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Although you can install Windows 11 in many ways, if you plan to start from scratch, you will usually use a bootable USB flash drive to continue the installation. However, since you cannot officially purchase the physical installation media, you need to create one yourself.
On Windows 11, you have at least two tools to download the installation file to a USB flash drive and make it bootable. You can use the official media creation tool to download the file to a removable storage device. Or you can use Rufus, a third-party tool that can easily create flash drives to install operating systems on compatible or incompatible devices.
In this Windows 11 guide, we will guide you through the steps of using the Microsoft Media Creation Tool and Rufus to create a USB flash drive that supports Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) firmware.
The media creation tool is the easiest way to create bootable media to upgrade or clean install Windows 11.
To create installation media using the media creation tool, connect a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of space and use the following steps:
Under the "Create Windows 11 Installation Media" section, click the "Download Now" button to save the file on your device.
(Optional) Clear the recommended options for using this PC.
Select the USB flash drive option.
Select the USB flash drive.
Quick Tip: If the device is not in the list, click the "Refresh Drive List" option to make it available.
After completing these steps, the tool will download the necessary files to create bootable media, and then you can use it to boot your computer to install Windows 11.
Alternatively, you can use Rufus, a free non-Microsoft tool that allows you to create installation media to install Windows 11 on any supported hardware and software configuration. The utility provides two methods to create installation media, including using an existing ISO file or downloading the file directly from a Microsoft server.
To create a USB media using an existing Windows 11 ISO file, please connect a flash drive with at least 8GB of space and use the following steps:
Under the "Download" section, click the link to save the latest version on your device.
Use the "Image Options" drop-down menu and select the standard Windows installation (TPM 2.0, secure boot, 8GB+ RAM) option.
After completing these steps, Rufus will create a USB flash drive to install Windows 11 on a compatible computer, unless you select the option to create a bootable item that skips the system requirements (not recommended).
To use Rufus to create a Windows 11 USB installer, connect a USB drive with enough space, and then use the following steps:
Under the "Download" section, click the link to save the latest version on your device.
Click the "Settings" button at the bottom of the page (the third button from the left).
Under the "Settings" section, use the Check for updates drop-down menu and select the daily option.
Quick Tip: These steps are necessary to enable the ISO download feature.
Under the "Startup Selection" section, click the down arrow button on the right and select the "Download" option.
Select the latest version-for example, 21H2 (version 22000.194-2021.10).
Use the "Language" drop-down menu and select your installation language.
Quick tip: If you are in the United States, please select the "English" option instead of "English International".
Use the "Image Options" drop-down menu and select the standard Windows installation (TPM 2.0, secure boot, 8GB+ RAM) option.
After completing these steps, the free utility will download the ISO file and create a bootable media to install Windows 11 that meets the minimum requirements. If you select the "Extended" option, the installer will bypass the requirement and let you continue the installation (not recommended).
For more useful articles, reports and frequently asked questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, please visit the following resources:
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