How to Create a Windows 11 Bootable USB Drive

A Windows 11 bootable USB drive lets you install Windows 11 fresh, repair a PC that won’t start, or upgrade several computers without downloading the installer each time. Microsoft’s free Media Creation Tool makes one in a few clicks, and the free Rufus utility adds extra options. This guide covers both, plus how to boot from the USB once it’s ready.

Quick Answer

Plug in a USB drive of at least 8 GB (everything on it will be erased). Download the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page, run it, accept the terms, choose your language and edition, select USB flash drive, pick your drive, and click Next. It downloads Windows 11 and makes the drive bootable.

What You Need

• A USB flash drive with at least 8 GB (16 GB or more recommended). Back up anything on it first.
• A Windows PC with an internet connection to create the drive.
• A valid Windows 11 license or digital license for the PC you’ll install on (PCs that had Windows 10 or 11 activated usually reactivate automatically).

Method 1: Media Creation Tool (Official)

1. Go to Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page (microsoft.com/software-download/windows11).
2. Under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, click Download Now.
3. Run the tool and click Accept on the license terms.
4. Keep the recommended language and edition, or uncheck Use the recommended options to change them. Click Next.
5. Choose USB flash drive and click Next.
6. Select your USB drive and click Next.
7. Wait while it downloads Windows 11 and creates the drive. Click Finish when it says your USB flash drive is ready.

Method 2: Rufus With a Windows 11 ISO

Rufus is useful if you already have an ISO, need to create the drive quickly, or want extra setup options.

1. Download the Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) from the same Microsoft download page.
2. Download Rufus from its official site, rufus.ie, and run it.
3. Under Device, choose your USB drive.
4. Click SELECT and choose the Windows 11 ISO.
5. Leave Partition scheme as GPT and Target system as UEFI for modern PCs.
6. Click START. Rufus may show a Windows User Experience dialog with options such as removing the requirement for an online Microsoft account or creating a local account. Choose what you need and click OK.
7. Confirm that the drive will be erased and wait for it to finish.

Rufus also offers an option to remove Windows 11’s hardware requirement checks (like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot). Microsoft doesn’t support installing Windows 11 on hardware that doesn’t meet the requirements, and such PCs may not receive all updates.

Boot From the USB Drive

1. Plug the USB drive into the PC you want to install on.
2. Restart and press the boot menu key as it starts (common keys: F12, F11, F9, Esc, or F8, depending on the manufacturer).
3. Choose the USB drive (often listed as UEFI: [drive name]).
4. Windows Setup starts. Follow the prompts to install or choose Repair your computer.

From a working Windows PC, you can also go to Settings > System > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now, then choose Use a device.

Have an ISO already? See how to use Rufus to create a Windows 11 USB.

Troubleshooting

• PC doesn’t boot from the USB: Use a USB port directly on the PC, check that the drive is listed as UEFI, and make sure USB boot is enabled in the BIOS/UEFI settings.
• “This PC can’t run Windows 11”: Check requirements with the PC Health Check app. You may need to enable TPM and Secure Boot in the firmware settings.
• Media Creation Tool error codes: Run it as administrator, try a different USB drive, or use the ISO with Rufus.
• Drive shows as smaller after use: That’s normal. Reformat it in File Explorer (or with Rufus) to use it for files again.

Summary

1. Use an 8 GB or larger USB drive you can erase.
2. Run Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool and choose USB flash drive.
3. Or download the ISO and use Rufus for extra options.
4. Boot from the USB with your PC’s boot menu key.