How to Slipstream Windows Updates into Installation Media (2026)

Slipstreaming is the process of integrating Windows updates directly into installation media so that when you deploy Windows the updates are already included. This guide covers how to slipstream updates into Windows 10, Windows 11 and Windows Server installation media using DISM and NTLite in 2026.

What is Slipstreaming?

When you download a Windows ISO from Microsoft it is typically several months behind the current patch level. Without slipstreaming every new installation requires hours of Windows Update downloads before the machine is current. Slipstreaming solves this by injecting updates directly into the WIM file inside the ISO so new installations are fully patched from the start. This is particularly useful for IT administrators managing OSD deployments via SCCM or anyone rebuilding machines regularly.

What You Need

• Windows ISO — download from Microsoft or your Volume Licensing portal
• Latest Cumulative Update (.msu or .cab) — from the Microsoft Update Catalog
• DISM — built into Windows, no download needed
• At least 20GB free disk space for working files
• Administrator access

Method 1 — Slipstream Using DISM (Command Line)

Step 1 — Extract the Windows ISO

Mount the ISO by double-clicking it in Windows Explorer then copy all contents to a working folder:

# Copy ISO contents to working folder (replace D: with your mounted ISO drive letter)
xcopy D:\*.* C:\WinImage\ /E /H /Y

Step 2 — Check the WIM Index

# List available editions in the WIM file
dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:C:\WinImage\sources\install.wim

If the ISO uses install.esd instead of install.wim, convert it first:

# Convert ESD to WIM (replace index number as required - e.g. 6 for Windows 11 Pro)
dism /export-image /SourceImageFile:C:\WinImage\sources\install.esd /SourceIndex:6 /DestinationImageFile:C:\WinImage\sources\install.wim /Compress:max /CheckIntegrity

Step 3 — Mount the WIM

# Create mount directory
mkdir C:\WimMount

# Mount the WIM (replace index number as required)
dism /Mount-WIM /WimFile:C:\WinImage\sources\install.wim /MountDir:C:\WimMount /Index:6

Step 4 — Inject the Updates

# Add cumulative update (.msu file) - replace filename with your downloaded update
dism /Image:C:\WimMount /Add-Package /PackagePath:C:\Updates\windows11-kb5036980-x64.msu

# PowerShell alternative
Add-WindowsPackage -Path C:\WimMount -PackagePath C:\Updates\windows11-kb5036980-x64.msu

Step 5 — Clean Up and Commit

# Clean up superseded components to reduce image size
dism /Image:C:\WimMount /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

# Unmount and commit changes
dism /Unmount-WIM /MountDir:C:\WimMount /Commit

Step 6 — Create a New Bootable ISO (Optional)

# Requires Windows ADK (oscdimg.exe)
oscdimg -m -o -u2 -udfver102 -bootdata:2#p0,e,bC:\WinImage\boot\etfsboot.com#pEF,e,bC:\WinImage\efi\microsoft\boot\efisys.bin C:\WinImage C:\Output\Windows11_Updated.iso

Method 2 — Slipstream Using NTLite (GUI)

NTLite is a free GUI tool that makes slipstreaming much simpler. The free version handles update injection.

1. Download NTLite from ntlite.com — free version is sufficient
2. Click Add → Image folder and browse to your extracted ISO folder
3. Select the edition you want to update and click Load
4. Click Updates in the left panel
5. Click Add → Latest online updates to fetch updates automatically, or Add → Update file for specific .msu files
6. Click Apply and wait for completion
7. Optionally click Create ISO when done

Method 3 — WSUS Offline Update

For environments needing regular slipstreaming across multiple Windows versions, WSUS Offline Update automates download and injection. Download from download.wsusoffline.net. Select your Windows version, download all updates, then use the included UpdateInstaller to apply them to your WIM.

Using Slipstreamed Media with SCCM OSD

Once you have an updated WIM file, import it into SCCM as an Operating System Image and update your task sequences to use the new image. Keeping your OSD image within 30-60 days of the latest patches significantly reduces post-deployment update time and reduces the attack surface during deployment.

Frequently Asked Questions

About The Author

Andrew Armstrong

Andrew Armstrong is a UK-based IT professional with 26+ years of hands-on experience in Windows, Windows Server, SCCM/ConfigMgr, Active Directory, PowerShell, and enterprise infrastructure. He founded TechyGeeksHome in 2010 and has published over 1,500 practical guides covering real-world IT problems and solutions. When not solving IT problems, Andrew develops free Windows utilities including Ultimate Settings Panel, which has been downloaded over 850,000 times.

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