Create a bootable portable version of Windows 11

To create a bootable portable version of Windows 11, you'll need a few essential tools and steps:

Tools:

  • Rufus: A free utility for creating bootable USB drives. Download it from https://rufus.ie/
  • Windows 11 ISO: You can download this from Microsoft's official website. Make sure you have a valid Windows 11 license.

Steps:

  1. Download Windows 11 ISO:
    • Visit Microsoft's official website and download the Windows 11 ISO file you want.
  2. Prepare a USB Drive:
    • Connect a USB flash drive to your computer. Ensure it's at least 8GB in size and has no important data, as it will be formatted.
  3. Open Rufus:
    • Launch the Rufus application on your computer.
  4. Select Device:
    • In the "Device" section, select the USB flash drive you connected.
  5. Select Boot Selection:
    • Click on the "Select" button next to "Boot selection" and choose the Windows 11 ISO file you downloaded.
  6. Set Partition Scheme:
    • Ensure "Partition scheme" is set to "GPT" for UEFI-compatible systems.
  7. Start Creation:
    • Click on the "Start" button to begin creating the bootable USB drive.
  8. Wait for Completion:
    • The process may take some time. Once it's finished, you'll have a bootable Windows 11 USB drive.

Using the Bootable USB Drive:

  • To install Windows 11 on another computer, boot from the USB drive by changing the boot order in the BIOS or UEFI settings.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows 11.

Important Notes:

  • Make sure you have a valid Windows 11 license before installing it.
  • If you encounter any issues, refer to the Rufus documentation or Microsoft's support resources.
  • For more advanced customization, you can explore tools like Ventoy, which allows you to create multi-boot USB drives with multiple operating systems.

By following these steps, you'll successfully create a bootable portable version of Windows 11 that you can use to install or reinstall the operating system on different computers.

Back to blog