- To create a Windows 11 bootable USB with the Media Creation Tool, download the tool from Microsoft, launch the setup, click “Accept,” click “Next,” choose “ISO file,” click “Next,” “Next,” and “Finish.”
- To create a Windows 11 ISO, download the tool from Microsoft, launch the setup, click “Accept,” click “Next,” choose “USB flash drive,” click “Next,” choose save location, and “Finish.”
If you plan to upgrade to Windows 11 23H2 (also referred to as the “2023 Update”), you can use the Media Creation Tool instead of Windows Update. The Media Creation Tool has been designed to download the installation files and create a USB flash drive or ISO file to perform an in-place upgrade or clean install of Windows 11.
It’s important to remember that the company only makes the current version available for download. For example, at the time of this writing, the current release is version 23H2, which means that versions 22H2 and 21H2 (original) are no longer available for download.
In this guide, I will teach you how to use the Media Creation Tool to create a USB bootable media or ISO file for Windows 11.
- Create Windows 11 USB flash drive with Media Creation Tool
- Create Windows 11 ISO file with Media Creation Tool
Create Windows 11 USB flash drive with Media Creation Tool
To use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable Windows 11 23H2 USB install media, use these steps:
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Open Microsoft support website.
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Click the Download Now button under the “Create Windows 11 installation media” section.
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Double-click the MediaCreationTool_Win11_23H2.exe file to launch the tool.
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Click the Accept button.
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Click the Next button.
Quick note: Clear the “Use the recommended options for this PC” option to select the correct language, architecture, and edition to create a Windows 11 USB for another device. -
Select the USB flash drive option.
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Click the Next button.
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Select the USB flash drive from the list, but ensure it does not contain important files, as this process will erase everything on it.
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Click the Next button.
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Click the Finish button.
Once you complete the steps, you can start a device using UEFI with the USB drive to install Windows 11.
Create Windows 11 ISO file with Media Creation Tool
To download the Windows 11 23H2 ISO file with the Media Creation Tool, use these steps:
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Click the Download tool now button under the “Create Windows 11 installation media” section.
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Double-click the MediaCreationTool_Win11_23H2.exe file to launch the tool.
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Click the Accept button.
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Click the Next button.
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Select the ISO file option.
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Click the Next button.
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Select the location to save the file.
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Confirm a name for the image – for example, Windows_11_23H2_Setup.
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Click the Save button.
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Click the Finish button.
After completing the steps, the tool will create an ISO file that you can use to create a bootable media or mount in File Explorer to launch the Windows 11 2023 Update setup.
Update May 2, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].