Creating a Bootable Windows 10 USB [2020 Edition]

Creating a Windows 10 bootable USB drive is a smart move if you want to save your data in case your computer is dead or fails to work. Luckily, there are some workarounds for making that possible, even without having to download any additional software or program. However, the process may be a little bit confusing to some users. With that in mind, we are willing to help.

In this guide, we are going to show you the steps on how to create a Windows 10 bootable USB drive. Before we begin, make sure you have a backup of your computer in case something goes wrong during the process. We recommend you now have a modern Windows 10 version installed on your machine.

Command Prompt

Command Prompt is one of the most common ways to create a Windows 10 bootable USB as it is fast. However, one major drawback is that the process is not straightforward as you are going to need to type in some command lines.

Note: Make sure you now have Windows 10 ISO image file on your computer.

Step 1: Connect your USB flash drive to your computer and then open Start in Windows 10. From here, search for Command Prompt and click the top result to launch it (make sure you run it as admin)

Step 2: Enter the following command: diskpart. This step is to open Diskpart on your computer.

· For some background, diskpart is a command tool that has been part of Windows for years, providing a quick way to partition and manage disks in Windows. The best part is that it can be triggered using Command Prompt.

Step 3: Use this command: list disk to show all of your available disks, including your USB flash drive and built-in hard drives. Now, just type in select disk + number (“number”: The number of hard drives you wish to use).

Step 4: Use this command: clean, then hit Enter. After that, type in this command: create partition primary and hit Enter to proceed.

Step 5: Enter this command: select partition + the partition you wish to use and hit Enter. After that, enter Active and then format FS=NTFS quick to create a bootable drive for Windows 10.

Step 6: Next up, you need to assign a volume and a drive letter for your USB drive. To do this, simply enter the following command: assign letter=X.

Step 7: Exit the tool by typing in Exit and use this command to mount your Windows 10 ISO image file: “PowerShell Mount-DiskImage -ImagePath “C:\path\to\Windows10.iso”

Step 8: Enter the following commands and hit Enter after each one:

diskpart > list volume > exit > G: >cd boot> bootsect /nt60 X: > xcopy G:\*.* X:\ /E /F /H

In short, Command Prompt is a great way to create Windows 10 bootable USB as it eliminates the need for a third-party program to be installed on your machine. However, the process might be confusing to some folks. If this method does not work for you, then make sure you read on.

UUByte ISO Editor

UUByte ISO Editor is insanely popular out there, offering a reliable way to create bootable Windows 10 USB. However, UUByte is not just about creating a Windows bootable USB as it also lets you open and extract files from an ISO image file.

The best part is that the tool receives new updates on a regular basis, making it smarter and better. Indeed, UUByte ISO Editor has a modern user interface and supports all Windows versions.

One major drawback is that the free trial lacks some important features, but it still includes support for creating a Windows 10 bootable USB.

Step 1: Download and install UUByte ISO Editor on your computer and then launch it.

Step 2: Click Browse to select the ISO file you wish to create the bootable USB from (Windows 10 ISO file).

Step 3: Insert a USB drive into your computer and hit the Burn button (the process takes seconds).

In short, UUByte ISO Editor is a great choice for those who are looking for a third-party app to create Windows 10 bootable USB.

ISO-to-USB

If you are looking for a free tool that lets you burn ISO file to your USB drive, then try ISO-to-USB. In this case, you can quickly create a Windows 10 bootable USB drive with Windows operating system. And, the coolest part is that it supports modern Windows versions.

One of the best highlights of ISO-to-USB lies in its speed. Indeed, it creates a Windows bootable USB drive in less than 10 seconds, which is pretty impressive. All it takes is a few button clicks.

However, it has its own annoyances. One such annoyance is that it won’t support Windows XP. If you attempt to create a bootable drive with Windows XP, you will get an error message. Besides, it sometimes fails to work in Windows 7.

Despite those restrictions, ISO-to-USB is a solid option for any user out there as it is fast, free, and supports modern Windows versions.

UNetbootin

UNetbootin is a across-platform burning tool that’s specifically designed for Linux, but it also works in Windows 10. It serves as a good option if you want to create Windows 10 bootable USB without paying any fees. The good thing about the tool lies in its auto-download mode, which lets you download and install the latest Linux distributions. One major downside is that Unetbootin sometimes crashes in Windows 10.

Honestly, UNetbootin is a good option for those who are looking for a Linux-based program. The tool stands out thanks to its nifty features and user-friendly interface.

The Bottom Line

These are the four best options for creating Windows 10 bootable USB. If you are now using one of those tools, then share with us how your experience with it has been so far.