How to Install Windows 10 from a USB: Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide

To install Windows 10 from a USB, download the Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft, write it to an 8 GB+ USB drive with Ventoy or Rufus, boot from the USB (press the boot menu key — usually F12, F11, F10, or Esc), pick the UEFI entry, choose Custom: Install Windows only, delete the old partitions, and select the unallocated space. OOBE starts automatically, where you set up a local account and finish setup.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) | Last updated: April 15, 2026

Important — End of life: Microsoft officially ended mainstream support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. Security updates are only available through the free ESU program or paid ESU. If you have the hardware for it, consider upgrading to Windows 11 — or use the unsupported hardware bypass if your CPU is too old. Continue here if you specifically need Windows 10 (legacy software, outdated hardware, or Windows 10 IoT LTSC).

Key Takeaways

• The Windows 10 multi-edition ISO covers Home and Pro in one file — pick the edition during Setup, not at download time. The only Microsoft-sanctioned download route is the Media Creation Tool page.
• Ventoy is the cleanest way to make the bootable USB — install Ventoy once, then drag ISOs on and off like regular files. Rufus is the single-ISO alternative.
• Boot from the USB using the UEFI entry from your boot menu. Legacy/CSM is only needed on pre-2012 hardware or drives formatted MBR.
• During Setup, choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) for a clean install. Delete the existing partitions on your target drive and select the unallocated space — Setup creates the EFI, MSR, and primary partitions automatically.
• Create a local account during OOBE by choosing I don’t have internet → Continue with limited setup. Microsoft has made this harder over the years, but the option still works on Windows 10 22H2.

Quick Steps

1. Download the Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page.
2. Install Ventoy on an 8 GB+ USB drive and copy the ISO onto it.
3. (Optional) In the current Windows install, label the target partition Delete Me for easy identification during Setup.
4. Reboot, press the boot menu key, and pick the UEFI entry for your USB.
5. In Ventoy’s menu, select the Windows 10 ISO.
6. Walk through the Setup wizard. Choose Custom install, delete the old partitions, and click Next on the unallocated space.
7. In OOBE, disconnect from the network and pick Continue with limited setup to create a local account.
8. After first boot, install updates, drivers, and your usual software.

Step 1: Download the Windows 10 ISO

Go to the Microsoft Windows 10 download page. From a Windows PC, the page offers the Media Creation Tool — run it, select Create installation media for another PC, and save the ISO. From a non-Windows device (Mac, Linux, or Android browser), the page offers the ISO as a direct download.

If you need a specific older Windows 10 build (21H2, 20H2, etc.) rather than the latest 22H2, use the AveYo MediaCreationTool.bat wrapper instead — it exposes every Windows 10 build Microsoft still hosts.

Pick the Right Edition and Architecture

• Edition: pick Windows 10 (multi-edition ISO) — this bundles Home, Pro, Education, and a few others. You choose the edition during install based on your licence.
• Language: match your region. For the US or UK, English or English (United States) respectively. Mismatched language during install makes regional keyboard layouts and store apps tricky.
• Architecture: pick 64-bit. Every PC from 2008 onwards supports 64-bit, and 32-bit Windows is only needed for specific legacy hardware.
• Skip N editions (Windows 10 N, Pro N, etc.) unless you specifically need one — they ship without Media Player and related codecs.

The ISO lands around 5 GB. Download it to your Downloads folder.

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB with Ventoy

Plug in a blank USB drive — 8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended. Backup anything on the drive first; Ventoy wipes it during setup.

1. Download the latest Ventoy release from the Ventoy GitHub page.
2. Extract the ZIP and run Ventoy2Disk.exe.
3. Select your USB drive in the dropdown. Double-check — this will wipe the drive.
4. Click Install and confirm twice.
5. When done, drag the Windows 10 ISO file onto the USB drive (it now appears as a Ventoy volume in File Explorer).

Ventoy is my go-to because I can keep Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux live distros, and rescue tools on the same USB. If you prefer a traditional single-ISO installer, follow my Rufus Windows 10 bootable USB guide instead. The Microsoft Media Creation Tool also writes directly to USB if you want the simplest option.

Step 3: Label Your Target Drive (Optional But Smart)

If your system has multiple drives, label the one you plan to wipe before you reboot. Windows Setup’s partition screen lists drives as Drive 0, Drive 1, etc. — the labels are the easiest way to confirm you’re wiping the right one.

1. Open File Explorer, right-click the target drive, choose Rename.
2. Name it something obvious — I use Delete Me.

Tip: If you only have one drive in the system, you can skip this step — there is nothing to confuse with.

Step 4: Boot from the USB

Shut down the PC and leave the USB plugged in. Power on and press the boot menu key as the manufacturer logo appears.

• Dell / Lenovo: F12
• HP: F9 or Esc then F9
• MSI / ASRock / Gigabyte: F11
• ASUS: F8
• Acer: F12 (may need to enable in BIOS first)

Your USB usually shows twice — pick the UEFI entry. Legacy/non-UEFI is only needed for pre-2012 hardware or MBR-formatted target drives. If Secure Boot rejects the Ventoy USB, follow the Ventoy Secure Boot setup in the Ventoy rescue USB guide.

Ventoy’s menu appears. Pick the Windows 10 ISO. Setup loads after a few seconds.

Step 5: Walk Through Windows Setup

1. On the first screen, confirm Language, Time and currency format, and Keyboard layout. Click Next.
2. Click Install Now.
3. On the product key screen, click I don’t have a product key. Windows reactivates automatically from its digital licence after install if the hardware was previously licensed.
4. Pick the edition. Windows 10 Pro for Pro keys, Windows 10 Home for Home. Avoid the N editions unless you specifically need them.
5. Accept the licence terms.
6. At the install type screen, choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced). The “Upgrade” option only works if you launched Setup from within an existing Windows install.

Step 6: Clear the Target Drive and Install

The partition screen lists every physical drive and every partition on each. If you labelled the drive Delete Me earlier, you’ll see it here alongside the other partitions.

Warning: Deleting a partition wipes all data on it. Make sure you have the right drive selected before clicking Delete. If you have secondary drives with data you want to keep, do not touch their partitions — only the target drive.

1. On the target drive, select each partition and click Delete. Work from bottom to top. Confirm each prompt.
2. Continue until the drive shows as one block of Unallocated Space.
3. Click the unallocated space and click Next. Setup creates EFI, MSR, and primary partitions automatically.

Setup copies files, expands them, and reboots. Total time is 15–30 minutes on SSD, 30–60 on a mechanical drive. Once complete, OOBE starts.

If you see “No drives were found”, your storage controller needs a driver — most common on laptops with Intel RST. See my guide on fixing the No Drives Detected error during Windows install.

Step 7: Finish OOBE with a Local Account

1. Region — pick your country. This sets timezone and regional format defaults.
2. Keyboard layout — match your physical keyboard. Skip the second layout prompt unless you actually type in two languages.
3. Network connection — click I don’t have internet at the bottom.
4. On the next screen, click Continue with limited setup. This creates a local account instead of forcing a Microsoft account.

5. Enter a username. Set a password (or leave blank to skip).
6. On the Privacy settings screen, turn off every toggle — location, diagnostic data, tailored experiences, advertising ID. Click Accept.
7. Skip Cortana setup (click Not now).
8. Wait for the desktop to load.

Step 8: Post-Install — Updates, Drivers, and Essentials

• Connect to the internet (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) and run Settings → Update & Security → Check for updates. Install everything. Reboot as prompted.
• Drivers: Windows Update covers the basics, but graphics, chipset, and network drivers often need direct installs. Snappy Driver Installer Origin catches everything Windows Update misses.
• Activation: check Settings → Update & Security → Activation. If the hardware was previously licensed, the digital licence reactivates automatically.
• Essential software: install in bulk using UniGetUI. If you exported a package bundle from a previous install, import it now.
• Debloat and optimise: run Winhance to strip Microsoft ads, optional telemetry, and unused preinstalled apps with sensible defaults.
• Extend support: enrol in the free Windows 10 ESU program to keep receiving security updates through October 2026. Without ESU, Windows 10 stops getting security patches entirely.

Should You Install Windows 10 or 11 Today?

Honest answer: for most people, Windows 11 is the better choice in 2026. Windows 10 reached end-of-life in October 2025 and is only getting security fixes through ESU. New software increasingly lists Windows 11 as the minimum requirement. If your hardware supports Windows 11 — even unofficially — install that instead.

• Supported hardware: follow my Windows 11 ISO guide and the same Custom install steps above.
• Unsupported hardware (no TPM 2.0, old CPU): use the FlyOOBE bypass method. Windows 11 runs well on most hardware Microsoft officially excluded.
• Genuinely old hardware (pre-2010, limited RAM, HDD only): Windows 10 plus the ESU program is still the right call. Alternatively, a lightweight Linux distro can extend the life of very old PCs further.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still download Windows 10 after October 2025?

Yes — Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page still offers the 22H2 ISO and Media Creation Tool, and will continue to for several years. End-of-life affects security update delivery, not whether you can install the OS. The last official build is 22H2, and that is what you’ll be installing in 2026.

What should I do if the installation gets stuck?

Disconnect every USB device except the installer and a keyboard/mouse — USB hubs, printers, and phones left plugged in can confuse Setup. If Setup fails at a specific step, note the error code and search for it — most failures have a specific cause (corrupted ISO, driver mismatch, failing RAM). Re-downloading the ISO and re-writing to the USB usually fixes mystery failures.

How do I activate Windows 10 after install?

If the PC was previously licensed, Windows reactivates automatically from the stored digital licence once it connects to the internet. For new installs, enter your product key via Settings → Update & Security → Activation → Change product key. For the full walkthrough, see my guide on how to activate Windows 10 and 11.

Why use Ventoy instead of Rufus?

Ventoy lets you keep multiple ISOs on one USB and boot whichever one you need from a menu. Rufus writes one ISO per USB and has to be re-run every time you want to install a different OS. Both work for a single Windows install — Ventoy just wins for anyone who does this more than once. See my Rufus Windows 10 guide if you prefer the single-ISO approach.

Can I create the Windows 10 USB on a Mac?

Yes — download the ISO from Microsoft (the Mac-detected download page gives you the ISO directly) and use Boot Camp Assistant or a tool like UNetbootin to write it to USB. The Windows install itself on a PC from that USB works the same way. Installing Windows on a Mac is a separate workflow (Boot Camp), covered in Apple’s documentation.

Will my files and programs survive the install?

No — a Custom install with partition deletion wipes the target drive. If you need to reinstall Windows without losing personal files, follow my reinstall-without-losing-data guide instead, which uses the same Setup without deleting partitions. Programs never survive a reinstall either way.