How to convert ISO file to bootable for Windows 11 or Windows 10 ISO?

JacquelineSom  The Media Creation Tool is a utility provided by Microsoft that allows users to download the latest version of Windows and create installation media, such as a bootable USB drive or ISO file. It is primarily used for upgrading a PC to the latest version of Windows, performing a clean installation, or creating a bootable USB drive to install Windows on another machine.

1. Get the Media Creation Tool from the official Microsoft website.
2. After downloading, run the tool as an administrator.
3. To create installation media for another PC, select "Create installation media for another PC."
4. The tool will guide you through the process of creating the media or upgrading your system.

The Media Creation Tool is a convenient and reliable way to convert Windows ISO to bootable USB, whether for a single upgrade or preparing installation media for multiple devices.

JacquelineSom Are you familiar with text command? You can easily convert ISO file to bootable USB with the help of built-in command prompt app. Before getting started, please download Windows 11 or Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft.

After that, format the USB with the following commands:

select disk X
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=ntfs quick
assign
exit

Finally, extract the content from ISO image and convert ISO file to bootable USB.

xcopy F:\* E:\ /E /F /H

For some ISO images, especially Linux distributions, additional steps may be necessary to make the USB bootable using a tool like bootsect.exe found on the Windows ISO. You may not need this step if your source ISO is configured correctly to boot:

bootsect /nt60 E: /mbr

Safely eject the USB drive once everything is done. Your USB should now be bootable and can be used to install your desired operating system or run the software.

I don't like using built-in command prompt app to convert ISO file to bootable for Windows 11 or Windows 10 ISO. Many people (myself included) find graphical interfaces easier to work with. Like the Windows Media Creation Tool offer a user-friendly graphical interface. You can see what you're doing, and it's more straightforward than memorizing or looking up command-line syntax.

If you're not super careful, you might accidentally erase important files on your USB stick. The command prompt doesn't really hold your hand, so if you choose the wrong drive, oops! All your data could be wiped away. A nice GUI usually has safety checks to prevent this.

DLSM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) is a command-line tool included in Windows that is primarily used for servicing Windows images, including those used for installation, recovery, and maintenance tasks. DLSM is often utilized by IT professionals and system administrators to prepare Windows images for deployment, as well as to modify and manage Windows installations directly from the command line.

After formatting the USB, you can use the DLSM command for converting Windows ISO to bootable USB on any Windows PC.

dlsm /apply-image /imagefile:F:\install.wim /index:1 /applydir:E:\

• /apply-image specifies that you want to apply an image.
• /imagefile:F:\install.wim points to the WIM (Windows Imaging Format) file, which is typically found in the sources folder of the ISO.
• /index:1 is used to specify the index of the image to apply (this is usually 1 for the standard version).
• /applydir:E:\ specifies the target directory where the image will be applied (your USB drive).

I had the same experience. When something goes wrong in command prompt, the error messages can be pretty cryptic. If you're not familiar with the terminology, you might be left scratching your head, wondering what just happened. GUI-based tools often have more user-friendly error messages.

Be careful when converting ISO files to bootable for Windows 11 ISO. You'll often need to run the command prompt as an administrator, which can be an extra step if you forget. It's a small annoyance, but if you're in a hurry, it can slow things down. If you're not used to it, typing everything out can take much longer than just clicking a few buttons in a GUI. Plus, if you're dealing with a large ISO file, the process can stretch out, and patience is key.

JacquelineSom 

I've also been in a situation where I needed to convert ISO file to bootable usb for Windows. I used a tool that comes with Windows called Windows USB/DVD Download Tool. This tool is quite convenient, especially for someone like me who is not very tech-savvy. It is simple and intuitive to use.

First, I downloaded the tool on my old computer and ran it. The interface is very simple. I just need to select the Windows ISO file I downloaded and then specify the USB drive I inserted as the target device. After a few clicks, the software starts writing the ISO file to the USB, and the whole process is completed automatically without complicated settings.

After doing this, I got a bootable USB that can be used to install Windows. The whole process took about a few dozen minutes, and finally I successfully used this USB to boot and install the Windows system on the new computer. It's really worry-free to use this method. You don't need to have a deep understanding of how the background is operated. Just follow the steps.

JacquelineSom 

Using the diskpart tool in Windows 10 or Windows 11 to create a bootable USB is a slightly technical method, but it is very effective, especially when you need precise control over the partitioning and formatting process of the USB drive. Here is my experience sharing of using diskpart to convert Windows ISO to a bootable USB:

First, you need an empty USB drive with at least 8GB of space to ensure that there is enough space for the Windows installation files. Before you begin, insert the USB drive and make sure you save any important data on the drive, as this process will erase all data.

Open Command Prompt: Run Command Prompt with administrator privileges. Type "cmd" in the Windows search box, then right-click "Command Prompt" and select "Run as administrator".

Start the diskpart tool: Type diskpart in the command prompt and press Enter. This will start the diskpart tool.

Identify and select the USB drive:

Type list disk to see a list of all disks and find your USB drive (based on the size).
Select your USB drive using the select disk X command, where X is the number of your USB drive.

Prepare the USB drive:

1. Type clean to clear all partitions on the USB drive.
2. Type create partition primary to create a new primary partition.
3. Type select partition 1 to select the partition you just created.
4. Type active to mark the selected partition as active.
5. Type format fs=ntfs quick to quickly format the file system to NTFS (FAT32 can also be used, depending on your needs).
6. Type assign to assign a drive letter to the USB.

Copy the ISO file to the USB: After exiting diskpart, you need to extract and copy all the contents of the ISO file to the USB drive. This step can be done manually using File Explorer.

After completing these steps, your USB drive will be a bootable disk. You can use it to boot your computer and install Windows. Although this process is multi-step, you will have more control with diskpart, especially when dealing with different types of USB drives or troubleshooting boot problems.