Full Guide | How to Create a Windows 11 Bootable USB

Creating a bootable USB drive for Windows 11 is essential for fresh installations, upgrades, or troubleshooting critical errors. Microsoft's Media Creation Tool simplifies the process of creating Windows 11 bootable USB. Additionally, Rufus, Command Prompt, and MyRecover offer alternative methods for those seeking different options.

This guide will walk you through 4 distinct approaches to creating a USB flash drive installer for Windows 11. With your ISO file ready, pick any of the outlined methods below to prepare your Windows 11 bootable USB drive.

How to Create Windows 11 Bootable USB (4 Ways)

You have 4 options to create Windows 11 bootable USB from ISO, all equally reliable. Choose from using the Media Creation Tool, Rufus, Command Prompt, or MyRecover based on what suits you best. Here’s a detailed guide to get ready and go through each method.

Before creating a Windows 11 bootable USB, you need to prepare:

1️⃣ A USB drive with at least 8GB of space, though 16GB is recommended for some extra room.

2️⃣ The Windows 11 ISO file. Downloading it is straightforward, just follow the given steps.

• Visit Microsoft's Windows 11 download page and find the "Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO)" section.
• Click "Select Download" and choose "Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO)".
• Hit "Download" then select your language and click "Confirm".
• Click "64-bit Download" to start downloading the ISO file. It might take some time based on your internet speed.

3️⃣ Remember, creating the bootable USB will erase everything on your USB drive, so back up your files first. AOMEI Backupper Standard is a free tool that can help you back up the entire disk.

4️⃣ Check your computer's BIOS/UEFI settings to make sure it can boot from a USB.

5️⃣ You’ll need a working computer with internet access to download necessary files and execute the process.

Way 1. Create Bootable USB in Windows 11 Using the Media Creation Tool

The Media Creation Tool is Microsoft's solution for making installation media and is a free program supplied by Microsoft. It also supports the creation of ISO images from hard drives or existing operating systems. To create a bootable USB Windows 11, here are the steps.

Step 1. Go to the official Microsoft website to download the Windows Media Creation Tool. You might need administrator privileges to run this tool. If you agree to the license terms, click Accept.

Step 2. Choose the desired language and edition for Windows 11. Also, ensure that your USB drive is connected to your computer.

Step 3. Select Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC. Click Next. 

Step 4. Confirm that your USB drive is recognized and listed, then proceed by clicking Next. Once you see the message Your USB flash drive is ready, click Finish.

Way 2. Create a Windows 11 Bootable USB Using Rufus

Rufus is a free, open-source software designed to format and create bootable USB flash drives for Windows operating systems. This tool offers more customization features than Microsoft's own media creation tool. To write an ISO file to a USB drive in Windows 11 using Rufus, follow the instructions provided below.

Step 1. Navigate to the Rufus website, and download the latest version of Rufus. Then, insert your USB drive and open Rufus.

Step 2. In Rufus, select your USB drive under Device. Then click on the Select button to select your pick your Windows ISO file.

Step 3. Set Standard Windows 11 Installation, keep the default Partition scheme (GPT) and Target system (UEFI non-CSM) for Windows 11 compatibility.

Step 4. Click Start to begin creating your bootable USB drive.

Way 3. Create Bootable Windows 11 USB Using Command Prompt

If you don't want to use a third-party tool to create a bootable drive, you can use the Diskpart utility and the command prompt to create installation media. But it is not suitable for beginners because it is too complex. Here's how to do it.

❣ Tip: If you think this method is a bit complicated, you can also try MyRecover in method 3 to help you. Its ability to create Windows 11 bootable media can easily achieve your goals.

Step 1. Connect your USB to your PC and make sure it can be recognized. Type cmd in the search box, click on Run as Administrator under Command Prompt.

Step 2. In the Command Prompt window, type the commands below one by one and press Enter respectively.

• diskpart
• list disk
• select disk 1 (take disk 1 as an example, it stands for your USB drive)
• clean (this command will clean the selected hard disk)
• create partition primary (make the disk primary)
• select partition 1
• active (boot partition)
• format fs=ntfs (makes the disk formatted as NTFS file system)
• assign letter=g (g is your drive letter for the USB drive)
• exit

Step 3. You need to mount the ISO file and then move its contents to a USB drive with the commands below.

• d: (replace the file path with the location of your Windows 11 ISO)
• cd boot
• bootsect /nt60 G: (replace G with the drive letter associated with your USB drive)
• Xcopy d:\* . * g:\ /e /f /h (d stands for the letter of Mounted ISO Volume and g stands for the letter of the USB hard drive)

 

Way 3. Create Windows 11 Bootable USB from ISO Using MyRecover

For third-party tools, we recommend MyRecover, a powerful data recovery software known for its ability to create bootable USB drives, with or without an ISO file, allowing for hassle-free Windows installation without necessitating a Microsoft account. It simplifies the process of creating a recovery drive for Windows 10/11 and recovering data from hard drives that won't boot.

Key features of MyRecover:

• User-friendly interface: Offers a simple interface for easily creating a bootable Windows 11 USB/ CD/DVD.
• Data recovery feature: Apart from creating a recovery drive for Windows 10/11, it can also help you recover more than 200+ types of recoverable data, spanning photos, videos, office files, zip files, and more.
• Perform computer crash recovery in Windows 10/11 and recover data keeping original format, file names, and paths intact.
• Compatible with NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS file systems in Windows 11, 10, 8, 7 or Windows Server PCs.

Please click the "Download Software" button to download and install it on your Windows PC. Here’s a simple steps to create Windows 11 bootable USB using MyRecover:

Step 1. Install MyRecover and start process

Launch MyRecover and click "Crashed PC Recovery". Connect a USB drive with enough storage space.

Step 2. Choose your bootable disk creation way

From MyRecover, select your USB drive as the destination for the bootable disk and click "Execute".

Tips:

🍕 MyRecover offers 3 options for creating a Windows 11 bootable disk:

• USB boot device: create a bootable USB drive.
• Export ISO file: Use this way to make a bootable ISO file. After exporting the ISO, you need to use a third-party burning program to burn it. Alternatively, you can burn the ISO to another device or use it to boot up virtual computers.
• Burn to CD/DVD: Create a bootable CD/DVD.

🍕 Use the "Add Drivers" feature to include additional drivers in your boot disk, ensuring broader device compatibility in WinPE.

Step 3. Confirm USB drive formatting

A notification will inform you that the USB drive will be formatted. Confirm by clicking "Yes", assuming you've made a file backup beforehand.

Step 4. Create a bootable USB drive

The software will start creating Windows 11 bootable USB. The time required varies based on your operating system and internet connection speed.

Step 5. Complete the process

Once the process is complete, a confirmation message will pop up, along with instructions on how to boot from the newly created disk.

In the End

How to create a windows 11 bootable USB? Microsoft provides an easy way to create installation media with its Media Creation Tool. Yet, if you have a Windows 11 ISO file, you can quickly create windows 11 bootable USB for Windows 11 using Rufus, Command Prompt, and MyRecover.

This is useful for installing Windows 11 on a new PC, fixing problems on your computer, or setting up Windows 10/11 to run together. For the best experience, try using MyRecover. It's great for creating bootable USB in Windows 10/11 and can also help you recover deleted files in Windows 11 if you have lost data. Hope it helps you.

FAQs

1. How do I create Windows 11 installation media for another computer?

Step 1. Launch the creation tool and choose "Create installation media for another PC".

Step 2. Pick "USB flash drive" as the installation media and click "Next".

Step 3. Connect a USB flash drive with a minimum of 8 GB of free space to your PC.

Step 4. Choose the connected USB flash drive and proceed by clicking "Next".

This way is also apply to create a Windows 10 recovery disk for another PC.

2. Why is Windows 11 bootable USB not recognized?

This issue might arise due to a malfunctioning USB port or cable. Additionally, a corrupt or damaged USB drive, or an outdated USB version (such as USB 1.0 or 2.0), can lead to non-recognition by Windows 11.

3. How to create Windows 11 bootable USB on Mac?

Boot Camp Assistant is a macOS built-in utility that may be used to create a Windows 11 bootable USB from a Mac.

4. Can I download Windows 11 manually?

Yes, Windows 11 can be downloaded just like any other update. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and select "Check for updates." If your PC meets the requirements, Windows 11 will appear as an available upgrade.