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Windows Automated Installation Kit

Free#23 of 24 in OS Imaging & Deployment Software

Windows Automated Installation Kit: A free Windows toolkit for preparing images, answer files, and bootable WinPE media. Ranked #23 of 24 in OS Imaging & Deployment Software by our editors (6.5/10); pricing: Free plan; best for windows admins preparing images and installation media.

6.5/10Editor score

Visit Microsoft

Windows Automated Installation Kit6.5 Visit Microsoft

At a glance

Editor score
6.5 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Windows admins preparing images and installation media
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
Free
Deployment approach
Both
Facts checked
24 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Mounts, services, captures, splits, and manages Windows images and virtual hard disks
- Adds drivers, packages, features, and language settings to offline images
- Creates Sysprep-ready installations, answer files, and bootable WinPE media
Where it doesn't
- Focused on image preparation and media creation, not verified network deployment
- Current WinPE is a separate add-on for current ADK versions
- Requires a Windows technician PC for image and media preparation

Our verdict on Windows Automated Installation Kit

Windows Automated Installation Kit is the earlier name commonly used for Microsoft's Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK), a collection of tools for IT professionals preparing Windows images and deployment media. It suits Windows administrators who need to customize offline images, create installation answer files, or make bootable Windows Preinstallation Environment media. The tools run from a technician PC, and the product is focused on Windows rather than cross-platform imaging.

Image preparation is its clearest strength. Administrators can mount, service, capture, split, and manage Windows image files and virtual hard disks, then add drivers, packages, features, and language settings to offline images. Sysprep prepares Windows installations for imaging. Windows System Image Manager creates unattended Setup answer files, while Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer creates provisioning packages. Assessment and performance tools are also available for evaluating Windows deployments.

For installation media, the kit can create customizable WinPE images and bootable USB drives, ISOs, DVDs, CDs, and VHDs. Current WinPE is a separate add-on, so that component involves an additional download. The free toolkit is installed on-premises on a Windows technician PC; its published capabilities center on preparing images and media, rather than centralized network deployment. Choose it when those Windows-specific preparation tasks are the goal. Organizations seeking verified PXE or remote deployment capabilities should consider an alternative designed around those needs.

Your product? Our editors can test Windows Automated Installation Kit in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

Windows Automated Installation Kit pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on learn.microsoft.com

Windows Automated Installation Kit fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	Free
Deployment approach	Both
Bare-metal deployment	Yes
PXE/network boot	Not verified
Remote deployment	Not verified
Supported OS platforms	Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows Server 2025, Windows Server 2022
Included device limit	Not verified
Hosting model	On-premises
Deployment	Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows
Support	Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Pricing	Free plan
Website	learn.microsoft.com
Facts checked	24 Sep 2026

Alternatives to Windows Automated Installation Kit

See all Windows Automated Installation Kit alternatives →

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update