How to Create a Windows 11 Installation USB (Rufus Beginners Guide)

Summary

This guide offers a step-by-step tutorial on creating a Windows 11 bootable USB drive using Rufus, a free and open-source portable application. It covers downloading Rufus, selecting the appropriate ISO file, and configuring settings for both standard and Windows To Go installations. The video also explains choosing between MBR and GPT, customizing the bootable drive with options to bypass Windows 11 hardware requirements, and setting regional and privacy preferences for a seamless installation experience.

Takeaways

• 💻 The guide provides a method to create a Windows 11 bootable USB drive for both supported and unsupported hardware.
• 🌐 The user is instructed to visit a specific webpage to download Rufus, a tool used to create the bootable USB drive.
• 🔗 The download link for Rufus is provided in the video's description and cards.
• 📁 The user needs to download the latest Windows 11 ISO file, with a separate guide available for this process.
• 🔍 The USB flash drive to be used must be at least 8GB in size and should be plugged in before proceeding.
• 📂 After inserting the USB, it should be selected in Rufus under the device tab, and the Windows 11 ISO file should be chosen.
• 🔄 The user can choose between a standard Windows installation and Windows To Go, with the former being the common choice.
• 🔄 MBR and GPT options are presented, with GPT being recommended for most modern computers and MBR for older systems.
• 🏷 Customization options in Rufus allow the user to name the USB, set regional options, and adjust privacy and encryption settings.
• 🚫 The script suggests removing Windows 11 hardware requirements and the need for an online Microsoft account during setup.
• ⏱ The process of creating the bootable USB may take around 10 minutes, after which the USB drive will be ready for use.
• 🔄 Once completed, the USB drive can be used to perform a repair or clean install of Windows 11 on a computer.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the guide presented in the video script?

The guide is intended to show viewers how to create a Windows 11 bootable USB drive that can be used to install Windows 11 on both supported and unsupported hardware.

Which software is recommended for creating the bootable USB drive in the script?

The software recommended is Rufus, which can be downloaded from a specific webpage mentioned in the script.

Where can viewers find the download link for Rufus mentioned in the script?

The download link for Rufus is provided in the video's description and in the cards, as the first link.

What are the different options available for downloading Rufus?

There are options for downloading the standard 64-bit version, the portable version, and other versions for specific hardware or software needs.

What is required before using Rufus to create the bootable USB drive?

You need to download the latest Windows 11 ISO file, which can be obtained from a separate guide provided by the video creator.

What is the minimum size requirement for the USB flash drive used in the process?

The USB flash drive should be at least 8 gigabytes in size.

What are the two main options for the installation type in Rufus?

The two main options are a standard Windows installation and Windows To Go.

What does MBR stand for and when should it be used?

MBR stands for Master Boot Record and is generally used for older systems with a normal BIOS or CSM BIOS, also known as Legacy BIOS, typically for hardware from before 2012.

What does GPT stand for and when is it recommended to use?

GPT stands for GUID Partition Table and is recommended for use in most cases today as it is compatible with UEFI BIOS, which is common in modern computers.

What customization options are available when creating the Windows 11 bootable USB flash drive with Rufus?

Customization options include removing Windows 11 requirements, removing the online Microsoft account requirement, skipping user account creation, setting regional options, disabling data collection, and disabling BitLocker automatic device encryption.

How long does the process of creating the bootable USB drive with Rufus typically take?

The process generally takes around 10 minutes to complete.

What will happen to the USB flash drive's name after Rufus finishes creating the bootable drive?

The USB flash drive's name will be changed to the volume label selected by the user during the customization process.

What can be done with the created Windows 11 bootable USB flash drive after the process is complete?

The created Windows 11 bootable USB flash drive can be used to boot up and perform a repair or clean install of Windows 11 on a computer, regardless of whether it has supported or unsupported hardware.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 Preparing the Windows 11 Bootable USB with Rufus

This paragraph provides a step-by-step guide on creating a bootable Windows 11 USB drive using Rufus. It begins with downloading Rufus from a specified webpage and choosing the appropriate version for most users. The guide then instructs viewers to download the latest Windows 11 ISO file, which is detailed in a separate guide linked in the video description. The process continues with plugging in a USB flash drive of at least 8GB, selecting the ISO file in Rufus, and choosing between a standard Windows installation and Windows To Go. The guide also covers the selection between GPT and MBR partition styles, with a recommendation for GPT due to its compatibility with modern UEFI BIOS systems. Advanced drive properties and formatting options are briefly mentioned, with a focus on customizing the USB drive's name and leaving other settings at default. The paragraph concludes with initiating the creation of the bootable drive and customizing Windows 11 settings to bypass certain requirements and privacy settings.

05:04

🚀 Completing the Windows 11 Bootable USB Creation

The second paragraph details the final steps in creating the Windows 11 bootable USB flash drive. It starts with confirming the erasure of all data on the USB drive before proceeding with Rufus's creation process, which typically takes around 10 minutes. Upon completion, Rufus changes the drive's name to the volume label selected by the user and displays a green progress bar. The guide then demonstrates how to verify the bootable files on the USB by opening it from 'My PC'. The paragraph ends with the user being able to use the created USB drive for repairing or performing a clean install of Windows 11 on both supported and unsupported hardware. The video guide concludes with a prompt for viewers to like the video and an anticipation for the next video.

Keywords

💡Windows 11

Windows 11 is the latest operating system from Microsoft, succeeding Windows 10. It represents the main theme of the video, which is about creating a bootable USB drive for this operating system. In the script, Windows 11 is mentioned as the target OS to be installed via the bootable USB drive, and the process involves downloading an ISO file for this OS.

💡Bootable USB drive

A bootable USB drive is a storage device that contains an operating system which can be booted on a computer. In the context of the video, the bootable USB drive is essential for installing Windows 11, and the script provides a step-by-step guide on how to create one using a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of storage.

💡Rufus

Rufus is a free and open-source portable application for Microsoft Windows that is used for formatting and creating bootable USB flash drives or Live USBs. In the video script, Rufus is the tool recommended to create the Windows 11 bootable USB drive, and the process includes downloading and using it to format the USB and load the ISO file.

💡ISO file

An ISO file is a disk image file format that contains an exact copy of data which can be written to a CD, DVD, or USB flash drive. In the video, the ISO file is the Windows 11 installation file that needs to be downloaded and selected in Rufus to create the bootable USB drive.

💡Hardware requirements

Hardware requirements refer to the minimum specifications that a computer system must meet to run a particular software, such as an operating system. The script mentions removing the Windows 11 hardware requirements, which implies creating a USB drive that can bypass these checks for installation on both supported and unsupported hardware.

💡GPT

GPT stands for GUID Partition Table, which is a standard for the layout of the partition table on a physical hard disk. It is mentioned in the script as an option in Rufus for creating the bootable USB drive, and it is the recommended choice for most modern computers with UEFI BIOS as opposed to MBR.

💡MBR

MBR stands for Master Boot Record, which is another type of boot sector with a partition table on a storage device. The script explains that MBR is generally used for older systems with a traditional BIOS, and viewers are advised to choose GPT first, but if booting is unsuccessful, they should try MBR.

💡UEFI BIOS

UEFI BIOS, or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, is a specification that defines a software interface between an operating system and platform firmware. It is mentioned in the script as the type of BIOS that most modern computers have, which is why GPT is the suggested option for creating the bootable USB drive.

💡BitLocker

BitLocker is a disk encryption feature included with Windows operating systems that protects data by encrypting the entire Windows system volume. In the script, there is an option to disable BitLocker automatic device encryption to prevent the USB drive from being automatically encrypted during the Windows 11 installation process.

💡Data collection

Data collection refers to the process of gathering and storing information. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as an option to disable data collection during the Windows 11 setup, which would skip privacy questions and prevent the collection of certain information during the installation.

💡Regional options

Regional options are settings that determine the regional and language preferences for a computer, such as time and date formats and language. The script suggests setting these options on the bootable USB drive to match the computer being used to create it, ensuring a smooth setup process for the user.

Highlights

Introduction to creating a Windows 11 bootable USB drive for both supported and unsupported hardware.

Accessing the webpage to download Rufus, a tool for creating the bootable drive and removing hardware requirements.

Different download options for Rufus, including standard 64-bit and portable versions.

Instructions on downloading the latest Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft.

Requirement for an 8GB minimum USB flash drive size.

Selecting the Windows 11 ISO file for the bootable USB creation process.

Choosing between standard Windows installation and Windows To Go options in Rufus.

Explanation of the difference between MBR and GPT, and when to use each.

Suggestion to try GPT first for most modern computers with UEFI BIOS.

Customizing the bootable USB with a name and default file system settings.

Customization options for the Windows 11 bootable USB, including removing hardware requirements.

Recommendation to keep the online Microsoft account requirement unchecked.

Option to skip user account creation and set a username during installation.

Setting regional options to match the computer used for creating the bootable USB.

Disabling data collection to skip privacy questions during Windows 11 setup.

Disabling BitLocker automatic device encryption to prevent automatic drive encryption.

Warning about data loss and the need to back up important files before proceeding.

Process completion indicated by a green progress bar and renamed USB drive.

Final use of the Windows 11 USB flash drive for repair or clean install on various hardware.

Transcripts

Welcome to this quick guide where I'm going to show you how to create a Windows 11 bootable

USB drive.

The method I show in this video can be used to create a Windows 11 bootable USB flash drive

which can be used to install Windows 11 on both supported and unsupported hardware.

The first step is to open up your web browser of choice and then go to this webpage.

Now I'll have this website linked in my written guide, which will be the first link in this

video's description,

so you can also go ahead and get it from there.

But once you're on this page, this is where we can download Rufus,

and that's what we'll be using to create a bootable USB drive,

and we'll also be using it to remove the Windows 11 hardware requirements.

Once you're on this page, just scroll all the way down until you find the download links,

and here you have a few different options to choose from.

For most of us, the first option, which is the standard 64-bit, will be perfect,

but if you want to use the portable version or you have other hardware or software that

you need to use it on,

you can go ahead and use any of the other links.

I'm going to be downloading the standard Rufus.

I'll go ahead and click on that,

and once it's finished, I'll just click on open file to open it,

and then here we have Rufus open on our computer.

Now before we move on, you'll need to download the latest Windows 11 ISO file,

and I've made a separate guide on how you can get this Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft,

and I'll link that in the description of this video and in the cards now,

so you can go ahead and follow that guide if you don't know how to get this ISO file,

and then come back and create a bootable USB flash drive with Windows 11 on it.

Starting from the top in Rufus, currently it doesn't detect any device,

as I don't have a USB flash drive plugged in,

and the flash drive that you use needs to be at least 8 gigs in size,

so go ahead and plug in your USB flash drive if you haven't done so already.

Once you've plugged in your USB flash drive, you should see it listed here under the device tab,

and next you'll need to select an ISO image, which will be the Windows 11 ISO file,

so just go ahead and click on select, and then you'll need to navigate to where you

saved the ISO file

on your computer.

For me, I saved it on the desktop, and here I have the Windows 1122H2 ISO file,

so I'll go ahead and double click on that to open it.

Next, you can choose between a standard Windows installation and Windows To Go.

For most of us, the standard Windows installation is what we're looking for,

so just leave it on that option, and then you can choose between GPT and MBR.

Now, if you don't know what the difference is between MBR and GPT, and which one you

should choose,

MBR is generally for older systems that still use a normal BIOS, or CSM BIOS,

also called Legacy BIOS, and I would say if your computer hardware is from before 2012,

then you might need to use MBR, but in most cases today, GPT will be the option that you'll want to select here,

as most of the computers these days have a UEFI BIOS.

So, I would suggest that you

leave this on GPT and create the USB flash drive and see if you can boot from it, and if you can't

boot from it, then come and follow this process again, but change this to MBR, and then see if you

can boot from it in your computer.

Here, you also have some advanced drive properties that we're

not going to be using, so I'll just go ahead and hide that again, and then you have some

different format options.

The first one being you can give this USB flash drive a name, so I'll give this

USB flash drive a name of Windows 11, so I know what's on it, and for the file system

and cluster size and these advanced format options, you can just leave this all on default, and once you're

ready to create this USB flash drive, you can just click on start.

Now, you'll be prompted to

customize this Windows 11 bootable USB flash drive.

So, here you have a few different options,

and let me run through each of them real quick so you can understand what they all mean.

Now the first one will remove the requirements for Windows 11, and I definitely suggest that you

leave this ticked, even if your computer does support Windows 11, just leave this option checked

so you don't run into any issues.

Then, you also have the option to remove the requirement for an

online Microsoft account.

I also recommend that you keep that checked.

Next, you can skip the

user account creation process if you check this box, and then type a username.

I'm going to leave

that unchecked for this installation, and then you have the option to set the regional options

to the same value as the user of the computer that you're currently using.

So, that means the regional

options, like the time and date and the language of this Windows 11 bootable USB drive,

will be the same as this computer's that you're using to create the bootable USB flash drive.

Next, you have the option to disable data collection, and this will skip the privacy questions when

you're setting up Windows 11 for the first time.

I definitely want to have that checked,

and then I'll also disable the BitLocker automatic device encryption so my drive doesn't get

automatically encrypted by BitLocker.

Once you're happy with the settings you've chosen here,

you can just go ahead and click on OK, and then you'll be prompted that all of the data

that you have on this USB drive will be destroyed.

So, if you have any important files that you can't afford

to lose, you need to make a backup of them before you continue with this process.

But if you're sure

that all of the data on this USB flash drive can be erased, then you can go ahead and click

on OK.

Rufus will now start creating the bootable Windows 11 USB flash drive, and you can have

a look at the status screen down here to see how this process is going along.

Now, generally, you can

expect to wait around 10 minutes for this process to complete.

Once Rufus has finished creating the

Windows 11 bootable USB flash drive, you'll see the progress bar in the status screen

will turn completely green, and the USB flash drive's name will be changed to whatever you selected

here in the volume label.

If I go ahead and close out of Rufus, and then open this PC, and open the Windows 11

USB flash drive, I can now see all of the bootable Windows 11 files on it, and you can

now use this Windows 11 USB flash drive to boot up and do a repair or clean install of Windows 11

on your computer, whether it has supported hardware or unsupported hardware.

I do hope this guide helped you out.

Please like the video and see you in the next one.