How Can I make Windows 10 bootable USB for reinstall in 2025?

Let’s chat about the potential pitfalls when you’re making a bootable USB for Windows 10 using the Windows Media Creation Tool. It’s a super handy tool, but if you’re not careful, you can run into some annoying roadblocks. Speaking from experience, I’ve certainly learned a few lessons the hard way. 

If you’re using an ISO that’s been downloaded incorrectly or is corrupted, it might cause issues down the line. Trust me, I tried to use a shady download once thinking I was clever, and the whole thing ended in failure. Always get your ISO directly from Microsoft to ensure it’s legitimate. Sometimes, the tool needs admin privileges to do its thing. If you just double-click it without running as an administrator, you might hit permission issues. Just right-click the tool and select "Run as administrator" the first time you fire it up—you'll save yourself a headache!

Once you've finished the process, make sure you safely eject the USB. I once yanked one out too early, and it ended up corrupted. A major hassle ensued trying to fix it. Just right-click on the drive in Windows Explorer and hit “Eject” to keep things clean. Make sure your current Windows installation is up-to-date before running the Media Creation Tool. Sometimes, outdated systems can avoid errors you don't even realize are coming. It’s an easy fix; just run Windows Update first. You don't want to find out later that an update is blocking your process.

Be aware of whether you need the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows. If you choose the wrong one, your bootable USB might not work on the target machine. I’ve mistakenly downloaded the 32-bit version a few times for a 64-bit laptop. Double-check before clicking! After you create your bootable USB, you need to set your computer to boot from the USB in BIOS/UEFI settings. If you forget this part, the system will just boot normally into Windows and ignore your USB. Been there, done that, and felt pretty silly for not checking!