How to Make a Bootable USB for Windows 11

To make a bootable USB for Windows 11, use Microsoft’s free Media Creation Tool. Download it from Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page, plug in a USB drive of at least 8 GB, run the tool, and choose USB flash drive. It downloads Windows 11 and makes the drive bootable in about 20 to 60 minutes, depending on your internet speed. You can then use the drive to install, reinstall or repair Windows on any compatible PC. Below are the full steps, an ISO-based alternative, and how to boot from the drive.

Applies to: Windows 11. The steps follow Microsoft’s create installation media article.

What you need

• A USB flash drive of 8 GB or more. Everything on it will be erased, so copy off anything you want to keep first. A USB 3.0 drive is much faster.
• A Windows PC with an internet connection to make the drive. The Media Creation Tool runs on Windows only.
• A Windows 11 license or digital license for the PC you’ll install on. A PC that already had Windows 11 activated will usually reactivate automatically.
• A compatible PC to install on. Windows 11 needs TPM 2.0, Secure Boot capability and a supported processor. The PC Health Check app tells you whether a PC qualifies.

Method 1: Use the Media Creation Tool (recommended)

1. Go to Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page.
2. Under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, click Download Now.
3. Plug in the USB drive.
4. Run the downloaded mediacreationtool.exe file and click Yes on the permission prompt.
5. Accept the license terms.
6. Leave Use the recommended options for this PC ticked, or untick it to choose another language or edition. Click Next.
7. Choose USB flash drive and click Next.
8. Select your USB drive from the list. Double-check it’s the right one, then click Next.
9. Wait while the tool downloads Windows 11 and creates the drive. Click Finish when it says the drive is ready.

The tool creates media for standard Intel and AMD (x64) PCs. For PCs with ARM processors, use the ARM64 download options on the same Microsoft page, where available.

Method 2: Download the ISO and write it with a tool

Use this if the Media Creation Tool fails, or if you want to keep the ISO file to make more drives later.

1. On Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page, go to Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO), choose Windows 11, click Confirm, pick a language and click Download.
2. Use a free USB-writing tool, such as Rufus, to write the ISO to the USB drive. Select the drive, select the ISO and start.

Some tools offer options that skip Windows 11’s hardware checks. Microsoft doesn’t support installing Windows 11 on hardware that doesn’t meet the requirements, and those PCs may not get updates. Only use these options if you understand the trade-offs.

Boot from the USB drive

1. Plug the USB drive into the PC you want to install or repair. Planning to install on a PC with no network? Copy its network driver to the drive as well, then follow these steps for installing Windows 11 without internet.
2. Turn the PC on and immediately press its boot menu key. Common keys are F12 (Dell, Lenovo), F9 (HP), F11 or Esc (ASUS, MSI), and F12 (Acer).
3. Choose the USB drive. It’s often listed with “UEFI” in front of its name.
4. Press any key if you’re asked to boot from the USB.

On a PC that’s already running Windows 11, you can also go to Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now, then choose Use a device. Boot menus and BIOS settings are explained further in booting from USB. To repair a PC rather than reinstall, boot from the drive and choose Repair my PC, as shown in these steps for Windows 11 recovery mode.

What you can do with the drive

• Clean install: Choose your language, click Install now, and pick the option to install Windows only (custom install) when asked. Delete or select the partition to install to. This erases that drive. Each Setup screen is covered in a clean install of Windows 11.
• Upgrade: On a Windows 10 PC, open the USB drive in File Explorer and run setup.exe to upgrade while keeping your files, as in upgrading Windows 10 to Windows 11.
• Repair: Boot from the drive and choose Repair your computer to reach Startup Repair, System Restore, uninstalling updates or the Command Prompt.
• Reset: If Windows still starts, it’s usually easier to reset Windows 11 from Settings.

Troubleshooting

The tool doesn’t list my USB drive

Unplug other USB drives, try a different port (preferably directly on the PC), and make sure the drive is at least 8 GB. If it still doesn’t appear, format it first. Formatting a hard drive on Windows 11 works the same way for USB drives.

The tool stops with an error

Restart the PC, check your internet connection and free disk space, and run the tool again. If it keeps failing, try another USB drive or use Method 2.

The PC won’t boot from the USB drive

Make sure you picked the UEFI entry in the boot menu. Check that USB boot is enabled in the BIOS/UEFI settings. Leave Secure Boot on, because Windows 11 media supports it.

“This PC can’t run Windows 11”

The PC doesn’t meet the requirements, or TPM or Secure Boot is turned off in the firmware settings. Check the PC maker’s instructions for turning them on.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make the drive on a Mac?

Not with the Media Creation Tool. It’s much easier to make the drive on any Windows PC.

Can I still use the USB drive for files afterwards?

Yes, but keep the Windows files intact. Once you no longer need it as an installer, reformat it to get the space back. Handheld PCs need a few extra steps after the USB is ready; for example, installing Windows 11 on a Steam Deck also means copying Valve’s drivers onto the drive.

Is there a Windows 10 version of this guide?

Yes: creating a bootable Windows 10 USB drive. Other Windows topics are in the Windows help section.

Summary

1. Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page.
2. Plug in an 8 GB or larger USB drive, run the tool and choose USB flash drive.
3. Boot the target PC from the USB drive using its boot menu key.
4. Install, upgrade or repair Windows 11.

If you went the ISO route, using Rufus to install Windows 11 covers that tool’s settings. For the next stage, read about booting from USB on Windows 11, or check how big a USB drive you need for Windows 11. Once the drive is ready, you can use it to reinstall Windows 11, though several reinstall methods work without any USB drive at all.