Create UEFI Bootable USB Of Windows 10
To prepare the bootable UEFI USB drive of Windows 10, we recommend using a free tool called Rufus over Microsoft’s Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool as Rufus is more reliable and offers more features when compared to other tools in the market
Preparing a bootable USB of Windows 10 is as simple as making a bootable USB of Windows 8 or Windows 7. In fact, all the methods and tools out there create Windows 7 bootable USB work great with Windows 10 as well.
The fact that Microsoft’s USB/DVD Download tool, the official tool which helps you transfer ISO files contents to USB, supports the latest version of Windows operating system makes the installation of Windows 10 from USB a lot easier. Users who’re having issues with this official tool can follow the ever-green and 100% working install Windows 10 from USB guide to prepare the bootable USB with the help of additional utilities.
To prepare the bootable UEFI USB drive of Windows 10, we recommend using a free tool called Rufus over Microsoft’s Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool as Rufus is more reliable and offers more features when compared to other tools in the market.
Since there are many users who might want to use the official Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool, we will be using the tool to prepare the bootable USB of Windows 10. And we will then use the free Rufus tool to prepare bootable UEFI Windows 10 USB drive (method 2).
Method 1
Windows 10 bootable USB using USB/DVD Download Tool
IMP: If you’re get “The selected file is not a valid ISO file” error, please follow the instructions mentioned in our how to fix the selected file is not a valid ISO file error guide.
NOTE: Before using this tool, please make sure that your PC doesn’t support UEFI as Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool doesn’t help you prepare the bootable USB for UEFI PCs. To create a bootable USB of Windows 10 for UEFI supported PCs, please use Rufus tool.
Step 1: Click on this official link to download Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool directly from Microsoft servers.
Step 2: Connect a USB flash or hard drive with 4GB+ capacity and backup data before continuing further. Please be sure to backup all data from your USB drive as the drive will be formatted in the coming steps.
Step 3: Run the downloaded USB/DVD Download Tool setup file and then follow the easy on-screen instructions to get it installed on your PC running Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1.
Step 4: Launch Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, click the Browse button to browse to the folder where Windows 10 ISO image file is located. After selecting the ISO image, click Next button.
Step 5: In the following screen, you need to select USB device as your media type. To do so, click on the USB device button.
Step 6: Next, you’ll be asked to select your USB drive. Please carefully select your USB drive from the drop-down list before clicking the Begin Copying button. Again, it’s important to note that a wrong selection of drive will cause data loss.
The Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool starts copying all the contents of the ISO image to the USB drive and will make it bootable in a couple of minutes.
Once done, you can connect bootable USB to the PC on which you want to install Windows 10, change BIOS settings to boot from USB, and start installing Windows 10.
Method 2
Bootable UEFI USB of Windows 10 using Rufus
Step 1: Visit this page and download the latest version of Rufus. Rufus is a portable utility and hence doesn’t require an installation.
Step 2: Connect your 4GB+ USB drive to your PC where you have installed Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1. Be sure to backup all data from your USB drive.
Step 3: Run Rufus utility. Click Yes button when you see the UAC prompt to launch the tool.
Step 4: Under the Device section, select your USB drive that you want to make bootable, select MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI computers, or GPT partition scheme for UEFI computer depending the type of partition type on your PC.
Step 5: Next, select the File system as FAT32 (default) as it supports both BIOS and UEFI. But if you’re sure that your PC doesn’t support UEFI, you can choose NTFS for a faster installation.
Step 6: Enter a volume label, click on the CD/DVD drive icon to browse to the Windows 10 ISO image file. Select the file.
Step 7: Finally, click Start button, click OK button when you see the warning dialog to continue its job.
Once Rufus completes its job, you’ll see “Done” message. That’s it!
The fact that Microsoft’s USB/DVD Download tool, the official tool which helps you transfer ISO files contents to USB, supports the latest version of Windows operating system makes the installation of Windows 10 from USB a lot easier. Users who’re having issues with this official tool can follow the ever-green and 100% working install Windows 10 from USB guide to prepare the bootable USB with the help of additional utilities.
To prepare the bootable UEFI USB drive of Windows 10, we recommend using a free tool called Rufus over Microsoft’s Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool as Rufus is more reliable and offers more features when compared to other tools in the market.
Since there are many users who might want to use the official Windows 7 USB/DVD Tool, we will be using the tool to prepare the bootable USB of Windows 10. And we will then use the free Rufus tool to prepare bootable UEFI Windows 10 USB drive (method 2).
Method 1
Windows 10 bootable USB using USB/DVD Download Tool
IMP: If you’re get “The selected file is not a valid ISO file” error, please follow the instructions mentioned in our how to fix the selected file is not a valid ISO file error guide.
NOTE: Before using this tool, please make sure that your PC doesn’t support UEFI as Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool doesn’t help you prepare the bootable USB for UEFI PCs. To create a bootable USB of Windows 10 for UEFI supported PCs, please use Rufus tool.
Step 1: Click on this official link to download Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool directly from Microsoft servers.
Step 2: Connect a USB flash or hard drive with 4GB+ capacity and backup data before continuing further. Please be sure to backup all data from your USB drive as the drive will be formatted in the coming steps.
Step 3: Run the downloaded USB/DVD Download Tool setup file and then follow the easy on-screen instructions to get it installed on your PC running Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1.
Step 4: Launch Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, click the Browse button to browse to the folder where Windows 10 ISO image file is located. After selecting the ISO image, click Next button.
Step 5: In the following screen, you need to select USB device as your media type. To do so, click on the USB device button.
Step 6: Next, you’ll be asked to select your USB drive. Please carefully select your USB drive from the drop-down list before clicking the Begin Copying button. Again, it’s important to note that a wrong selection of drive will cause data loss.
The Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool starts copying all the contents of the ISO image to the USB drive and will make it bootable in a couple of minutes.
Once done, you can connect bootable USB to the PC on which you want to install Windows 10, change BIOS settings to boot from USB, and start installing Windows 10.
Method 2
Bootable UEFI USB of Windows 10 using Rufus
Step 1: Visit this page and download the latest version of Rufus. Rufus is a portable utility and hence doesn’t require an installation.
Step 2: Connect your 4GB+ USB drive to your PC where you have installed Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1. Be sure to backup all data from your USB drive.
Step 3: Run Rufus utility. Click Yes button when you see the UAC prompt to launch the tool.
Step 4: Under the Device section, select your USB drive that you want to make bootable, select MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI computers, or GPT partition scheme for UEFI computer depending the type of partition type on your PC.
Step 5: Next, select the File system as FAT32 (default) as it supports both BIOS and UEFI. But if you’re sure that your PC doesn’t support UEFI, you can choose NTFS for a faster installation.
Step 6: Enter a volume label, click on the CD/DVD drive icon to browse to the Windows 10 ISO image file. Select the file.
Step 7: Finally, click Start button, click OK button when you see the warning dialog to continue its job.
Once Rufus completes its job, you’ll see “Done” message. That’s it!
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