How to make a Windows 10 Bootable USB Drive (With Rufus)

Learn how to make a windows 10 bootable USB drive or pendrive with rufus, step by step and how to still use the drive for normal works after making it bootable. Yes guys in this article i am gonna show you pro use of rufus to make bootable media properly, to install windows 10 on your laptops and desktops. Also in single board computers like lattepanda alpha.

So all you need a Microsoft media creation tool, rufus setup from their websites. A USB drive of at least 4GB or more and a proper internet or WiFi connection on a PC. Before starting the process make sure to backup or copy any important files on USB drive if have because all files will be deleted / formatted during the media creation. For a fresh start you have to download the updated copy of Microsoft windows 10 ISO file (which is free of cost) see the steps below, or you can also use you windows DVD as well as process is almost same. Just follow the steps below:

Step 1: Download the Microsoft media creation tool from here: http://bit.ly/2XA0MGK

Step 2: Then also download rufus setup: https://rufus.ie/

Step 3: Open up the media creation tool and click on accept button.

Step 4: In the next page select create installation media and hit next button.

Step 5: Then you have 2 options, download the windows 10 directly to USB drive (it will download windows files to USB drive and make it bootable, easy but its for 1 time) or you can download windows 10 ISO file to make bootable USB for multiple (it have less chance of failure then option 1). Select ISO file can continue:

Step 6: Select the path to download the ISO file, then hit next it will take few minutes to download the ISO, depending on you internet or WiFi speed.

Step 7: Finish the setup after downloading, then plug the USB drive to you PC.

Step 8: Open up rufus (its portable no need to install)

Step 9: Your USB drive will auto detect in rufus no need to select (if you have any other drive plugged in the make sure to select you USB drive on rufus)

Step 10: Select ISO as Boot selection , just browse the path where you downloaded the ISO the Open it up.

Step 11: Now label your USB drive with any name, then in the file system select NTFS (why see down in this article)

Step 12: Click Start button start the process of making windows 10 bootable USB drive with rufus.

Congratulation !! you just created your bootable media, now you can install windows 10 to any supported computer. Pro tip just hide the windows files inside the USB to use your drive as normal flash drive. Hiding windows files helps to keep those files safe and now your media is bootable and you can use rest of the space for you normal works.

Why i select NTFS for file System ??

If you continue with the Fat32 then you will no longer be able to copy large files to the USB drive which is larger than 4GB, you will get the following error dialog box saying:

So make sure to select NTFS file system in rufus

How to use bootable USB drive to install windows ??

Step 1: Plug your bootable USB drive to your laptop or PC (make sure its turned off)

Step 2: Press the power button of your computer and then quickly press the boot menu key to open boot menu.

Step 3: In the boot menu select your USB drive and hit enter, Now you will see the setup of windows 🙂

Note: Boot menu keys for all computers are not same, see the general boot menu keys below:

Lenovo: fn+f12 Asus Laptop: Esc Asus Desktop: f8 HP Laptop: f9 Dell Laptop: f12 Acer: ALT + F2 Toshiba: F12

Windows 10 bootable USB drive with rufus (Video tutorial)

Thank you so much for watching how to make a windows 10 bootable USB drive with rufus, hope my article and video helps you. If you still have any question please feel free to ask in the comment section, thank you again. Good luck for your windows installation, Have a nice day 🙂