The Windows 11 Media Creation Tool stuck at 0 percent almost always means it cannot start its download. That is usually a third-party antivirus or firewall blocking the connection, a corrupt Windows Update component, a nearly full system drive, or leftover files from a previous attempt. Work through the fixes below in order and you will get it moving again.
Run the tool as administrator first
Right-click the downloaded MediaCreationTool file and choose “Run as administrator.” It needs elevated permissions to write temp files and talk to Windows Update.
Close it completely if it is already stuck, wait a few seconds, then relaunch with the admin option. This alone fixes a surprising number of stalls.
Temporarily disable third-party antivirus and firewall
Security software that inspects outbound connections is one of the most common reasons the progress bar never moves. Pause your antivirus and any third-party firewall, then start the tool again.
Windows Defender rarely causes this on its own. If a paid antivirus program is running, disable it just long enough to finish the download, then turn protection back on.
Clear the Windows Update cache folders
A corrupted cache from an earlier update or tool run can block a new download before it starts. Delete the contents of C:\$WINDOWS.~WS and C:\ESD if either folder exists on your system drive.
Windows locks both folders while Windows Update and BITS are running, so stop both in Services first, delete the folders, then restart the services before retrying.
Check your %TEMP% folder and free space
The tool stages files in your temporary folder before writing to USB or building an ISO. Open a Run box, type %TEMP%, and clear out old files.
Also confirm your system drive has enough free space. A nearly full C: drive can stall the tool because it cannot allocate room for the download about to start.
Confirm your USB drive meets the requirements
If you are creating bootable media rather than upgrading in place, your flash drive needs at least 8GB of capacity and should be freshly reformatted. Leftover partitions or an odd file system can make the tool hang at the start.
Reformat the drive as FAT32 or exFAT, unplug other USB devices, and try again with only that one connected.
Turn off your metered connection setting
If Windows thinks your Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection is metered, it can throttle or refuse background downloads, which looks exactly like a stall at 0 percent. Go to Settings, then Network & internet, select your active connection, and switch off the metered toggle.
This is easy to overlook since it produces no error message. The tool just sits there silently.
Use Rufus and a direct ISO download as a fallback
When the tool still will not move, skip it. Download the Windows 11 ISO directly from Microsoft’s software download page, then use the free tool Rufus to write that ISO to your USB drive.
This bypasses whatever is blocking the tool’s own download, and it is the most reliable path once the built-in tool keeps failing. Once setup finishes, stop Windows 11 from auto updating so the fresh install stays stable while you configure it, and if settings keep reverting afterward, that is a separate, easier fix.
FAQ
Why does the Media Creation Tool freeze at 0 percent instead of showing an error?
The tool often fails silently when a connection is blocked or a cache file is corrupted, so it just stops updating the progress bar rather than throwing a message.
Do I need to disable my antivirus permanently to fix this?
No. Turn it off only long enough to complete the download, then re-enable it right away once your ISO or USB drive is ready.
Is Rufus safe to use instead of the official tool?
Yes, as long as you download the Windows 11 ISO directly from Microsoft first and only use Rufus to write that verified file to your USB drive.
