How to install Windows 11 from a USB – Guide
For many years, we’ve been able to create Linux live disks that boot from a USB flash drive (or optical disk) and come out completely. These portable OS installs can come in handy when you want to try out an operating system on your internal hard drive or SSD without messing with any platforms. And they can be good for you when you want to carry your operating system and programs with you when going back and forth between computers. Thanks to Rufus, a popular free app that creates bootable USB drives, you can have a portable installation of Windows 11 that runs from a flash drive you keep in your pocket. Testing the Rufus “Windows to Go” feature, we were able to use the same Windows 11 disk on two different computers with minimal fuss. The latest version of Rufus not only allows you to create a Windows To Go version of Windows 11, but also one that can avoid the TPM and CPU requirements of the new OS. So if you have a computer that doesn’t have a TPM 2.0 or compatible CPU (Intel 8th Gen or higher, AMD Ryzen 2000 series or higher), you can boot to this Windows to Go disk without any problems. If you want to install Microsoft OS on the main SSD or hard drive of a PC with older hardware, check out our story at how to ignore Windows 11 TPM requirements or do a clean install of Windows 11.
Make sure you have enough space
Before proceeding, it’s worth making sure you don’t run out of space at any time. The Windows 11 ISO file is 5.1GB in size, so you’ll need that spare capacity on the device it’s being downloaded to, whatever flash drive you’re using, and the target devices. If this is proving to be complicated, the tips in our guide to release up space in Windows 10 can be useful. If there are files that you don’t need right away, it’s worth backing them up. up and then perform a factory reset. You can then choose what you want back on your PC later.
Download the ISO file
Previously, the download process involved signing into a Microsoft account and registering for the Windows Insider Program. Now it’s much simpler: If you need to keep any of your existing files and data, be sure to select this option. Once installed, this will run Windows 11 as if you just took the device out of the box. However, the process of installing it from a USB is a little more complicated.
Transfer it to a USB
The first step is easy. The ISO file will appear in File Explorer (or Finder if you are using a Mac) just like any other download. Just plug in your USB stick or other flash drive and transfer it as you normally would – it’s a large file, so this might take a minute or two. Once in USB, make sure to eject it before unplugging.
Run Windows 11 from USB
This is where things get complicated. The USB stick you just used needs to be bootable to run Windows 11 once it’s plugged in. Microsoft recommends using Rufus for this: Once complete, you now have a USB stick that you can use for a clean install of Windows 11 on any compatible device.
Final note
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