When you want to install Windows 10 on a M.2 NVME drive, you have to make sure you download the correct Windows installation media otherwise the installer won’t discover your M.2 drive.

THIS TOOK ME 8 HOURS TO FIGURE OUT

When you go to the Windows 10 download page it doesn’t tell you in any way that the ISO is completely and utterly unable to install onto a M.2 drive. When you do go down this route–and I urge you not to do that–you will be presented at the beginning of the installation that you need additional drivers.

You have to use the Installation Media Creation Tool using an existing installation of Windows to create an USB installation, not the DVD/ISO.

Fortunately (NOT), Microsoft directs you to the ISO download when you try to access the Media Creation Tool page if you are on a non-Windows operating system, so you assume that the ISO Just Works™.

Don’t be like me, don’t waste 8 hours of your precious time in frustration and just create the USB media installation media.

PS. If all you have is macOS, you can try to download Virtual Box and the Microsoft Edge test virtual machine to run the Installation Media Creation Tool.