Download Microsoft's free Media Creation Tool, plug in a USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of space, run the program, select "Create installation media," choose your flash drive, and wait about 30 minutes. The tool downloads the latest Windows files directly from Microsoft and sets up your drive as a bootable installer.
This method works for both Windows 10 and Windows 11. You can use the same process to do a clean installation on a new computer, upgrade from an older version of Windows, or repair a system that won't start. It's also the standard way to install Windows on laptops and desktops that don't have a DVD drive, which includes most modern computers.
What you need: A USB flash drive (8 GB minimum, 16 GB recommended), a computer with internet access, and about 30 to 45 minutes. You'll also need a valid Windows product key for activation, though you can skip entering it during setup and activate later.
Why Use a USB Drive Instead of a DVD?
USB flash drives offer several advantages over DVDs for installing Windows. They transfer data faster, which means quicker installation times. Most new laptops and many desktop computers no longer include optical drives, making USB the only practical option. Flash drives are also reusable and easier to update when Microsoft releases new versions of Windows.
According to Microsoft's official download page, the Media Creation Tool is the recommended method for creating installation media. It always downloads the most current version of Windows with the latest security updates included.
What You Need Before Starting
- USB flash drive: At least 8 GB of storage space. A 16 GB drive gives you extra room and costs only a few dollars more.
- Working computer: You need a PC with internet access to download the tool and Windows files.
- Product key: A 25 character code that activates Windows. Check your email receipt, the sticker on your computer, or your Microsoft account.
- Time: Plan for 30 to 45 minutes total. Download speed affects how long this takes.
Important: Creating the installer erases everything on your USB drive. Copy any files you want to keep to another location before you start.
Windows 10 vs Windows 11: Which to Choose
Microsoft offers separate download tools for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Your choice depends on your computer's hardware and your preferences.
Windows 11 requires specific hardware: a 64-bit processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage, UEFI firmware with Secure Boot, and TPM version 2.0. Most computers made after 2017 meet these requirements.
Windows 10 runs on older hardware and remains a solid choice for computers that don't support Windows 11. Microsoft continues to provide security updates for Windows 10.
Preparing Your USB Flash Drive
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Insert your USB flash drive into any available USB port on your computer.
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Back up any files you want to keep. The tool formats the drive completely during the process.
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Verify the drive size by opening File Explorer and checking the capacity. You need at least 8 GB of total space, not just 8 GB of free space.
USB 3.0 drives work faster than USB 2.0 drives for both creating the installer and installing Windows. You can identify USB 3.0 ports by their blue interior color on many computers.
The Media Creation Tool adds a special startup code to a hidden section of the drive called the boot sector. When your computer powers on, the BIOS or UEFI firmware reads this code and knows how to load Windows from the drive. Without this code, the computer treats the drive as regular storage and ignores it during startup. The tool also formats the drive with a specific file system, either FAT32 or NTFS, that the Windows installer can read.
Creating the Windows Installer
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Download the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's website. For Windows 10, go to microsoft.com/software-download/windows10. For Windows 11, go to microsoft.com/software-download/windows11. Click "Download tool now" or "Download now."
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Run the downloaded file. The file is named MediaCreationTool followed by a version number. You may need to click "Yes" when Windows asks for permission.
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Accept the license terms after reading Microsoft's software agreement.
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Select "Create installation media" when asked what you want to do. The other option upgrades your current computer, which isn't what you need for making a USB installer.
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Choose your settings. The tool automatically selects the language, edition, and architecture that match your current computer. Uncheck "Use the recommended options" if you need different settings for another computer.
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Select "USB flash drive" as the media type and click Next.
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Choose your USB drive from the list. Double check that you selected the correct drive if you have multiple USB devices connected.
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Wait for the download and creation. The tool downloads approximately 4 to 6 GB of Windows files and copies them to your drive. This takes 20 to 45 minutes depending on your internet connection speed.
Boot Menu Keys by Computer Brand
To start your computer from the USB drive, you need to access the boot menu during startup. Press the correct key repeatedly as soon as you see the manufacturer's logo. The table below shows the most common keys for popular brands.
| Manufacturer | Boot Menu Key | BIOS/UEFI Key |
|---|---|---|
| Dell | F12 | F2 |
| HP | F9 | F10 or ESC |
| Lenovo | F12 | F1 or F2 |
| ASUS | F8 or ESC | DEL or F2 |
| Acer | F12 | F2 or DEL |
| MSI | F11 | DEL |
| Gigabyte | F12 | DEL |
| Microsoft Surface | Volume Down + Power | Volume Up + Power |
If the boot menu key doesn't work, your computer might be starting too fast. On Windows 10 or 11, go to Settings, then Update and Security (or System), then Recovery, and click "Restart now" under Advanced startup. From there, select "Use a device" and choose your USB drive.
Booting From Your USB Drive
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Insert the USB drive into the computer where you want to install Windows.
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Power on or restart the computer.
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Press the boot menu key repeatedly when you see the manufacturer logo. Refer to the table above for your specific brand.
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Select your USB drive from the boot menu. It may appear as the drive brand name, "USB HDD," "Removable Device," or similar.
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Press Enter to boot from the selected device. The Windows Setup screen appears after a moment.
Running Windows Setup
Once your computer starts from the USB drive, the Windows installer guides you through the installation process:
- Language and region: Select your language, time format, and keyboard layout.
- Install now: Click the button to begin installation. You can also click "Repair your computer" if you just need to fix an existing installation.
- Product key: Enter your 25 character key or click "I don't have a product key" to enter it later.
- Edition: Choose Home or Pro based on your license. Most personal computers use Home.
- Installation type: Select "Custom" for a clean installation or "Upgrade" to keep your files and programs.
- Drive selection: Choose which partition or drive to install Windows on.
For a clean installation: Delete all existing partitions on the target drive and select the unallocated space. Windows creates the necessary partitions automatically. This removes all old files and gives you a fresh start, which can resolve problems caused by corrupted system files.
The installation copies files, installs features, and restarts your computer several times. This process takes 15 to 30 minutes on most computers with SSD storage, or longer on systems with traditional hard disk drives.
When Your Computer Won't Boot From USB
Several issues can prevent your computer from starting from a USB drive. Here are the most common problems and their solutions:
- Drive not detected: Remove the USB drive, insert it into a different port, and try again. USB 2.0 ports, which have black interiors, sometimes work more reliably than USB 3.0 ports for boot drives.
- Secure Boot blocking: Secure Boot can block USB installers on some computers. Enter your BIOS or UEFI settings, find the Secure Boot option under Security or Boot, and disable it temporarily. Re-enable it after installing Windows.
- Wrong boot mode: Some computers need CSM or Legacy Boot enabled to recognize USB drives. This setting is in the BIOS/UEFI under Boot options.
- Boot order: Your computer may be set to boot from the internal drive first. Change the boot priority in BIOS/UEFI to put USB devices before the hard drive.
- Corrupted installer: If other solutions don't work, create the USB installer again. The download may have been interrupted or the drive may have errors.
After Installation: What to Do Next
Once Windows finishes installing, complete the initial setup by creating a user account, choosing privacy settings, and connecting to Wi-Fi. Windows then downloads and installs driver updates automatically through Windows Update.
Keep your USB installer in a safe place. You can use it again to reinstall Windows, set up other computers with the same Windows version, or access recovery tools if your computer has startup problems. The installer remains valid until Microsoft releases a major Windows update, at which point you can create a new one with the latest version.
If you disabled Secure Boot during installation, re-enable it now in your BIOS/UEFI settings. Secure Boot protects your computer against malware that tries to load before Windows starts, and Windows 11 requires it to be enabled.