Install Linux first then Windows 11

[Slo2025]

Is it possible to install Linux first and then create smaller Partition for Windows 11 (Dual Boot)?

[TetraSky]

It's better not to.

Windows gives zero fks what other OS you may have installed and will likely overwrite the boot manager. Making it harder to access the Linux OS.

While GRUB is made to detect if other OSes are already installed and automatically adjust itself to give you the options, during the installation process.

 

If you install Linux first and then windows, you might need to go through the repair process to repair the linux bootloader to see the OS selection menu on boot again.

[Slo2025]

I installed LInux first and then create smaller Partition for Windows 11 and both works fine.

[gentlemanspot]

good luck! 

 

Please update if chaos 

[Thomas53]

Having installed Windows and Linux - dual booting  - it MUCH MUCH easier to install Windows first then install Linux. afterwards 

 

When you install Linux you are given the ability to shrink the Windows partitions prior to installing Linux to whatever the size desired. When you do ONLY shrink Windows from the right side, under NO circumstances move anything on the left. Give yourself enough space to install everything you want then add another 20% minimum because you are guaranteed to be underestimate. But GParted is intelligent enough that it usually gives enough room by default, but you can double check this prior to installation

 

If the drive is large enough, give it more space up to 50% of the drive. Leave it alone for about 6 months then you can go back and change the partition sizes with GParted (built into most, if not all, Linux distros.

[Slo2025]

5 hours ago, Thomas53 said:

If the drive is large enough

 

I'm using 2TB NVMe SSD for OS.

 

 

I have 3 x 2TB NVMe SSD, 2 x 4TB NVMe SSD and 4TB SATA SSD but only using one 2TB NVMe SSD for OS because i don't want multiple Partitions on other SSD's.

[NoLeafClover]

On 12/9/2025 at 11:40 PM, Slo2025 said:

I installed LInux first and then create smaller Partition for Windows 11 and both works fine.

Thank you for sharing your empirical "data point". It's good to see reports of people doing so without issues.

The reality is that for a long time on modern (within the last 10y-ish give or take) EFI machines, it largely doesn't matter which one goes first, provided the partitioning is sane. I've done it more times than I can count. While I still tend to suggest to people to do Windows first as it can be "smoother sail" just in case, it's really not a problem - not any more than it is to deal with a stray Windows update that changes the boot order to "Windows first".

 

The one thing I would advise more than the order is to do the partitioning beforehand. It's can be less painful, but not a deal breaker if one knows what they're doing already.

[Slo2025]

Delete.