Creating a Bootable Windows 10 USB: A Simple Guide

Can Windows 10 be installed on a USB drive?

Maybe you have a Windows 10 computer running while your home computer is Windows 7. Sometimes you can run it at home, but the non-Windows 10 environment makes it hard for you to focus in this case, you might wonder if Windows 10 can be installed on a USB drive. So you can take it home and enjoy Windows 10 while running, it's definitely what we call Windows to Go USB.

Do you want to know how to create a bootable Windows 10 USB but don't know the steps? Do not look any further. Today, we'll show you how to do it step by step in this guide. You can say goodbye to hard steps and hello to easy operation with our simple steps.

How to Create Windows 10 Bootable USB

When you read the review about Windows 10 to Go, you may can't wait to know how to build Windows 10 To Go USB by ISO. In this process, it is easy and does not require much technical knowledge if you want to build a USB drive that can activate Windows 10. Please follow these simple steps.

1. Make Preparations Beforehand

Before we begin, let's gather the materials needed for creating a Windows 10 bootable USB drive:

• A USB flash drive with at least 8GB of storage capacity.
• A Windows 10 ISO file downloaded from the official Microsoft website.
• A reliable USB creation tool such as Rufus or the Windows Media Creation Tool.

Now that we have everything we need let's proceed to the next steps.

2. Formatting the USB Drive

To ensure compatibility and proper functioning, it's essential to format the USB drive correctly. Follow these steps to format the USB drive:

1. Insert the USB flash drive into an available USB port on your computer.
2. Open Disk Management by right-clicking on the Start menu and selecting "Disk Management."
3. Locate your USB drive in the list of available drives, right-click on it, and select "Format."
4. Choose the file system as "FAT32" and leave the allocation unit size as "Default."  If you are using NTFS, you can also convert NTFS to FAT32 without formatting on the USB stick.
5. Click "OK" to start the formatting process.

Once the formatting is complete, you're ready to proceed to the next step.

3. Creating the Bootable USB Drive

Now that we've formatted the USB drive let's create the bootable USB drive using the Windows Media Creation Tool:

1. Download and install the Windows Media Creation Tool from the official Microsoft website.
2. Launch the Windows Media Creation Tool and accept the terms and conditions.
3. Select "Create installation media for another PC" and click "Next."
4. Choose the language, edition, and architecture for Windows 10 and click "Next."
5. Select "USB flash drive" as the media type and insert your formatted USB drive.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to create the bootable USB drive.

Once the process is complete, you'll have a bootable USB drive ready for Windows 10 installation.

4. Installing Windows 10

With the bootable USB drive prepared, it's time to install Windows 10:

1. Insert the bootable USB drive into the computer where you want to install Windows 10.
2. Restart the computer and access the BIOS or UEFI settings by pressing the designated key (usually F2 or Del) during startup.
3. In the BIOS or UEFI settings, set the USB drive as the primary boot device.
4. Save the changes and exit the BIOS or UEFI settings to restart the computer.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Windows 10 installation process.

Congratulations! You've now successfully created a bootable USB drive for installing Windows 10.

Use AOMEI Partition Assistant to Create Bootable Windows 10 USB

If you want to use the official Windows To Go function, your USB must be certified by USB, and the operating system version must be the Enterprise or Education version. If it does not meet both requirements, it will fail. So in this case, you should use AOMEI Partition Assistant that supports certified and uncertified USB drives.

It can create a powerful USB for any version of Windows 10, 8 or 7. Including Enterprise, Education, Home and Professional. It also can create portable USB drive with or without Windows 10 ISO files to run Windows 10/8/7. These conditions allow you to build Windows 10 To Go USB in terms of the size of the U drive. 13GB will be enough. Also, Windows 11 has disabled the Win to Go functionality. And if you need to use your own Windows 11 on other devices, you can also build Windows 11 to USB Go with this software yourself.

AOMEI Partition Assistant

The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer

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Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7

If your Windows computer will not start up because the hard drive failed, you can fix it by making a working USB drive. You can use AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional in this case. It can make a usable USB stick on a Windows computer in case of a PC emergency. It can also fix boot problems by rebuilding the MBR and checking for and fixing bad sectors on the system drive, among other things. Right now you can get the trial version and learn how to make a Windows 11/10/8/7 bootable USB stick for Windows fix.

More functions of AOMEI Partition Assistant

Apart from creating Windows bootable USB for Windows 10, AOMEI Partition Assistant also has these benefits for you to better management.

• Drive Management: Offers easy disk management tools for separating, deleting, formatting, splitting, extending, and merging partitions. 

• Disk Conversion: Convert between different partition styles, such as convert MBR to GPT or vice versa without data loss or formatting.

• Data Migration: It supports migrating the operating systems from one SSD to another with all system-related files between different storage devices, including SSDs and HDDs.

• System Optimization: It helps increase system performance and speed by running 4K Alignment, organizing partitions,or providing practical functions to extend C drive space without formatting, which can considerable enhance overall computer using experience.

• Compatibility: AOMEI software can be compatible with almost all Windows OS versions and works with various storage devices, such as SSD hard drives, USB and RAID systems.

• Disk Cloning: If you want to upgrade your old disk to a newer or larger one, this tool helps to clone entire disks for easy data transfer or create backups (You can back up your OS to an external hard drive) in a short time.

• Easy to use: Its simple designs and instructions make it easy for both novice and experienced users.

Conclusion

If you want to fix your PC or install a new OS on an USB, like the Windows 10 USB, creating a bootable USB is a good idea. Among its many useful features, the reliable AOMEI Partition Assistant allows you to create bootable USB drives. Disc management, data migration, and system optimisation are all encompassed in its tools and steps. Every step is clearly outlined and simple to execute.

FAQs

1. Can Windows 10 be installed on a USB drive?

   • Yes, Windows 10 can be installed on a USB drive, allowing you to run it on different computers without installing it directly on each device. This feature, known as "Windows to Go USB," enables portability and flexibility in using Windows 10 across various environments.

2. How do I create a bootable Windows 10 USB drive?

   • To create a bootable Windows 10 USB drive, you need a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of storage capacity, a Windows 10 ISO file downloaded from Microsoft's official website, and a reliable USB creation tool such as Rufus or the Windows Media Creation Tool. Follow the step-by-step instructions provided to format the USB drive correctly and create the bootable drive using the chosen tool.

3. What is the process for installing Windows 10 from a bootable USB drive?

   • After creating the bootable USB drive, insert it into the computer where you want to install Windows 10. Restart the computer and access the BIOS or UEFI settings to set the USB drive as the primary boot device. Save the changes and exit the settings, allowing the computer to restart from the USB drive. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the Windows 10 installation process.

4. Can I use AOMEI Partition Assistant to create a bootable Windows 10 USB drive?

   • Yes, AOMEI Partition Assistant offers the capability to create bootable USB drives for Windows 10, as well as for Windows 8 and 7. This tool supports both certified and uncertified USB drives and provides options for creating portable USB drives with or without Windows ISO files.

5. What additional functions does AOMEI Partition Assistant offer besides creating bootable USB drives?

   • AOMEI Partition Assistant offers various disk management features, including drive management, disk conversion, data migration, and system optimization. It supports tasks such as partition resizing, disk cloning, system backup, and 4K alignment. Additionally, it is compatible with different Windows operating system versions and various storage devices, making it a versatile tool for disk management and optimization.