How to create a bootable USB drive with Rufus and install Windows

Installing Windows is something anyone should be able to do. It's not as hard as it used to be and can be done from start to finish in under an hour in most cases. These days, all you need is an ISO file of Windows, which is easy to get, and a blank USB drive to load and boot from.




What is Rufus?

Rufus is a small software that allows you to create a bootable USB from an ISO file to install an operating system. It is quite easy to use and offers all the options you need, whether you are installing a new Linux distribution or your favorite version of Windows. The best part is that you don't have to install it, you can just download it and run the executable.

Using Rufus to create a bootable USB stick

The first thing you should do is go to the official Rufus website and download the latest version. You should also make sure you have an ISO file. If you want to install Windows 11, go to the Windows download page and download a disk image (ISO). Now you should be ready to create your bootable ISO with Rufus.


For this guide, we will use Rufus to install Windows 11.

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While the ISO download is free, you will need a license key to fully use Windows 11.

  1. Run the executable file and choose whether you want to check for updates or not.
    A popup showing Rufus checking for updates

  2. Once it is loaded, plug in your USB drive into your PC and make sure it is selected correctly.
    Image showing Rufus main screen with USB device selected

  3. Choose your ISOThe other options shown are chosen by Rufus and in most cases do not need to be changed.
    Image showing Rufus boot selection options

  4. Check again The Format options and make sure they meet your requirements. You can change the name of the Volume labelactivate Quick formatcreate extended label and icon files, and even check bad blocks.
    Image showing Rufus format options

  5. Click Start. and you'll be greeted with a pop-up that lets you customize your Windows installation. These options allow you to bypass some of the more annoying Microsoft requirements for installing Windows 11.
    Image showing the Rufus Windows user experience

  6. After a moment, a pop-up will appear informing you that all data on your USB device will be destroyed. (This means you should probably start with a blank USB drive.) Click OK to continue.
    Image with a warning that all data will be destroyed

  7. Once Rufus has completed the download, a green bar will appear in the status area.
    Picture shows Rufus finished


That's it! You can now boot and install Windows from your USB device. Even if you're not familiar with this process, it should only take about an hour from downloading Rufus to installing Windows. It really is that easy to create a bootable USB and install Windows on your PC or laptop.

Is Rufus better than Windows Media Creation Tool?

If you're looking for the full Windows experience, you'll want to use the Media Creation Tool instead. However, if you're looking for something that bypasses some of the more annoying Windows requirements and can be used for other ISOs, such as Linux, Rufus is the better method for you.


Rufus offers some easy-to-select options that allow you to bypass Windows requirements, such as the 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0 requirements. You can also use Rufus to bypass the online Microsoft account requirement that is forced on virtually everyone installing Windows 11 these days. Rufus even creates a local account whose name you can change right in the Rufus program itself, making your Windows installation even easier.

While Microsoft tries to invade your privacy as much as possible, Rufus helps you do that. It even offers the option to disable data collection, which skips the privacy settings during installation. While this isn't for everyone, it's great for those who want to install their Windows operating system as quickly as possible. The options in Rufus really do make installing Windows as easy as possible.


If you want to make your Windows experience a little more discreet, you can read our guide on how to make Windows 11 more private. It will walk you through a few different options you can use to reduce the amount of data Windows 11 collects about you.

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