Windows 11 25H2 download using Media Creation Tool

To create a Windows 11 25H2 USB flash drive 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 25H2 ISO file, download the tool from Microsoft, launch the setup, click “Accept,” click “Next,” choose “USB flash drive,” click “Next,” select a location, and click “Finish.”
The tool is available for version 25H2 starting September 30, 2025.

UPDATED 10/13/2025: When the time comes to upgrade to Windows 11 25H2 (2025 Update), you may want to use the Media Creation Tool to create a USB bootable media or an ISO file. Although you can use other tools like Rufus and Ventoy, the Media Creation Tool is the official Microsoft utility that has been designed to download the installation files and create a bootable media or ISO file to perform an in-place upgrade or clean install of Windows 11.

The software giant only makes the current version available for download, so you can’t choose the version to download and install. For example, once version 25H2 is released on September 30, 2025, you won’t be able to use the tool to download version 24H2 or 23H2.

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 25H2 USB using Media Creation Tool
Create Windows 11 25H2 ISO file using Media Creation Tool

Create Windows 11 25H2 USB using Media Creation Tool

To create a bootable Windows 11 25H2 USB install media with the Media Creation Tool, 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 Media Creation 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 to create a Windows 11 25H2 USB for another device.
Select the USB flash drive option.
Click the Next button.
Select the USB flash drive from the list. Quick note: This process will delete everything on the drive, so make sure to back up any important files.

Quick note: This process will delete everything on the drive, so make sure to back up any important files.
Click the Next button.
Click the Finish button.

Once you complete the steps, you can start a device using UEFI with the USB drive to install Windows 11 25H2.

Create Windows 11 25H2 ISO file using Media Creation Tool

To download the Windows 11 25H2 ISO file with the Media Creation Tool, 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 Media Creation Tool.
Click the Accept button.
Click the Next button.
Select the ISO file option.
Click the Next button.
Select the location to save the file.
Confirm a name for the image – for example, Windows_11_25H2_Setup.
Click the Save button.
Click the Finish button.

After you complete the steps, the Media Creation Tool will create an ISO file that you can use to create bootable USB media. You can also mount the ISO file in File Explorer to launch the Windows 11 25H2 setup without needing a USB flash drive.

FAQs about the Media Creation Tool

Here’s a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers regarding the use of the Media Creation Tool for Windows 11 25H2.

What issues are users reporting with the Media Creation Tool for 25H2?

Some users report that when they download and run the Media Creation Tool for Windows 11 25H2 on a Windows 10 computer, the Windows logo appears briefly before the application closes immediately without opening the utility window.

Also, the Media Creation Tool doesn’t support creating installation media for ARM64 (ARM-based) devices, such as Copilot+ PCs. To download the ISO file for ARM-based devices, follow these instructions.

Is the Media Creation Tool currently broken or unusable?

This appears to be inconsistent for users, as they are frequently reported as failing to launch on Windows 10. However, it is generally reported to work correctly when run on Windows 11.

What is the workaround if the tool won’t launch on Windows 10?

If the Media Creation Tool does not launch on Windows 10, try using it on Windows 11. Alternatively, you can download the official ISO file and then use third-party tools like Rufus to create a bootable USB media.

What are the alternative methods to install Windows 11 25H2?

If you have a computer running version 24H2, you should try the upgrade directly from the Windows Update settings.

If you’re on a device running version 23H2, 22H2, or Windows 10, you can also use the Windows Update settings. However, you can also try the Installation Assistant or perform an in-place upgrade by mounting the ISO file in File Explorer.

Do I need the Media Creation Tool if I’m already on Windows 11 24H2?

No. Because Windows 11 25H2 shares the same code base as version 24H2, the update is delivered as a small Enablement Package (eKB) through Windows Update. This is the fastest and simplest way to upgrade. The Media Creation Tool is primarily for clean installs or upgrading from an older version of the operating system.

Update October 13, 2025: Microsoft has noted that the Media Creation Tool has an issue and may not work to create a bootable media on Windows 10. The tool still works as expected on Windows 11. To upgrade a Windows 10 device to Windows 11, the company recommends downloading the ISO file directly.