How to Create a Windows 11 Bootable USB Drive

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Learn how to create a bootable USB drive to install Windows 11

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: December 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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Using the Media Creation Tool

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FAQ

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Do you need to make a Windows 11 boot drive for a new computer? Thankfully, Microsoft makes this process easy with the Media Creation Tool. In this article, we'll guide you through the step-by-step process of creating a Windows 11 boot drive USB. We've also addressed some frequently asked questions about creating a Windows 11 boot drive. Read on to learn more!

Quick Steps

Download the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool.
Open the Media Creation Tool.
Choose Create installation media for another PC.
Click Next.
Choose your Windows 11 language, edition, and architecture (64-bit).
Choose USB flash drive.
Insert the drive into your computer to create the boot drive.

Section 1 of 2:

Using the Media Creation Tool

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You'll need a flash drive with at least 8GB of space to create a boot drive. You'll also need to make sure that you have a Windows 11 product key or digital license, and the computer you're installing Windows 11 on must have a 64-bit CPU.
The software download website can be found at microsoft.com/en-us/software-download.^{[1]
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It's the first option on the list, on the far-left side.
This will download the Media Creation Tool. Make sure to save it in an easy-to-find location, such as your Downloads folder.
Double-click the .exe file to run it. You'll be asked to accept the license terms when you open the program for the first time.
Click Next to continue to the next step of the process.
Your Windows 11 edition can be found in Settings > System > About. The correct architecture to select is 64-bit.
You'll be prompted to insert the flash drive into your computer. Any data on the flash drive will be erased.
Once your boot drive is created, you can use it to install Windows 11 on your new computer.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 2:

FAQ

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1
Do I have to have Windows 11 to make a Windows 11 boot drive? You don't need to have a current Windows 11 installation to make a Windows 11 boot drive, but you must have a Windows 11 product key or digital license to activate Windows 11 on your new device.
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How do I make a Windows 11 boot drive on a Mac? The easiest way to do this is to use a virtual machine (such as VMWare Fusion, which is a free Windows virtual machine for Macs) and use the Media Creation Tool created by Windows. Otherwise, you'll need to buy a pre-made Windows 11 USB from a retailer or borrow someone else's Windows computer.
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How do I use a boot drive? Insert the Windows 11 boot drive into your new PC, then restart the device. The computer should automatically boot from the USB, where you can choose your Windows installation settings. If it doesn't automatically boot from the USB, you'll have to change the drive boot order in BIOS/UEFI.