In short
On a Windows PC, the easiest way to make a Windows 11 bootable USB is Microsoft’s free Media Creation Tool: download it from Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page, plug in an 8 GB or larger USB drive, choose USB flash drive and wait about 30 minutes. On a Mac or Linux PC, format the USB as FAT32 and split the large install.wim file with wimlib, because it’s over FAT32’s 4 GB limit. Then boot the target PC from the USB with its boot menu key, such as F12 on Dell and Lenovo.
Build your Windows 11 USB step by step
Answer four questions and get only the steps for your setup.
1. Which computer are you making the USB on?
2. Which method?
On a Mac or Linux computer, Microsoft’s tool and Rufus don’t run, so we’ll show the Terminal method. It’s easier than it looks: you copy and paste each command.
3. Is the PC you’re installing on Windows 11 compatible?
4. How big is your USB drive?
Your steps
Windows PC · Media Creation Tool
1
Download the Media Creation Tool
Go to Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page and, under Create Windows 11 Installation Media, select Download now.
2
Plug in your USB drive
Use an empty USB drive of 8 GB or more. Everything on it will be erased.
3
Run the tool
Open mediacreationtool.exe, select Yes to allow changes, then Accept the licence terms.
4
Language and edition
Keep Use the recommended options for this PC ticked, or untick it to choose another language. The download includes Home and Pro.
5
Choose USB flash drive
Select USB flash drive, then Next, and pick your drive from the list.
6
Wait for it to finish
The tool downloads Windows 11 and builds the USB. When you see Your USB flash drive is ready, select Finish.
7
Boot the PC from the USB
Plug the USB into the PC you’re installing on, restart it and press the boot menu key for your brand (use the lookup below). Choose the entry that starts with UEFI: and your USB drive’s name.
8
Install Windows 11
Follow the setup screens. Our Windows 11 clean install guide walks through every screen, including partitioning the drive.
9
Product key
At the Activate Windows screen: if this PC already had activated Windows 10 or 11, select I don’t have a product key and it will reactivate automatically from its digital licence. For a new build or an unactivated PC, enter a genuine key. Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home.
Windows PC · Rufus
1
Download the Windows 11 ISO
On Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page, under Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices, choose Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices), your language, then 64-bit Download. It’s about 7 GB.
2
Download Rufus
Get the free, open-source Rufus from its official site. The portable version needs no installation.
3
Select your USB and the ISO
Open Rufus, pick your USB under Device, then select SELECT and choose the Windows 11 ISO.
4
Check the settings
Image option: Standard Windows installation. Partition scheme: GPT. Target system: UEFI (non CSM). File system: NTFS. Rufus sets these automatically for Windows 11.
5
Select START
Rufus shows a Windows User Experience box. Leave the options unticked unless you know you need them; one removes Microsoft’s hardware checks, which Microsoft doesn’t support. Select OK, then confirm the drive will be erased.
6
Wait for READY
When the status bar shows READY in green, the USB is done. Select CLOSE.
7
Boot the PC from the USB
Plug the USB into the PC you’re installing on, restart it and press the boot menu key for your brand (use the lookup below). Choose the entry that starts with UEFI: and your USB drive’s name.
8
Install Windows 11
Follow the setup screens. Our Windows 11 clean install guide walks through every screen, including partitioning the drive.
9
Product key
At the Activate Windows screen: if this PC already had activated Windows 10 or 11, select I don’t have a product key and it will reactivate automatically from its digital licence. For a new build or an unactivated PC, enter a genuine key. Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home.
Windows PC · Manual (Command Prompt)
1
Download the Windows 11 ISO
On Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page, under Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices, choose Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices), your language, then 64-bit Download. It’s about 7 GB.
2
Prepare the USB with diskpart
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run these commands one at a time. Replace 1 with your USB’s disk number from
list disk:diskpart
list disk
select disk 1
clean
convert gpt
create partition primary
format fs=fat32 quick label=WIN11
assign
exitCheck the disk number carefully.
clean erases the selected disk instantly. Match the size shown in list disk to your USB drive.3
Mount the ISO
Right-click the ISO in File Explorer and select Mount. Note its drive letter (for example D:) and your USB’s letter (for example E:).
4
Copy everything except install.wim
FAT32 can’t hold files over 4 GB, and Windows 11’s
install.wim is bigger. Copy the rest first, changing the letters if yours differ:robocopy D:\ E:\ /E /XF install.wim5
Split install.wim onto the USB
Windows’ built-in DISM splits the file into pieces Windows Setup reads automatically:
dism /Split-Image /ImageFile:D:\sources\install.wim /SWMFile:E:\sources\install.swm /FileSize:38006
Eject the USB
When DISM reports The operation completed successfully, eject the ISO and the USB from File Explorer.
7
Boot the PC from the USB
Plug the USB into the PC you’re installing on, restart it and press the boot menu key for your brand (use the lookup below). Choose the entry that starts with UEFI: and your USB drive’s name.
8
Install Windows 11
Follow the setup screens. Our Windows 11 clean install guide walks through every screen, including partitioning the drive.
9
Product key
At the Activate Windows screen: if this PC already had activated Windows 10 or 11, select I don’t have a product key and it will reactivate automatically from its digital licence. For a new build or an unactivated PC, enter a genuine key. Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home.
Mac · Terminal
1
Download the Windows 11 ISO
On Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page, under Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices, choose Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices), your language, then 64-bit Download. It’s about 7 GB.
2
3
Find your USB drive
Plug in the USB (8 GB or more) and list your disks. Look for the external, physical disk that matches your USB’s size, for example /dev/disk4:
diskutil list4
Format the USB
Replace disk4 with your USB’s identifier:
diskutil eraseDisk MS-DOS WIN11 GPT /dev/disk4Double-check the disk identifier. eraseDisk wipes the whole disk you name, with no undo.
5
Mount the ISO
Double-click the ISO in Finder, or run the command below. Then check the volume name it creates under /Volumes (usually CCCOMA_X64FRE_EN-US_DV9):
hdiutil mount ~/Downloads/Win11_English_x64.iso
ls /Volumes6
Copy everything except install.wim
Change the volume name if yours is different:
rsync -vha --exclude=sources/install.wim /Volumes/CCCOMA_X64FRE_EN-US_DV9/ /Volumes/WIN117
Split install.wim onto the USB
wimlib-imagex split /Volumes/CCCOMA_X64FRE_EN-US_DV9/sources/install.wim /Volumes/WIN11/sources/install.swm 38008
Eject the USB
diskutil eject /dev/disk49
Boot the PC from the USB
Plug the USB into the PC you’re installing on, restart it and press the boot menu key for your brand (use the lookup below). Choose the entry that starts with UEFI: and your USB drive’s name.
10
Install Windows 11
Follow the setup screens. Our Windows 11 clean install guide walks through every screen, including partitioning the drive.
11
Product key
At the Activate Windows screen: if this PC already had activated Windows 10 or 11, select I don’t have a product key and it will reactivate automatically from its digital licence. For a new build or an unactivated PC, enter a genuine key. Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home.
Linux · Terminal
1
Download the Windows 11 ISO
On Microsoft’s Download Windows 11 page, under Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices, choose Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices), your language, then 64-bit Download. It’s about 7 GB.
2
Install wimtools
You need wimlib to split the install file. On Ubuntu or Debian (on Fedora use
sudo dnf install wimlib-utils):sudo apt install wimtools3
Find your USB drive
Plug in the USB and identify it by size, for example /dev/sdb:
lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,MODEL,TRAN4
Format the USB
Replace sdX with your USB, for example sdb:
sudo wipefs -a /dev/sdX
sudo parted /dev/sdX --script mklabel gpt mkpart primary fat32 1MiB 100%
sudo mkfs.vfat -F 32 -n WIN11 /dev/sdX1Make sure sdX is your USB. These commands erase the whole disk.
5
Mount the ISO and the USB
sudo mkdir -p /mnt/iso /mnt/usb
sudo mount -o loop ~/Downloads/Win11_English_x64.iso /mnt/iso
sudo mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt/usb6
Copy the files and split install.wim
sudo rsync -r --info=progress2 --exclude=sources/install.wim /mnt/iso/ /mnt/usb/
sudo wimlib-imagex split /mnt/iso/sources/install.wim /mnt/usb/sources/install.swm 38007
Unmount
sync
sudo umount /mnt/usb /mnt/iso8
Boot the PC from the USB
Plug the USB into the PC you’re installing on, restart it and press the boot menu key for your brand (use the lookup below). Choose the entry that starts with UEFI: and your USB drive’s name.
9
Install Windows 11
Follow the setup screens. Our Windows 11 clean install guide walks through every screen, including partitioning the drive.
10
Product key
At the Activate Windows screen: if this PC already had activated Windows 10 or 11, select I don’t have a product key and it will reactivate automatically from its digital licence. For a new build or an unactivated PC, enter a genuine key. Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home.
Boot Menu Keys by PC Brand
To start a PC from your USB, press the boot menu key repeatedly as soon as you switch it on. Pick your brand:
PC or motherboard brand
| Brand | Boot menu key | BIOS / UEFI setup key |
|---|---|---|
| Acer | F12 | F2 |
| ASUS laptop | Esc | F2 |
| ASUS desktop / motherboard | F8 | Del |
| ASRock | F11 | F2 or Del |
| Dell | F12 | F2 |
| Gigabyte | F12 | Del |
| HP | Esc then F9 | Esc then F10 |
| Huawei | F12 | F2 |
| Intel NUC | F10 | F2 |
| Lenovo | F12 or Fn + F12 | F1 or F2 |
| Microsoft Surface | Hold Volume Down then press Power | Hold Volume Up then press Power |
| MSI | F11 | Del |
| Samsung | Esc | F2 |
| Toshiba / Dynabook | F12 | F2 |
Please select boot device:
Windows Boot Manager (Samsung SSD 980 1TB)
UEFI: SanDisk Ultra 1.00, Partition 11
UEFI: SanDisk Ultra 1.00
Enter Setup
↑ and ↓ to move selection
ENTER to select boot device
ESC to boot using defaults
ENTER to select boot device
ESC to boot using defaults
1
Choose the UEFI: entry with your USB’s name. Entries without UEFI start the PC in older Legacy mode, which Windows 11 doesn’t support.
What the Tools Look Like
Media Creation Tool: Choose which media to use
Choose which media to use
If you want to install Windows 11 on another partition, you need to create and then run the media to install it.
USB flash driveIt needs to be at least 8 GB.1
ISO fileYou’ll need to burn the ISO file to a DVD later.
Privacy statementSupportLegalBackNext2
1
Select USB flash drive to build the USB directly.
2
Select Next, then choose your drive.
Rufus: recommended settings for Windows 11
Drive Properties
Device
WIN11 (E:) [32 GB]
Boot selection 1
Win11_English_x64.iso
SELECTImage option
Standard Windows installation
Partition scheme 2
GPT
Target system
UEFI (non CSM)
Format Options
Volume label
CCCOMA_X64FRE_EN-US_DV9
File system
NTFS
Cluster size
4096 bytes (Default)
Status
READY
3STARTCLOSE
1 device found
1
Select SELECT and choose the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft.
2
Leave GPT and UEFI (non CSM); Rufus picks them for Windows 11.
3
Select START. The USB is erased and written.
Bootable USB Problems and Fixes
USB doesn’t show in the boot menu
The PC is in Legacy mode, or Fast Boot skips USB.
Fix:Enter the BIOS, enable UEFI boot, turn off Fast Boot, and try a USB port directly on the PC (not a hub).
“A media driver your computer needs is missing”
Setup can’t read the USB properly, often on USB 3 ports or a faulty copy.
Fix:Try a different port (USB 2.0 if available), re-create the USB, or use a different drive.
“The file install.wim is too large”
FAT32 can’t store files over 4 GB.
Fix:Split it with DISM (Windows) or wimlib (Mac/Linux), as in the manual steps, or use Rufus with NTFS.
“This PC can’t run Windows 11”
TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot is off, or the processor isn’t supported.
Fix:Check with our compatibility checker. TPM and Secure Boot can usually be switched on in the BIOS.
“We couldn’t find any drives”
Newer Intel PCs use Intel VMD/RST storage that needs a driver.
Fix:Download the Intel RST/VMD driver from your PC maker, copy it to the USB, and choose Load driver in setup.
Media Creation Tool error 0x80042405
The tool can’t prepare that USB drive.
Fix:Format the USB as FAT32 first, run the tool from your PC’s drive (not the USB), or use Rufus instead.
Do You Need a Product Key to Install Windows 11?
Not always. If the PC already ran activated Windows 10 or 11, select I don’t have a product key during setup and install the same edition (Home or Pro). Windows reactivates automatically from the PC’s digital licence once it’s online, as Microsoft explains in its reinstall guide. You need a key for a new build, a PC that never had activated Windows, or an upgrade from Home to Pro. Not sure what licence you have? Use our OEM vs Retail key checker, and if activation fails, our activation error code lookup explains the fix.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a Windows 11 bootable USB?
On Windows, download Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool, plug in an 8 GB or larger USB drive, choose USB flash drive and wait for it to finish. Rufus and a manual DISM method also work. On Mac or Linux, format the USB as FAT32, copy the ISO files and split install.wim with wimlib.
What size USB do I need for Windows 11?
At least 8 GB. The Windows 11 files are about 7 GB, so a 16 GB drive gives more room. Everything on the drive is erased.
Can I make a Windows 11 bootable USB on a Mac?
Yes. Format the USB as FAT32 with Disk Utility or diskutil, copy the ISO’s files except install.wim, and split install.wim into smaller pieces with wimlib, because it’s over the 4 GB FAT32 limit.
Why is install.wim too large for my USB?
FAT32, the file system most PCs boot from, can’t hold files over 4 GB, and Windows 11’s install.wim is larger. Split it with DISM or wimlib, or use Rufus, which uses NTFS with a UEFI boot helper.
What is the boot menu key for my PC?
Common keys are F12 for Dell, Lenovo, Acer and Gigabyte, Esc then F9 for HP, F11 for MSI and ASRock, and Esc or F8 for ASUS. Surface devices use Volume Down plus Power.
Is Rufus safe to use?
Yes, when downloaded from its official site, rufus.ie. It’s free, open-source and widely used. Avoid ticking its option to remove Windows 11’s hardware checks unless you understand that Microsoft doesn’t support it.
Do I need a product key to install Windows 11 from USB?
Not if the PC previously ran activated Windows 10 or 11. Choose I don’t have a product key and it reactivates automatically. New builds need a genuine key.
Why doesn’t my PC boot from the USB?
Usually the PC is in Legacy mode or Fast Boot is skipping USB devices. Enable UEFI boot, turn off Fast Boot and choose the UEFI: entry for your USB in the boot menu.