To create a bootable USB drive with Rufus, download Rufus from rufus.ie, plug in an 8 GB or larger USB flash drive, select your Windows 10 or Windows 11 ISO file, choose GPT as the partition scheme (or MBR for older PCs), and click Start. Rufus will format the drive and copy the installation files in about 5–10 minutes.
Applies to: Windows 10 (22H2) and Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, 25H2) | Last updated: March 31, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Rufus is a free, portable tool that creates bootable USB drives for both Windows 10 and Windows 11 — no installation required.
- You need a USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of storage and a Windows ISO file downloaded from Microsoft.
- Select GPT as the partition scheme for modern UEFI systems (most PCs made after 2012), or MBR for older Legacy BIOS systems.
- For Windows 11, Rufus can bypass hardware requirements (TPM, Secure Boot), skip the Microsoft account requirement, and disable BitLocker automatic encryption during setup.
- The entire process takes about 5–10 minutes depending on your USB drive speed.
Quick Steps
- Download Rufus from rufus.ie (standard 64-bit version).
- Download the Windows 10 or Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft.
- Plug in your USB flash drive (8 GB minimum) and open Rufus.
- Click Select and choose your ISO file.
- Set the partition scheme to GPT (or MBR for older PCs).
- Click Start, configure the customization options, and confirm the format warning.
- Wait for the progress bar to turn green — your bootable USB is ready.
How to Download Rufus
Rufus is completely free and does not need to be installed. Open your browser and head to rufus.ie. Scroll down to the download section and grab the standard 64-bit version — that is the right choice for the vast majority of systems.
Once the download finishes, just double-click the file to run it. Rufus is portable, so there is no installer — it opens right away. If it asks to check for updates, let it go ahead so you are running the latest version.
How to Get the Windows ISO File
Before you can create the bootable USB, you need a Windows ISO file. I have separate guides for downloading the official ISO straight from Microsoft:
Save the ISO somewhere easy to find, like your Desktop, and then come back here to continue.
Note: Rufus also has a built-in ISO download feature — click the small arrow next to the Select button and choose Download. However, Microsoft blocks this method from time to time, so it does not always work. I recommend downloading the ISO directly from Microsoft’s website for the most reliable experience.
How to Set Up Rufus and Select Your ISO
Plug in your USB flash drive — it needs to be at least 8 GB. Rufus will detect it automatically and show it under the Device dropdown. If you have multiple USB drives connected, make sure the correct one is selected because Rufus will erase everything on it.
Click the Select button, navigate to where you saved your Windows ISO file, and double-click it to load it into Rufus. You will see the ISO name appear next to the boot selection field.
How to Choose the Right Partition Scheme
This is the setting that trips up most people. Rufus gives you two options for the partition scheme: GPT and MBR.
- GPT (UEFI) — use this for any modern computer. If your PC was made after roughly 2012, this is almost certainly the right choice.
- MBR (Legacy BIOS) — use this for older machines that do not have a UEFI firmware.
If you are not sure which one your system uses, start with GPT. If the USB does not boot, come back and recreate it with MBR — the whole process only takes a few minutes either way.
For the volume label, give the drive a descriptive name like “Windows 11” or “Windows 10” so you can identify it later. Leave the file system and cluster size on their defaults — NTFS is correct for Windows installation media.
What Are the Rufus Customization Options? (Windows 11)
When you click Start, Rufus shows a customization dialog with several useful options. These are especially important for Windows 11:
- Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 — I recommend keeping this checked even if your hardware meets the requirements. It prevents any issues during installation on any machine you might use the USB on.
- Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account — lets you set up Windows 11 with a local account instead of being forced to sign in with a Microsoft account.
- Set regional options to the same values as this user’s — copies your current language, time zone, and keyboard layout to the installation so you do not have to configure them again.
- Disable data collection (skip privacy questions) — skips the telemetry and privacy prompts during the initial setup.
- Disable BitLocker automatic device encryption — prevents Windows from automatically encrypting your drive with BitLocker. This is worth checking if you want full control over your encryption setup.
For Windows 10, the customization dialog is simpler — you will mostly just see the regional options and a few minor settings. The hardware bypass options are specific to Windows 11.
Tip: If you want even more control over your Windows installation, check out UnattendedWinstall — it is a tool I built that lets you fully customize what gets installed and configured through Windows answer files.
How to Create the Bootable USB Drive
After configuring the customization options, click OK. Rufus will warn you that all data on the USB drive will be destroyed. If there is anything important on the drive, back it up now. Click OK to confirm and Rufus will start formatting the drive and copying the Windows files.
You can watch the progress bar at the bottom of the Rufus window. The process typically takes 5–10 minutes depending on how fast your USB drive is. Once the bar turns completely green and the status shows READY, your bootable USB drive is done.
To verify, open File Explorer, go to This PC, and open the USB drive. You should see the Windows setup files on it, including a setup.exe application. The drive name will match whatever volume label you entered in Rufus.
How to Use Your Bootable USB Drive
Now that the USB is ready, you have two options for how to use it:
- Clean installation: Restart your computer and enter the boot menu (usually by pressing F12, F2, or Del during startup — it varies by manufacturer). Select your USB drive as the boot device and follow the on-screen prompts to install Windows from scratch.
- In-place upgrade or repair: Open the USB drive in File Explorer while Windows is running and double-click setup.exe. This lets you perform an in-place upgrade that reinstalls Windows while keeping your files and programs intact.
After you have finished installing Windows, I would recommend running Winhance to debloat, optimize, and customize your new installation right away.
Creating a Windows 10 Bootable USB With Rufus
The process for Windows 10 is almost identical to Windows 11. The only differences are that you load a Windows 10 ISO file instead, and the customization dialog does not include the hardware bypass options (since Windows 10 does not have the same TPM and Secure Boot requirements).
Everything else — selecting the USB drive, choosing GPT or MBR, setting the volume label, clicking Start — is exactly the same. Watch the full walkthrough for Windows 10 below:
Frequently Asked Questions
How large does my USB flash drive need to be?
You need at least 8 GB for either Windows 10 or Windows 11. A 16 GB drive is ideal and gives you some extra room. The drive will be completely formatted during the process, so make sure there is nothing important on it before you start.
Should I choose GPT or MBR in Rufus?
Choose GPT if your computer uses UEFI firmware, which is the case for most PCs made after 2012. Choose MBR only if you have an older system with a Legacy BIOS. When in doubt, try GPT first — if the USB does not boot, recreate it with MBR.
Can Rufus install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware?
Yes. When you click Start, Rufus gives you the option to remove the Windows 11 hardware requirements (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, RAM check). With that option enabled, you can install Windows 11 on PCs that do not officially meet Microsoft’s requirements. For more options, check out my FlyBy11 tutorial.
Can I download the Windows ISO directly through Rufus?
Rufus has a built-in download feature — click the arrow next to the Select button and choose Download. However, Microsoft periodically blocks this method, so it is not always reliable. I recommend downloading the ISO directly from Microsoft’s website for a consistent experience.
Does creating a bootable USB with Rufus erase all my files?
Yes, Rufus formats the entire USB drive as part of the process. All existing files on the drive will be permanently deleted. Back up anything important before you begin.
