Knowing how to install Windows 10 on a bootable USB stick will be helpful if you want to install or repair your operating system.
With a bootable USB drive, you can perform a clean Windows 10 installation, repair your current Windows installation, or conveniently upgrade your system without an optical drive. Not to mention, it’s a portable solution for troubleshooting and system recovery.
In this article, you will learn how to create a bootable USB stick for Windows 10 using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. However, since USB sticks are slower than SSDs and hard drives, you should best portable SSDs for a fast and compact Windows 10 drive.
Tools and requirements
- Windows computer
- USB stick with at least 8 GB free storage space
- Internet
Steps to create a bootable USB stick for Windows 10
- Download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool from the Microsoft website.
- Start the Media Creation Tool and accept the terms and conditions.
- Select “Create installation media (USB stick, DVD or ISO file) for another PC”. Click “Next”.
- Select your preferred language, edition and architecture. Click Next.
- Select the USB flash drive and click Next.
- Select your USB drive from the list and click Next.
- Click “Finish” once the download is complete.
Step-by-step guide to create a bootable USB stick for Windows 10
1. Download and launch the Media Creation Tool
(Image: © Future)
Visit the official Microsoft Windows 10 download website, and under Create a Windows 10 installation media, Click on “Download now”.
start The Tool And accept The Conditions.
2. Create installation media
(Image: © Future)
Choose Create an installation media (USB stick, DVD or ISO file) for another PC And Click Next.
3. Set settings
(Image: © Future)
Choose The Language, outputAnd architecture (32-bit, 64-bit or both) to suit your needs. If you are not sure what to choose, Tick the box next to it Use the recommended options for this PC.
Then, Click Next.
4. Select USB stick
(Image: © Future)
Choose USB memory stick And Click Next.
You must then choose The drive You want Install Windows 10 Please note that the USB drive of your choice will all his Content deleted. Click Next after selecting the correct drive.
5. Download Windows 10
(Image: © Future)
A Progress indicator shows you how far the Windows 10 download has already been completed.
Once it is finished, Click Finish.
To Boots from the USB drive, Restart Your device and Open the Start menu by pressing the appropriate key for your computer (F11, F12, Esc or Del). In the Start menu Select your Windows 10 installed USB driveand then the setup of Windows 10 begins.
Final thoughts
Creating a bootable USB drive for Windows 10 may seem complicated, but it’s a breeze with the right tools. Using the steps above, you can quickly create a bootable USB drive.
For more Windows tips, see How to download and install Windows 11, How to set up your new Windows 11 laptopAnd How to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10.
