How to Create a Windows 10 Installation USB (3 Methods, 2026)

To create a Windows 10 installation USB, download the Media Creation Tool from microsoft.com/software-download/windows10, run it, and choose Create installation media for another PC. Pick the ISO option, then write the ISO to an 8 GB or larger USB drive with Rufus. Rufus also lets you bypass account requirements and disable telemetry during install.

Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2 — final retail release) | Last updated: May 4, 2026

Key Takeaways

• You need an 8 GB or larger USB drive — anything smaller will not fit the Windows 10 installer.
• Three working methods in 2026: Media Creation Tool direct-to-USB (simplest), Media Creation Tool ISO + Rufus (most control), Ventoy (multi-boot USB).
• Rufus is the right tool for clean installs — it can disable Secure Boot/TPM checks (relevant for Windows 11 ISOs), skip the Microsoft account requirement, and disable data collection during OOBE.
• Ventoy turns a USB drive into a multi-ISO boot drive that still works as regular storage. Drop the Windows 10 ISO, the Windows 11 ISO, and a Linux ISO onto the same drive and pick at boot time.
• Windows 10 22H2 is the final feature release — Microsoft ended mainstream support in October 2025. The ISO still installs and activates with a valid product key.

Quick Steps

1. Plug in an 8 GB or larger USB drive (back up anything important — it gets wiped).
2. Download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from microsoft.com/software-download/windows10.
3. Run the tool, accept the licence, choose Create installation media for another PC.
4. Choose ISO file (recommended) or USB flash drive for direct creation.
5. If you picked ISO, download Rufus, point it at the ISO and the USB, and click Start.
6. In the Rufus customization dialog, optionally tick Create a local account and Disable data collection.
7. Wait for Rufus to finish. The drive is now bootable.

In This Guide

• What you need before you start
• Method 1: Media Creation Tool direct to USB (simplest)
• Method 2: Media Creation Tool ISO + Rufus (most control)
• Method 3: Ventoy multi-ISO boot drive
• Boot from the USB drive
• Frequently asked questions

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What You Need Before You Start

• A USB flash drive of at least 8 GB. Any data on it will be wiped — back it up first.
• A working Windows or macOS PC to download the ISO and run Rufus or the Media Creation Tool.
• A reliable internet connection — the Windows 10 ISO is roughly 5-6 GB.
• Optionally, a valid Windows 10 product key if you are activating a fresh install. Most modern PCs have a digital licence tied to the motherboard, so reinstalling on the same hardware activates automatically.

Note: If you are creating a USB to install Windows 11 instead, my Rufus bootable USB guide for Windows 11 covers the same workflow with the Windows 11-specific settings (TPM/Secure Boot bypass, local account creation, removing the 4 GB RAM minimum).

Method 1: Media Creation Tool Direct to USB

This is the simplest method — Microsoft’s official tool downloads Windows 10 and writes it to your USB drive in a single workflow. Use this if you want a basic, no-customization installer and you do not care about bypassing the Microsoft account requirement.

1. Open a browser and go to microsoft.com/software-download/windows10.
2. Scroll down to Create Windows 10 installation media and click Download Now.
3. Run the downloaded MediaCreationTool22H2.exe file and accept the UAC prompt.
4. Accept the licence terms.
5. Choose Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC.
6. Pick the language and architecture (64-bit is correct for almost every PC built in the last decade). Tick Use the recommended options for this PC if you are reinstalling on the current PC.
7. Choose USB flash drive, plug in your drive, and pick it from the list.
8. Click Next and wait for the download and write to finish (15-30 minutes depending on connection speed).

When the tool finishes, the USB drive is renamed ESD-USB and is bootable. The downside of this method: the installer is stock Microsoft, which means OOBE (Out-Of-Box Experience) on Windows 10 22H2 still tries to push you toward a Microsoft account, telemetry questions, and Cortana. For more control over those, use Method 2.

Method 2: Media Creation Tool ISO + Rufus

This is the method I always use in the repair shop. Rufus is faster than the Media Creation Tool’s direct-to-USB option, and it adds customization options that save real time during install.

Step 1: Download the Windows 10 ISO

Run the Media Creation Tool the same way as Method 1, but at the media type screen, choose ISO file instead of USB flash drive. Save the ISO somewhere you will remember — your Downloads folder is fine.

If you would rather skip the Media Creation Tool entirely, you can download the official ISO directly from Microsoft using the workaround in my guide on downloading the Windows 10 ISO file. For older versions, see downloading old Windows 10 and 11 ISO files.

Step 2: Download Rufus

Open rufus.ie and download the latest portable version. Rufus is open source, runs as a single .exe, and does not need installation.

Step 3: Write the ISO to USB

1. Plug in your USB drive (8 GB minimum, contents will be wiped).
2. Run Rufus. It auto-detects the drive at the top.
3. Click SELECT and pick the Windows 10 ISO you just downloaded.
4. Leave Partition scheme on GPT and Target system on UEFI (non CSM) for any modern PC. Use MBR/BIOS only if you are installing on a pre-2012 machine.
5. Click START.

Step 4: Use the Rufus Customization Options

This is the part that saves real time during install. After clicking START, Rufus pops up a customization dialog. Tick the boxes that match what you want:

• Create a local account with username: skips the Microsoft account requirement during OOBE — useful if you want a clean local account install.
• Set regional options to the same values as this user’s: auto-fills time zone, keyboard layout, and language.
• Disable data collection (Skip privacy questions): turns off all the telemetry toggles on the OOBE privacy screen automatically.

Click OK on the customization dialog and again on the warning that the USB will be wiped. Rufus takes 5-15 minutes depending on USB speed. When it finishes, the drive is bootable and ready.

For an even more customized install — debloated Windows, preinstalled apps, removed defaults — see my guide on UnattendedWinstall. UnattendedWinstall uses an answer file to apply hundreds of post-install tweaks automatically, so the desktop you reach after install is already cleaned up.

Method 3: Ventoy Multi-ISO Boot Drive

Ventoy turns a USB drive into a multi-ISO boot drive. Once Ventoy is installed on the drive, you simply copy ISO files onto it like ordinary files — Ventoy presents a boot menu listing all of them. The drive also remains usable for normal storage.

1. Download Ventoy from github.com/ventoy/Ventoy/releases.
2. Extract the zip and run Ventoy2Disk.exe.
3. Pick the USB drive from the dropdown and click Install. (The drive is wiped.)
4. When Ventoy finishes, the drive is renamed Ventoy. Open it in File Explorer.
5. Copy the Windows 10 ISO (and any other bootable ISOs you want) directly to the drive.
6. Boot from the drive — Ventoy shows a menu listing every ISO on the drive. Pick the Windows 10 ISO and proceed with the installer.

Ventoy is the right call if you reinstall Windows often, build PCs, or troubleshoot machines for friends and family. One drive holds Windows 10, Windows 11, a Linux Live USB, and a recovery tool like SystemRescue — all bootable. For a more focused rescue-disk build, see my guide on creating a USB rescue disk with Ventoy.

Boot From the USB Drive

Plug the USB into the target PC and reboot. Tap the boot menu key during POST — the most common keys are F12 (Dell, Lenovo), F11 (HP, MSI), F9 (some HP), F8 (ASUS), or Esc (Acer). Pick the USB drive from the boot menu.

If the USB does not appear in the boot menu, enter the BIOS/UEFI setup (usually F2 or Delete on first power-on), find the boot order, and place USB above the internal drive. On modern UEFI systems, also check that Secure Boot is enabled for a clean Windows 10/11 install — Rufus signs the ISO appropriately, so you do not need to disable it.

If Windows setup reports “no drives detected” once it boots, the SSD’s storage driver is missing from the installer. See my guide on fixing ‘no drives detected’ during Windows installation for the driver injection workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same USB drive for both Windows 10 and Windows 11?

Yes, with Ventoy. Install Ventoy on the drive, then copy both the Windows 10 ISO and the Windows 11 ISO onto the drive. At boot time, Ventoy shows a menu and you pick which one to install. With Rufus or the Media Creation Tool, the drive only holds a single ISO at a time.

How much space do I need on my USB drive?

8 GB is the minimum for the Windows 10 ISO. 16 GB is more comfortable and leaves room for driver packs or Ventoy multi-boot. The Windows 11 ISO is slightly larger so 16 GB is the practical minimum if you are doing both.

What if Rufus does not detect my USB drive?

Try a different USB port (avoid front-panel ports on desktops — they are often less reliable than rear ports). Re-seat the drive and restart Rufus. If the drive still does not appear, click the small dropdown arrow next to the device list and tick List USB Hard Drives — sometimes external SSDs in USB enclosures show up there instead of the default flash drive list.

Can I still use the USB drive for regular file storage after making it bootable?

With Rufus or the Media Creation Tool, no — the drive is reformatted and reserved for the Windows installer. With Ventoy, yes — Ventoy installs once and then treats the rest of the drive as ordinary storage. You can drop ISO files and regular files side by side.

Do I need to format the USB drive before using it with Rufus?

No. Rufus formats the drive automatically as part of writing the ISO. Anything currently on the drive will be wiped — back it up first.

Is Windows 10 still worth installing in 2026?

For older hardware that does not meet Windows 11’s TPM 2.0 / Secure Boot / supported CPU requirements, yes. Windows 10 22H2 still installs and activates with valid keys, runs all the same software, and remains supported through the consumer Extended Security Updates program — see enabling free Windows 10 ESU. For new builds with modern CPUs, Windows 11 is the better long-term choice.