How to create bootable Windows 11 25H2 USB install media

To create a Windows 11 25H2 USB bootable media, connect a USB flash drive to your PC, open Rufus, select the ISO file, use the default settings, click “Start,” and customize the settings, including creating a media for unsupported hardware.
To use “Ventoy,” install the app on a USB flash drive and then drop the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file into the storage.
To use “Command Prompt,” download the Windows 11 2025 Update ISO file, and use the “diskpart” tool to clear, create a partition, and copy the installation files to the USB media.
To use the “Media Creation Tool,” launch the application, customize the settings, select “USB flash drive,” choose the bootable media, click “Next,” and then “Finish.”

If you want to install Windows 11 25H2 (2025 Update) on a computer that meets the hardware requirements, you’ll need to create a bootable USB media. In this guide, I will outline the various methods available to complete this task. Although there are multiple ways to upgrade to a new version of Windows 11, starting a device with a USB bootable media is the best method to resolve issues and ensure a fresh installation. It’s also the only way to install Windows 11 25H2 on a new, empty hard drive.

When you have to create a bootable USB flash drive to set up a new installation of Windows 11 25H2, you can use the Media Creation Tool, which is the official tool. However, you can also use third-party tools, such as Rufus and Ventoy. You can even use Command Prompt to create offline installation media manually.

In this guide, I will teach you multiple ways to create a USB bootable media to perform an in-place or clean install of the Windows 11 2025 Update. Although you can use virtually any USB flash drive, ensure it has at least 8GB of space. Additionally, before proceeding, back up any data on the flash drive, as this process will format the storage, erasing its contents.

Create Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB using Rufus
Create Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB using Ventoy
Create Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB using Command Prompt
Create Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB using Media Creation Tool

Important: Microsoft only makes available the installation files after the feature update becomes available to everyone, not before. If you attempt to use the Media Creation Tool before version 25H2 is officially released, you’ll create a USB installer for version 24H2 instead. Also, the option to download the ISO file using the Rufus tool will be available once the new version of the operating system is released.

Create Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB using Rufus

To create a bootable USB to install Windows 11 25H2 using Rufus, connect a USB flash drive with 8GB of space, and then follow these steps:

Open the Rufus website.
Click the link to download the latest version under the “Download” section.
Double-click the Rufus executable file to launch the tool.
Choose the flash drive to create the Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB media under the “Device” section.

Quick note: At the time of this writing, the ISO file is only available through the Windows Insider Program. Once version 25H2 becomes officially available, you’ll be able to use the Rufus download option.
Click the Select button.
Select the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file.
Click the Open button.
(Optional) Continue with the default settings.
(Optional) Specify a name for the drive (for example, Windows 11 25H2 Setup) under the “Volume label” setting.
Click the Start button.
Clear all the options from the “Windows User Experience” page to create an installation media without modifications.
Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the tool will begin creating a bootable media with the Windows 11 25H2 installation media.

Create Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB using Ventoy

To create a Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB with Ventoy, follow these steps:

Open the Ventoy GitHub page.
Click the ventoy-x.x.xx-windows.zip file under the “Assets” section and download it to your computer.

Quick note: You may need to force and keep the file, as the browser may detect it as malicious.
Open File Explorer.
Open the Zip folder location.
Double-click to open the ventoy-x.x.xx-windows.zip file.
Click the Extract all button from the command bar.
Click the Browse button.
Select a location to extract the files.
Click the Select Folder button.
Click the Extract button.
Open the ventoy-x.x.xx folder.
Double-click the Ventoy2Disk.exe file to launch the installer.
Choose the USB flash drive from the “Device” setting.
Click the Install button.
Click the OK button.
Click on This PC from the left pane of File Explorer.
Open the Ventoy drive.
Copy and paste the Windows 11 25H2 ISO files to make them bootable.

After completing the steps, you can use the USB flash drive to boot a device with the Ventoy software, allowing you to choose to start the device with the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file.

Create Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB using Command Prompt

To create a Windows 11 25H2 USB flash drive from ISO with Command Prompt, follow these steps:

Open the Microsoft Support website.

Quick note: This download option from the Microsoft website will be available once the feature update releases. Currently, you have to download the ISO from the Windows Insider Program. Once you have downloaded the ISO file, you can proceed to step 7.
Select the Windows 11 option under the “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices” section.
Click the Download button.
Select the installation language.
Click the Confirm button.
Click the 64-bit Download button to save the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file on the computer.
Open Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as Administrator option.
Type the following command to open Diskpart and press Enter:
```
diskpart
```
Type the following command to determine the USB flash drive and press Enter:
```
list disk
```
Type the following command to select the storage and press Enter:
```
select disk 1
```
Quick tip: The select disk 1 command as an example, but you have to replace 1 with the flash drive you want to use.
Type the following commands to delete everything from the USB flash drive and press Enter:
```
clean
```
Type the following command to create a primary partition and press Enter:
```
create partition primary
```
Type the following command to select the new partition and press Enter:
```
select partition 1
```
Type the following command to make the USB flash drive bootable and press Enter:
```
format FS=NTFS quick
```
Type the following command to assign a volume and a drive letter for the USB flash drive and press Enter:
```
assign letter=X
```
Change X for any available letter you want to use in the command.
Type the following command to quit the tool and press Enter:
```
exit
```
Type the following command to mount the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file and press Enter:
```
PowerShell Mount-DiskImage -ImagePath "C:pathtoWindows11.iso"
```
In the command, update the path with the location where you have stored the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file.
Type the following command to relaunch Diskpart and press Enter:
```
diskpart
```
Type the following command to determine the drive letter for the mounted Windows 11 25H2 ISO file and press Enter:
```
list volume
```
Type the following command to exit Diskpart and press Enter:
```
exit
```
Type the following command to access the ISO file and press Enter:
```
E:
```
Type the following command to open the “boot” folder and press Enter:
```
cd boot
```
Type the following command to update the volume boot code for the USB flash drive and press Enter:
```
bootsect /nt60 X:
```
Type the following command to open the root of the mounted drive and press Enter:
```
cd..
```
Type the following command to copy all the Windows 11 2025 Update installation files to the USB flash drive and press Enter:
```
xcopy E:*.* X: /E /F /H
```
In the command, change the “E” and “X” letters with the correct drive letters for the ISO image file and the USB flash drive, respectively.

After you complete the steps, you can use the bootable USB to perform a clean install of Windows 11 25H2 on any supported computer.

Create Windows 11 25H2 bootable USB using Media Creation Tool

To create a bootable Windows 11 25H2 USB with the Media Creation Tool (in October 2025, not before), follow these steps:

Open the Microsoft support website.
Click the Download Now button under the “Create Windows 11 installation media” section.
Double-click the mediacreationtool.exe file to launch the tool.
Click the Accept button.
Click the Next button.

Quick note: Clear the “Use the recommended options for this PC” option to select the correct language, architecture, and edition if you want to create a Windows 11 25H2 USB for another computer.
Select the “USB flash drive” option.
Click the Next button.
Select the USB flash drive from the list.
Click the Next button.
Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, you can start the computer with the USB drive to install Windows 11 25H2.