Setup Foundry
Prepare your Windows installation. In one process.
You decide once what goes onto the PC: programs, accounts, settings. Settings for security and privacy are included. The result is a USB drive or an ISO file. On the new PC you only enter the name; the rest runs by itself. A local alternative to the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit.
Six steps to a finished PC
Load the original Windows ISO.
On your existing PC, Setup Foundry downloads Windows from Microsoft, or you specify an ISO of your own. Your Windows source stays unchanged.
Choose only the programs you need.
You choose them from the Windows package catalog winget. The programs go onto the medium. You also create the administrator account. Apps you don't need are removed; from Home onwards you choose which ones.
Security and privacy are included.
The settings are prepared in every edition and applied automatically. In Home and Pro you adapt them to your needs.
Create the USB drive. Or save it as an ISO file.
If you like, check the medium in a test machine first.
Plug in the drive. Boot from the drive.
The Install Assist opens on the new PC.
Enter the PC name. Confirm the installation.
This erases the PC's hard disk. Windows sets itself up without asking any questions.
Done! Windows is installed, the account created, the programs installed and the settings applied. The PC is ready. The next one runs the same way.
Explainer video: Setup Foundry in 42 seconds
Line animation in 42 seconds: download Windows, choose programs, create the USB drive, start the new PC from the drive, enter the PC name and confirm the erase. Then the installation runs on its own.
The video has no sound. German subtitles are switched on.
Security and privacy are included
Every edition includes prepared security and privacy settings, Free too. They are applied automatically during installation. You don't have to gather anything yourself.
In Home and Pro you adapt the settings to your needs. For every setting, the documentation describes what it does and its side effects. Stricter rules can restrict familiar functions, such as Remote Desktop.
What you need: system requirements
- A valid Windows 11 license per device
- A USB drive with at least 32 GB
- A PC that can run Windows 11. Setup Foundry itself runs on 64-bit Windows 11.
Everything runs locally on your PC.
What Setup Foundry is built for
For everyone who sets up PCs one at a time or in small batches: for themselves, for the family, at work or for customers.
All features compared
| Feature | Free | Home | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows and medium | |||
| Download Windows from Microsoft | included | included | included |
| USB drive and ISO file | included | included | included |
| Medium as a virtual hard disk (VHD) | not included | not included | included |
| Multiple image variants | not included | not included | included |
| Enable Hyper-V in the configured Windows installation | not included | not included | included |
| Programs | |||
| Install programs from the software selection | included | included | included |
| Programs are stored on the medium | included | included | included |
| Software profiles | 1 | 1 | Several |
| Weekly program updates on the PC | Always on | Optional | Optional |
| Office deployment | not included | not included | included |
| Accounts and PC names | |||
| Set the administrator account | included | included | included |
| Multiple local accounts | not included | not included | included |
| PC names by scheme | not included | not included | included |
| Apps | |||
| Remove preinstalled Windows apps | Default list | Custom selection | Custom selection |
| Security and privacy | |||
| Settings for security and privacy | included | included | included |
| Choose settings packages | not included | included | included |
| Edit individual settings | not included | not included | included |
| Check settings at every PC startup | Always on | Optional | Optional |
| Appearance | |||
| Your own background picture | Foundry image | included | included |
| Customer logo | not included | not included | included |
| Testing | |||
| Test machine | Hyper-V or VirtualBox | Hyper-V or VirtualBox | Hyper-V or VirtualBox |
| Test machine per profile | not included | not included | included |
| “Machines” area (multiple machines, packing, shared folder) | not included | not included | included |
| License | |||
| PCs per license | Unlimited | 2 | 2 |
For businesses
We are working at full speed on the editions for businesses. Interested companies can contact us through the contact form or subscribe to the newsletter. We will keep you informed about the development and the contents. The Pro edition is already available with many features; it already covers many business requirements. Features such as Autopilot, domain join, Entra ID, on-premises or any hybrid scenario are planned for the Corporate Edition.
FAQ
Do I need to install anything besides Setup Foundry?
No. Everything required is included or downloaded automatically when it is needed.
Does Windows stay Windows?
Yes. Every PC goes through a genuine Windows installation. Windows Update, the Microsoft Store, Edge and OneDrive stay. Setup Foundry uses the methods Windows itself provides, such as the answer file and winget.
In January 2026, Microsoft retired the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT): it no longer receives updates or support. As replacements, Microsoft names Windows Autopilot from the cloud or Configuration Manager. Setup Foundry is the local way, without a cloud and without a server, for everyone who needs or prefers it.
Do I need a server for Setup Foundry?
No. Setup Foundry runs on a Windows PC and writes everything to a USB drive or an ISO file.
Do I need Intune, Autopilot or a cloud?
No. Setup Foundry works locally and needs no cloud tenant.
Do I need additional Microsoft tools?
No. The installation medium is created directly from the Windows source.
Does the target device need internet?
Not for the installation. The selected programs are on the medium. The only programs Setup Foundry cannot currently set up without internet are those that install per user. Windows activation, Windows Update and the weekly program update need a connection later.
Is Windows cloned?
No. Every PC goes through a genuine Windows installation, not the copying of an image.
What can't Setup Foundry do?
It is not a network boot server, not cloning software and not central device management. It replaces neither Autopilot nor Intune. It does not join a domain.
Is Windows included?
No. Every installation requires a valid Windows license.
In short
Setup Foundry is a Windows program that creates bootable USB drives or ISOs with preselected programs and settings from an original Windows ISO – a local, offline-capable alternative to the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit for small businesses, IT service providers and power users.