Rufus is the fastest, most reliable tool for creating bootable USB drives. Here’s how to use every feature.

Basic USB Creation

  1. Insert your USB drive (8GB+ recommended)
  2. Open Rufus (no installation needed)
  3. Select your USB drive under Device
  4. Click SELECT and choose your ISO file
  5. Click START

Rufus auto-detects the right settings. Accept the defaults for most use cases. The process takes 5-15 minutes depending on the ISO size and USB speed.

Windows Installation USB

For Windows 11, Rufus handles TPM and Secure Boot bypass automatically. When the “Customize Windows installation” dialog appears, check “Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0” for compatibility with older hardware.

Persistent Storage for Linux

For Linux live USBs, set Persistent partition size (under advanced options) to save changes between reboots. A 4GB persistence partition lets you install software and save files that survive reboots.

Dual UEFI + BIOS

Under Partition scheme, select MBR for BIOS/UEFI compatibility, or GPT for UEFI-only systems. The Target system field updates automatically. For maximum compatibility, choose MBR — it works on both old and new machines.

Advanced Format Options

  • Quick format — Faster, skips bad sector check
  • Extended label and icon files — Makes the USB look nicer in Explorer

Tips

  • Always backup your USB drive — Rufus will erase everything
  • Use USB 3.0 drives for faster write speeds
  • If the ISO is larger than your USB, use Ventoy instead