To create a Windows 10 bootable USB, download the Media Creation Tool from microsoft.com/software-download/windows10, run it, choose Create installation media for another PC, and select your USB drive (8 GB minimum). The tool downloads the Windows 10 22H2 ISO and writes it to the drive in one step.
Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) clean installs and Windows 10 Enterprise/LTSC from standalone ISOs | Last updated: April 14, 2026
Key Takeaways
- The Microsoft Media Creation Tool is the official way to build a Windows 10 22H2 install USB — it downloads the ISO and writes it to the drive in one step.
- You need a USB flash drive of at least 8 GB. Anything on the drive will be erased, so back up the contents first.
- The tool produces a dual-boot USB that works on both UEFI and legacy BIOS systems — you do not need to pick a partition scheme manually.
- For Enterprise, LTSC, or multi-edition ISOs — or to bypass Windows 11 hardware checks — use Rufus with a downloaded ISO instead.
- Windows 10 mainstream support ends on October 14, 2025. If you are doing a fresh install in 2026, consider upgrading to Windows 11 or enrolling in free Extended Security Updates.
Quick Steps
- Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page.
- Run MediaCreationTool22H2.exe and accept the licence.
- Choose Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC.
- Confirm the language, edition (Windows 10) and architecture (64-bit).
- Select USB flash drive, pick your drive from the list, and click Next.
- Wait for the download and write to finish — typically 10–20 minutes.
What You Need
- A USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of free space (the drive will be reformatted).
- A working Windows PC to run the Media Creation Tool. It does not have to be the PC you will install Windows 10 onto.
- A stable internet connection — the tool downloads about 5 GB of installation files.
- Administrator privileges on the PC running the tool.
Step 1: Download the Media Creation Tool
Open a browser and go to microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10. Scroll to the Create Windows 10 installation media section and click Download tool now. The file is named MediaCreationTool22H2.exe and is around 20 MB.
Note: If the Microsoft page redirects you to the Windows 11 download page, use this direct link: microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10. For the Windows 11 version of this guide, see my bootable USB with Rufus tutorial.
Step 2: Run the Tool and Accept the Licence
Right-click MediaCreationTool22H2.exe and choose Run as administrator. The Windows 10 setup window opens after a short progress bar. Click Accept on the licence terms screen.
When you reach What do you want to do?, select Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC and click Next. The first option — Upgrade this PC now — upgrades the current PC in place and does not create a USB, so avoid it.
Step 3: Pick the Language, Edition, and Architecture
The tool prefills the language and architecture based on the PC you are running it from. If you plan to install Windows 10 on a different machine — or a different language — untick Use the recommended options for this PC and adjust the values.
- Language: Must match the target PC’s existing install if you plan to do an in-place upgrade, otherwise pick freely.
- Edition: Windows 10 — this single ISO contains Home, Pro, Home N, Pro N, and Education. You choose the edition during setup.
- Architecture: Leave 64-bit (x64) for every modern PC. Only pick 32-bit (x86) for PCs built before 2012 with less than 4 GB RAM.
Step 4: Select Your USB Flash Drive
Choose USB flash drive on the Choose which media to use screen and click Next. Plug in the USB drive if you haven’t already, then pick it from the list. Double-check the drive letter — every file on the drive will be erased.
Click Next and leave the PC alone. The tool downloads about 5 GB of installer files, verifies them, and writes the files to the USB drive. Expect 10–20 minutes total on a typical home connection. When the tool finishes, it shows Your USB flash drive is ready, and the drive appears in File Explorer as ESD-USB.
Step 5: Boot From the USB Drive
Plug the finished USB into the target PC and power it on. Tap the one-time boot menu key — usually F12 (Dell, Lenovo), F9 (HP), F11 (MSI, ASRock), or F8 (ASUS) — and pick the USB drive from the list.
Most boot menus list the USB drive twice: once as UEFI: <drive name> and once without the UEFI prefix. Choose the UEFI entry on any PC built after 2012 so Windows installs to a GPT partition with Secure Boot support. Pick the plain (legacy) entry only on older BIOS-only systems that cannot boot UEFI.
Once the PC boots into the Windows 10 installer, follow the complete Windows 10 USB install walkthrough for the partition setup, edition selection, and first-run screen.
When to Use Rufus Instead
The Media Creation Tool is the simplest route for a standard Windows 10 Home or Pro install. Switch to Rufus when any of these apply:
- You already have a Windows 10 ISO — including Enterprise LTSC — and do not want to re-download 5 GB.
- You want to build a Windows 11 install USB that bypasses TPM, Secure Boot, and RAM checks.
- You want an Autounattend.xml on the USB to debloat the install — see my UnattendedWinstall guide for a ready-made answer file.
- The Media Creation Tool fails with error 0x80042405 – 0xA001B — this is almost always an antivirus blocking the tool’s file writes.
Troubleshooting
The tool shows “We’re not sure what happened” or error 0x80042405. Temporarily disable third-party antivirus, run the tool from a local drive (not a network share), and ensure the USB drive is empty and formatted as FAT32 or NTFS.
The USB drive does not appear in the selector. Re-plug the drive into a USB 3.0 port, then open Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) and check the drive is listed with at least 8 GB of capacity. If the drive shows as Unallocated, right-click the partition and format it.
The target PC ignores the USB at boot. Enter the BIOS/UEFI, disable Fast Boot, confirm USB Boot is enabled, and for UEFI systems set Secure Boot to Microsoft only. If the USB drive still fails, re-create it with Rufus using the same Windows 10 ISO.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Media Creation Tool still work in 2026?
Yes. Microsoft continues to publish the Windows 10 22H2 Media Creation Tool at microsoft.com/software-download/windows10. Mainstream support for Windows 10 ended in October 2025, but clean installs remain supported for systems on Extended Security Updates.
How large should my USB flash drive be?
Microsoft lists 8 GB as the minimum. Any larger drive is fine — the tool reformats it to a single FAT32 partition either way. A USB 3.0 drive dramatically cuts install time on newer PCs.
Can I install Windows 11 with this same USB?
No. This tool only writes Windows 10 22H2. To build a Windows 11 install USB, use the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool or Rufus with a Windows 11 ISO.
Will the USB drive work on multiple PCs?
Yes. The USB is generic — it can install Windows 10 on any PC that meets the minimum hardware requirements. You can reuse it as often as you like until you decide to reformat it.
What if my PC does not boot from the USB?
Open the boot menu (F12/F9/F11/F8 depending on the vendor) and pick the USB drive manually. If the drive does not appear, enter the BIOS, enable USB Boot, disable Fast Boot, and make sure Secure Boot is set to Microsoft only for a UEFI install.
