Having bootable media ready can be a real lifesaver when you need to do a clean installation of Windows. Thankfully, it’s easy to set that up.

There are two main ways to create bootable media for a Windows 11 install: using Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool or burning the ISO to removable media yourself.

Creating a Windows 11 Bootable USB With the Windows Media Creation Tool

The Windows 11 Media Creation Tool is software available as a free download from Microsoft. It’s by far the easiest way to do a clean install of Windows 11 using a USB flash drive.

8GB is the minimum size USB stick that will work. This will wipe the contents of the USB drive, so be sure to back up any data you want to keep first.

Here’s how to use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB for installing Windows 11:

1. Select your language and edition. The recommended defaults work well. Hit Next.
2. Plug the USB flash drive into your PC. In the tool, choose USB flash drive. Hit Next.
3. Select your USB drive from the list that appears. Hit Next. (If your USB isn’t listed, click Refresh drive list. If it still doesn’t show up, you may need to format the USB drive first. When formatting, choose FAT32 for the USB’s filesystem.)
4. The tool will begin downloading and writing files onto your USB. When it’s done, hit Finish.

Download: Windows 11 Media Creation Tool for Windows (Free)

Creating a Windows 11 Bootable DVD/USB Using an ISO Image

If the method above doesn’t work for you, you can do things the old-fashioned way instead: by burning a Windows ISO manually onto removable media such as a DVD or USB drive.

Any file that ends in .iso is an exact copy of a disk. It’s a virtual copy of a CD or DVD, with the same file structure and the same data. ISO copies are referred to as “images” of the original.

In this case, the ISO is a perfect copy of what would be on an original Windows DVD.

Here’s how to get a Windows 11 ISO and put it onto a bootable DVD or USB:

1. Go to the download page, scroll down to Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO), select a version from the dropdown, and click Download Now.
2. When the language dropdown box appears, select the language you prefer. Click Confirm. Click the 64-bit Download button. The ISO will begin downloading to your PC.
3. Use specialized software to record the ISO image onto removable media. Jump down to the separate sections below for instructions, depending on whether you’re putting it onto a DVD or USB.

Download: Windows 11 ISO for Windows (Free)

The Windows 10 Media Creation Tool is available for free from Microsoft and offers different ways to install Windows 10.

This tool can:

• Update the PC to Windows 10.
• Create a Windows 10 bootable USB stick.
• Download a Windows 10 ISO file to your computer for manual creation.

The second and third options let us put Windows installation media onto bootable media. We’ll briefly cover the steps for each method.

Download: Windows 10 Media Creation Tool for Windows (Free)

Creating a Windows 10 Bootable USB With the Windows Media Creation Tool

For 32-bit Windows installations, a 4GB USB stick is the minimum size that will work. For 64-bit, you’ll need 8GB at minimum. This process will wipe the contents of the USB drive, so be sure to back up any data you want to keep first.

Here’s how to use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB for installing Windows 10:

1. Select Create installation media for another PC. Hit Next.
2. Choose your language and edition. The recommended defaults work well. Hit Next.
3. Plug the USB flash drive into your PC. In the tool, select USB flash drive. Hit Next.
4. Select your USB drive from the list that appears. Hit Next. (If your USB isn’t listed, click Refresh drive list. If it still doesn’t show up, you may need to format the USB drive first. When formatting, choose FAT32 for the USB’s filesystem.)
5. The tool will begin downloading and writing files onto your USB. When it’s done, hit Finish.

Creating a Windows 10 Bootable DVD/USB Using an ISO Image

If the method above isn’t available, you can manually download a Windows 10 ISO instead and manually record it onto a DVD or USB flash drive. This method also uses the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool mentioned above.

Here’s how to use the Media Creation Tool get a Windows 10 ISO and put it onto a bootable DVD or USB:

1. Select Create installation media for another PC. Hit Next.
2. Choose your language and edition. The recommended defaults work well. Hit Next.
3. Select ISO file. Hit Next. When prompted, choose where to save the file onto your disk.
4. The tool will begin downloading the ISO file and update you on its progress. When it’s done, hit Finish.
5. Use specialized software to record the ISO image onto removable media. Jump down to the separate sections below for instructions, depending on whether you’re putting it onto a DVD or USB.

How to Burn a Windows ISO Onto a DVD

Many DVDs don’t have enough storage capacity to use as Windows installation media. You must use a DVD that will fit the Windows ISO file you’ve downloaded. That’s why we recommend using a USB flash drive instead.

To burn a Windows ISO to DVD, you can use Window’s native ISO burner. Right-click on the ISO file you’ve downloaded, and select Burn disc image.

This will open the native burner. It couldn’t be simpler to use—just enter a DVD and press burn!

Alternatively, several programs can burn an ISO to a DVD and make it bootable. One of the best ways to burn CDs and DVDs on Windows is with BurnAware, which offers a free version for home use.

Download: Burnaware for Windows (Free)

How to Flash a Windows ISO Onto a USB Drive

If you aren’t able to use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB, you can manually flash a Windows ISO onto your USB drive instead.

The simplest way to create a bootable USB drive is with Rufus. Download and open it by right-clicking on it and selecting Run As Administrator.

Here’s how to use Rufus to write a Windows ISO onto a USB drive:

1. Select your USB drive from the Device dropdown menu.
2. Click Select next to the Boot selection dropdown and locate your Windows ISO file.
3. Give your USB drive a descriptive title in the Volume label text box.
4. Click Start to begin writing.

Rufus gives you the option of using a GPT file system for UEFI systems, and MBR for BIOS systems. The program can detect what system you have; if you don’t know what kind of system you have, let Rufus choose for you!

Alternatively, if Rufus doesn’t work for you, there are many alternative tools to make bootable USBs that you can try instead. Rufus only works on Windows, but if you really need to, there’s also a way to [create a Windows bootable USB on Linux](# How to Create a Windows Bootable USB on Linux).

Download: Rufus for Windows (Free)

What If I’ve Forgotten My Product Key?

When you purchased Windows you should have received either a 25-character product key or a digital license. You can still install Windows without either of these, but you won’t be able to activate it.

If you lost your product key, there are ways to find it again. The Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder has a free version that will display your CD Key.

Alternatively, you can follow our guide for other ways to find your Windows 11 or 10 product key.

Download: The Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder for Windows (Free)

Now, you have a bootable version of Windows on a USB flash drive or DVD. To use it, you’ll need to change your PC’s boot order to boot from the selected drive. This will launch the Windows Installation Wizard, and you can then install Windows.