How to Create a Bootable USB to Install Windows or Linux
To install Windows or Linux from scratch you need a "bootable" USB — no prior technical knowledge needed, just the right order of steps.
To install Windows or Linux from scratch you need a "bootable" USB: a USB drive specially prepared so the computer can start directly from it, instead of starting Windows the way it normally does. No prior technical knowledge needed, just the right order of steps.
You'll need: a USB drive of at least 8 GB (it will be completely wiped, so it shouldn't have anything important on it), and the installation file (.iso) for the system you want to install, downloaded beforehand from the official Windows website or your chosen Linux distribution's site.
At a glance, here's the whole process:
Download the .iso file
The installation file for the system you want, from the official website.
Download the creation tool
A free tool that prepares the USB automatically.
Plug in the USB and run the tool
Choose the .iso file and the target USB.
Wait for it to finish
Between 10 and 20 minutes depending on USB speed.
1. Download the installation file
If you're installing Windows, download it from Microsoft's official page ("Download Windows 11"). If you're installing Linux, download it from the official website of your chosen distribution (for example, Ubuntu.com). In both cases, the file will have a .iso extension.
2. Download a tool to create the USB
It's not enough to just copy the .iso file onto the USB like any regular document — the USB needs to be prepared in a special way so the computer knows how to boot from it. For that you need a free tool:
- Rufus (rufus.ie): the most widely used tool for preparing Windows USBs, free.
- balenaEtcher (balena.io/etcher): simple and works equally well for Windows or Linux.
3. Prepare the USB
Plug in the USB, open the tool you chose, select the .iso file you downloaded, and select your USB as the target.
Warning: double-check you've selected the correct USB before continuing. The process completely wipes everything on the chosen drive, with no way to recover it afterward.
Click "Start" (Rufus) or "Flash" (balenaEtcher) and wait for the progress bar to finish. Don't unplug the USB during the process.
4. Boot the computer from the USB
With the USB already prepared and plugged in, restart the computer and enter the boot menu — usually by pressing a key like F12, F2 or Del right as it powers on, before the Windows logo appears (the exact key varies by manufacturer). There, choose your USB as the boot device.
Tip: not sure which key it is on your machine? Search "[your computer's brand] boot menu" — almost every manufacturer uses the same key across all their models.
If you'd rather do it via commands instead of a windowed program, Windows includes a tool called diskpart for preparing USBs manually — though for most cases, Rufus or balenaEtcher are simpler and safer:
diskpart
list disk
select disk 1
clean
create partition primary
format fs=fat32 quick
active
Note: in the command above, "disk 1" is just an example — you should first check with list disk which number is really your USB, so you don't accidentally wipe the computer's main drive.
With the USB now prepared, you can follow our full guides for installing Ubuntu step by step or installing Linux Mint step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Is the USB permanently wiped after using it to install?
No, after installation you can format the USB again from Windows File Explorer and use it normally for storing files, like any other USB drive.
Can I use the same USB for Windows and Linux at once?
With basic tools (Rufus, balenaEtcher), one USB works for one system at a time. More advanced tools exist for 'multiboot' USBs with several systems, but they're not necessary for most people.
What do I do if the computer won't boot from the USB?
Enter the BIOS/UEFI (usually with Del or F2 when powering on) and check that Secure Boot is disabled, or that the USB has boot priority over the internal drive.