Microsoft also provides an option to download ISO media and upgrade the Windows 10 to Windows 11 using the ISO media. But if you are already getting the Windows 11 upgrade via Windows Update, then why go through this trouble of downloading ISO from Microsoft? This is a convenient option for reinstalling Windows or for a repair upgrade.
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| How to make a bootable Windows 11 USB with Rufus |
Windows 10 and Windows 11 provide reset, recovery, and restore options from the cloud if you want to fix the Windows 11 devices. Windows 11 bootable USB is the best option for the clean install of Windows 11. This will clean up many things that get messed up with regular in-place upgrades of Windows 11.
If you plan to install Windows 11 on a computer that meets the minimum requirements using the clean process, you will need a bootable USB media, and in this guide, you will learn how.
Although you can start a clean install of Windows 11 directly from the Media Creation Tool or mounted ISO file, booting the device with a USB installation media is still the best approach to proceed with the installation. Also, it’s perhaps the only way to install Windows 11 on a new computer or a device with an empty hard drive.
If you need to create a bootable USB flash drive to install Windows 11, you have multiple options, including the Media Creation Tool, Rufus, and Command Prompt.
In this guide, you will learn how to create a USB bootable media to perform an in-place or clean install of Windows 11 with support for UEFI. You can use Windows 10 or Windows 11 to use these instructions.
How to make a bootable Windows 11 USB with Rufus
Rufus is an open-source alternative to the proprietary Windows media creation tool, but you’ll first need to arm yourself with an image file (or .iso) file of Windows 11 first. This is actually very easy to acquire, and we’ll link you to Microsoft’s official download below. Be sure that you have enough space to download the file, as it is around 5.2GB in size.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL WINDOWS 11 .ISO FILE
Once you have that downloaded, you’ll then need to get your hands on Rufus, which you can find here. Then, make sure you follow the steps below.
- Open the latest version of Rufus
- Press the “SELECT” button
- Navigate to your downloads and select the Windows 11 .iso file
- (Optional) Under “Volume Label”, name your bootable Windows 11 USB drive
- Press the “START” button
Then, Rufus will present you with a dropdown containing several options. We recommend removing the requirement to have an online Microsoft account, as it will help during the setup of your system, especially if your networking drivers have not been installed yet.
You should only tinker with the rest of the options if you know what they all mean. After making your selections, click “OK”. Rufus will then warn that you will be erasing all data currently stored on the drive. Click “Ok” to erase the drive and begin the installation process.
Bonus Tip: Recover data in case of data loss
As the above procedures include erasure of data on the USB drive, you might need professional data recovery software for Windows to get back your data. Moreover, you’ll probably proceed to clean install Windows 11 using the bootable USB. So there are chances of losing the already saved data on your PC.
Stellar Data Recovery Professional for Windows might come in handy in such a situation. It’s a 100% secure and trusted data recovery solution that works even in the worst data loss situations. Here’s how you can recover data using Stellar Data Recovery Professional in three simple steps.