Updated December 5, 2022.
So you want to create a Windows 10 bootable USB? Nowadays, you don’t need a CD or DVD drive to install a fresh copy of Windows 10. If you have a bootable USB drive, you can install Windows 10 from the flash drive without too much trouble.
Create a Windows 10 bootable USB
Creating a bootable flash drive for Windows 10 is a fairly simple affair, here’s what you need:
- A Windows installation media in the form of an ISO file.
- An empty USB drive with at least 5 GB of space.
- A PC already running the Windows 10 operating system.
If you have all the things from above, you can create a Windows 10 bootable USB drive. First, head to Microsoft’s official download page and download the Windows 10 ISO file.
Depending on your internet speed, the download can take a while; we recommend you get the USB drive ready in the meanwhile. Plug the USB drive into your PC and format it.
When the download of the Windows 10 installation media is complete, launch the ISO file. The installation wizard will take over from here. Click Accept to move forward, and continue to follow these steps:
- Select Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC and click on Next.
- Set up the preferred Language, Edition, and Architecture, and click on Next again.
The tool will now create a bootable Windows 10 USB will begin. Again, you’ll have to wait for a few minutes here, while the tool downloads Windows 10 and creates a bootable Windows 10 USB.
How to install Windows 10 from a bootable USB drive
Now that you’re done with creating a bootable Windows 10 USB drive, all that’s left to do is plug in the USB drive to the relevant computer and install the Windows 10 with your bootable flash drive. Here’s what you need to do.
Plug in the USB into the target PC, and power up the computer. If the USB isn’t detected, restart your PC and, this time, press the keys to access the BIOS/UEFI menu. (Depending on your PC, they could be F2/F10 or F12).
This will detect the bootable USB drive on your PC. Once it does, an installation wizard will be launched. Follow through the instructions and your Windows 10 will be installed in no time.
Related: Windows 10 ISOs without the Media Creation Tool
Create a Windows 10 bootable USB
And that is all about making a bootable Windows 10 USB. Hopefully, the whole process wasn’t a big hassle for you. If you followed this guide, you should be able to install a fresh version of Windows 10 on your computer.
Let us know in the comments how you create a Windows 10 bootable USB!
