How to Create a Windows 11 Bootable USB Drive (Step-by-Step Guide)

To create a Windows 11 bootable USB drive, follow these steps:

Step 1: Download the Windows 11 ISO

1. Go to the Microsoft website.
2. Scroll down to Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) section.
3. Select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO) from the dropdown menu.
4. Choose your language, and click Confirm.
5. Click 64-bit Download to download the ISO file.

Step 2: Prepare a USB Drive

• Ensure you have a USB drive with at least 8 GB of storage space.
• Backup any important data on the USB drive, as it will be erased.

Step 3: Choose Software to Create Bootable USB

Several tools can be used to make a USB bootable. The most commonly recommended one is Rufus:

Option 1: Using Rufus

1. Download Rufus (a free utility to create bootable USB drives).
2. Run Rufus after downloading (no need to install).
3. Insert your USB drive into the computer.
4. In Rufus:
   • Device: Select your USB drive.
   • Boot Selection: Click SELECT and choose the Windows 11 ISO file you downloaded.
   • Partition Scheme: Choose GPT (if your system uses UEFI, which most modern PCs do).
   • File System: Ensure it's set to NTFS or FAT32.
5. Click Start, and Rufus will format your USB and create a bootable drive.
6. Once the process is done, you’ll have a bootable USB drive with Windows 11.

Option 2: Using Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool

1. Download the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool.
2. Run the tool.
3. Select Create installation media (USB flash drive).
4. Choose your language and edition.
5. Select USB flash drive and pick your USB drive from the list.
6. The tool will download Windows 11 and create the bootable drive automatically.

Step 4: Install Windows 11 Using Bootable USB

1. Insert the bootable USB into the computer where you want to install Windows 11.
2. Restart the computer and press the key to enter Boot Menu (commonly F12, F10, Esc, or Del depending on the manufacturer).
3. Select your USB drive from the boot options.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows 11.

Let me know if you need more help!