How to use Rufus to create bootable Windows 11 26H2 USB

Rufus can create a bootable Windows 11 26H2 USB using an existing ISO or, when available, by downloading the files from the Microsoft servers.
You can use Rufus to create standard installation media for supported devices.
Rufus can bypass some Windows 11 requirements, including TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, RAM, internet, and Microsoft account requirements.
Windows 11 26H2 is still under development, so Rufus’s download option may only offer Windows 11 25H2.

If you’re planning to install Windows 11 26H2 (2026 Update) but don’t want to deal with complicated installation steps, Rufus can make the process much easier. I can use the tool to create a bootable USB flash drive for installing Windows 11 26H2 on supported hardware, and it also gives me options for installing the operating system on some unsupported devices. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps I use to get everything ready.

Although Microsoft provides the Media Creation Tool for creating installation media, I often find Rufus more useful because it gives me more control over the process. I can use an existing Windows 11 26H2 ISO file or have Rufus download the installation files directly from Microsoft servers. I can also use the tool to create bootable media for older versions, including Windows 10.

What I especially like about Rufus is that it can make the Windows 11 installation process less restrictive. When creating bootable media, I can configure options to bypass some hardware requirements that would otherwise prevent Windows 11 from being installed on unsupported hardware. Rufus can also let me configure the installation to set up Windows 11 without a Microsoft account by creating a local account during setup.

In this guide, I’ll show you how I use Rufus to download the Windows 11 26H2 ISO file and create a bootable USB flash drive. I’ll also explain the options you need to know, whether you’re installing Windows 11 on a supported computer or trying to run it on hardware that doesn’t officially meet the requirements.

Create Windows 11 26H2 USB with Rufus for supported PCs
Create Windows 11 26H2 USB with Rufus for unsupported PCs
Download Windows 11 26H2 ISO file
Pureinfotech’s Take

Create Windows 11 26H2 USB with Rufus for supported PCs

The Rufus tool gives you two ways to create Windows 11 installation media. You can use an existing ISO file or have Rufus download the necessary installation files directly from Microsoft’s servers.

Since version 26H2 is still under development, the option to download the ISO file is still not available. If you use this option before the new version becomes available, only version 25H2 will be listed for download.

Rufus with existing ISO file

To create a Windows 11 26H2 USB bootable media, connect a USB flash drive with 8GB of space, and then use 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 26H2 bootable USB media under the “Device” section.
Click the Select button.
Select the Windows 11 26H2 ISO file.
Click the Open button.
Select the “Standard Windows 11 Installation” option under the “Image option” section.
Select the GPT option under the “Partition scheme” section.
Choose the UEFI (non-CSM) option under the “Target system” section.
(Optional) Specify a descriptive name for the bootable USB flash drive under the “Volume label” section.
Use the default settings for the File system and Cluster size options.
Check the Quick format option.
Check the “Create extended label and icon files” option.
Click the Start button.
Clear all the options from the “Windows User Experience” page to create installation media without modifications.
Click the OK button.

Once you complete the steps, the bootable USB will be created to install the latest version of Windows 11 on a device that meets the minimum requirements.

Rufus with ISO download

This option will be available once the new version becomes available for everyone.

To use Rufus to download the Windows 11 26H2 ISO file (when available) and create a bootable media, connect a USB flash drive with 8GB of space, and then use 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.
Click the Settings button (third button from the left) at the bottom of the page.
Choose the Daily option in the “Check for updates” setting under the “Settings” section to make the “Download” option available in the tool.
Click the Close button.
Click the Close button again.
Open Rufus again.
Choose the USB flash drive under the “Device” section.
Click the down-arrow button (on the right side) and select the Download option.
Click the Download button.
Select the Windows 11 option.
Click the Continue button.
Select the latest release of the operating system, in this case “26H2.”
Click the Continue button.
Select the Windows 11 Home/Pro/Edu option.
Click the Continue button.
Select the language for installation of the new version of the operating system.
Click the Continue button.
Select the x64 architecture option.
Click the Download button.
Select the location to automatically save the Windows 11 26H2 ISO file.
Choose the “Standard Windows 11 Installation” option under the “Image option” setting.
(Optional) Continue with the default settings after the download.
(Optional) Under the “Volume label” setting, specify a name for the drive (for example, Windows 11 Setup).
Click the Start button.
Clear all the options from the “Windows User Experience” page to create installation media without modifications.
Click the OK button.

After completing the steps, you can use the bootable USB flash drive to install the Windows 11 2025 Update using either a clean or an in-place upgrade installation.

Create Windows 11 26H2 USB with Rufus for unsupported PCs

The Rufus app can also create a bootable USB to bypass the TPM 2.0 and memory requirements to install Windows on unsupported hardware. You can also use the tool to bypass the internet requirements and the Microsoft account during setup.

The computer will still need TPM 1.2, and the processor must support POPCNT instructions. Otherwise, you won’t be able to install the operating system.

To create a Windows 11 26H2 bootable USB for unsupported hardware, use 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 26H2 bootable USB media under the “Device” section.
Click the Select button.
Select the Windows 11 26H2 ISO file.
Click the Open button.
Select the “Standard Windows 11 Installation” option under the “Image option” section.
Select the GPT option under the “Partition scheme” section.
Choose the UEFI (non-CSM) option under the “Target system” section.
(Optional) Specify a descriptive name for the bootable USB flash drive under the “Volume label” section.
Use the default settings for the File system and Cluster size options.
Check the Quick format option.
Check the “Create extended label and icon files” option.
Click the Start button.
Check the “Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0” option to install version 26H2 on unsupported hardware.
(Optional) Check the “Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account” option to set up Windows 11 26H2 without a Microsoft account using a local account.
(Optional) Check the “Create a local account with username” option, then specify the account name to install the operating system using a local account.
(Optional) Clear the “Set regional options to the same values as this user’s” option to use the current language as the default for new installations.
(Optional) Clear the “Disable data collection” option to prevent Microsoft from collecting some of your data.
(Optional) Check the “Disable BitLocker automatic device encryption” option.
Click the OK button.

After completing the steps, Rufus will create a bootable USB drive to install version 26H2 on unsupported hardware.

Alternatively, you can use the Ventoy tool to create a USB drive, then download and drop the Windows 11 26H2 ISO file onto it to make it bootable.

Download Windows 11 26H2 ISO file

To download the official Windows 11 26H2 ISO file (preview), follow these steps:

Open the Windows Insider page.
Sign in using your Microsoft account credentials (if applicable).
Select the “Release Preview (Build 26300.xxxx) – 26H2” (26300.9278 or higher release) option under the “Select edition” menu.
Click the Confirm button.
Choose the product language.
Click the Confirm button.
Click the “64-bit Download” button.

After you complete the steps, you’ll download the Windows 11 26H2 ISO file, the latest preview available from Microsoft’s servers.

Pureinfotech’s Take

For me, Rufus is one of those utilities that just makes installing Windows 11 easier. I’ve used it enough times to know what I’m going to get, and I like having the option to start with an ISO I already downloaded instead of going through another setup tool.

The unsupported hardware part is where I’d slow down. I know plenty of older computers can still run Windows 11 perfectly well despite missing one of Microsoft’s requirements, but I wouldn’t use Rufus to make an unsupported device officially supported. There’s a difference.

If I were installing Windows 11 26H2 on supported hardware, Rufus would be one of my first choices for creating the USB. If I were doing it on unsupported hardware, I’d make sure I had a backup first and would be prepared to deal with problems later.

Are you planning to use Rufus to install Windows 11 26H2, or will you stick with Microsoft’s tools? Let me know in the comments.

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