Linux. If you have 250 GB disk, allocate it 60-80 GB or even more. If you have more disk space, allocate it even more free space, if you want.


**Step 5: Boot from live USB**
You created a live Ubuntu USB in the step 3. Plug it in the system.

Okay! Let's see how to boot from Live USB. You can access the UEFI firmware within the windows.
![Image here](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/actsso8dk0ch4169txvd.png)
Go to the *Advanced startup* option and click on *Restart now* button.
On next screen click on 'Use a device' option
![Image here](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/qgpxcjzcz800dng4mwj1.png)
Recognize the USB disk with the help of name and size. It may also be displayed as 'EFI USB Device'.
Now it will power off your system and reboot into the disk you chose which should be the live USB disk. You should see a screen like this after a few seconds:
![Image here](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/rd58svvnvbhniz446sjs.jpg)
If you don't see this type of screen you may have to change the **boot order**.

The “Install Ubuntu” option will start the Ubuntu installation immediately.

**Step 6: Installing Ubuntu along windows 10**

After that, The first 2 steps are simple, you will be asked to choose the language and select the keyboard layout.

On the next screen, choose Normal installation. No need to download updates or install third-party software just yet. You may do it after installation completes.

Hit continue. It may take some time to go to the next step.
![Image here](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/u6o7jw7job4fsowhlymv.png)
**Note:** It sometimes creates issues during installation and may also cause the installation to fail. For this reason, I advise against them.

You will see the “Install Ubuntu alongside Windows Boot Manager” on the installation type and hit continue.

The next screen will give you the option to create a partition for Ubuntu by dragging the divider. You can allocate appropriate disk space to Linux here. Ubuntu will create one partition of the allocated disk space and it will have root with home and a swapfile of 2 GB in size under root itself. 
![Image here](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/dooixuvgb9411jtbojwi.png)
Hit **install now.**

It will take few minutes to complete the installation and that's it, you are done :fire:

ENJOY UBUNTU.