If you have to install Windows 10 on a device using UEFI, this guide shows you two ways to create a compatible USB flash drive to complete the task.
Feb 19, 2020 In the case that your device is using a UEFI firmware, and you can't seem to access it during startup, then it's recommended to use the Settings option from within Windows 10. More Windows 10. Windows 10 21H1 ISO files can be used in a variety of ways. If the Media Creation Tool and other programs are not working, you can use it to manually install the operating system’s latest update.
When installing a clean copy of Windows 10, usually you connect a USB media to the device to launch the 'Windows Setup' wizard to continue with the installation process. However, if you have a computer with a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), instead of the legacy Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), it is crucial to use the appropriate media for the system firmware type.
On Windows 10, there are at least two methods to create a USB bootable media. You can use the Microsoft Media Creation Tool to download the files onto a removable storage with support for both firmware types (UEFI and legacy BIOS). Or you can use a third-party tool called 'Rufus,' which makes it easy to create a USB to install Windows with support for UEFI.
In this Windows 10 guide, we will walk you through the steps to create a USB flash drive that includes support for UEFI using the Microsoft Media Creation Tool and Rufus.
- How to create Windows 10 UEFI boot media with Media Creation Tool
- How to create Windows 10 UEFI boot media with Rufus
How to create Windows 10 UEFI boot media with Media Creation Tool
The best way to create a bootable USB media for an in-place upgrade or clean install of Windows 10 is to use the official Media Creation Tool available through the Microsoft support website.
To create a USB install media, connect a flash drive of at least 8GB of space, and then use these steps:
- Open Windows 10 download page.
Under the 'Create Windows 10 installation media' section, click the Download tool now button to save the file on the device.
© Provided by Windows Central- Double-click the MediaCreationToolxxxx.exe file to relaunch the tool.
- Click the Accept button to agree to the applicable license terms.
Select the Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC option.
© Provided by Windows Central- Click the Next button.
(Optional) Clear the Use the recommended options for this PC option.
© Provided by Windows CentralSelect the correct language, architecture, and edition of Windows 10 (if applicable).
Quick tip: If you plan to install Windows 10 on multiple computers running 32-bit and 64-bit architectures, use the 'Architecture' drop-down menu and select the Both option.
- Click the Next button.
Select the USB flash drive option.
© Provided by Windows Central- Click the Next button
Select the flash drive from the list. (If the storage device is not available, click the Refresh drive list option.)
© Provided by Windows Central- Click the Next button.
- Click the Finish button.
Once you complete the steps, the Media Creation Tool will download the files and will create a bootable USB flash drive that you can use to install Windows 10 on devices with support for UEFI and BIOS.
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Windows 10 X86 Uefi Iso
How to create Windows 10 UEFI boot media with Rufus
Alternatively, you can use Rufus, a free third-party tool that allows you to create an installation media with support for UEFI devices. You can use the tool to create a bootable media using an existing ISO file, or you can use the option to download the files from the Microsoft servers and then create the installation media.
Create install flash drive with Windows 10 ISO
To create a bootable media using an existing Windows 10 ISO file, connect a flash drive of at least 8GB of space, and use these steps:
- Open Rufus download page.
Under the 'Download' section, click the latest release (first link) and save the file on the device.
© Provided by Windows Central- Double-click the Rufus-x.xx.exe file to launch the tool.
- Under the 'Device' section, select the USB flash drive.
- Under the 'Boot selection' section, click the Select button on the right side.
- Select the Windows 10 ISO file from the folder location.
- Click the Open button.
- Use the 'Image option' drop-down menu and select the Standard Windows installation option.
- Use the 'Partition scheme' drop-down menu and select the GPT option.
Use the 'Target system' drop-down menu and select the UEFI (non CSM) option.
© Provided by Windows CentralUnder the 'Show Advanced drive properties' section do not change the default settings.
© Provided by Windows CentralUnder the 'Volume label' field, confirm a name for the drive — for example, 'win10_20h2_usb.'
© Provided by Windows Central- In the 'File system' and 'Cluster size' options do not change the default settings.
- Click the Show advanced format options button.
- Check the Quick format option.
- Check the Create extended label and icon files option.
- Click the Start button.
- Click the OK button to confirm.
- Click the Close button.
After you complete the steps, Rufus will create a USB flash drive to install Windows 10 on a device using UEFI with a locally available image.
Create boot flash drive downloading Windows 10 ISO
Rufus also includes an option to download the Windows 10 ISO file directly from the Microsoft servers, which you can then use with the tool to create a bootable USB flash drive.
To create an install media of Windows 10 with Rufus, connect a USB flash drive of at least 8GB of space, and then use these steps:
- Open Rufus download page.
Under the 'Download' section, click the latest release (first link) of the tool to save the file onto your computer.
© Provided by Windows Central- Double-click the Rufus-x.xx.exe file to launch the tool.
Click the Settings button at the bottom of the page.
© Provided by Windows CentralUnder the 'Settings' section, use the 'Check for updates' drop-down menu and select the Daily option.
© Provided by Windows Central- Click the Close button.
- Close the Rufus tool.
- Double-click the Rufus-x.xx.exe file to relaunch the tool.
- Under the 'Device' section, select the USB flash drive.
Under the 'Boot selection' section, click the arrow button next to the 'Select' option and choose the Download option.
© Provided by Windows Central- Click the Download button.
- Use the 'Version' drop-down menu and select the Windows 10 option.
- Click the Continue button.
- Select the 20H2 (Build 19042.xxx - xxxx.xx) option to download the Windows 10 October 2020 Update.
- Click the Continue button.
- Use the 'Edition' drop-down menu and select the Windows 10 Home/Pro option.
- Click the Continue button.
Use the 'Language' drop-down menu and select your installation language.
Quick note: If you are in the United States, select the 'English' option. Otherwise, select the 'English International' option.
- Click the Continue button.
Use the 'Architecture' drop-down menu and select the 32-bit or 64-bit option (recommended).
Quick tip: You can check the architecture of your device on Settings >System >About, under the Device specifications section.
Click the Download button.
© Provided by Windows Central- Select a temporarily folder to location save the ISO file.
- Click the Save button.
- Use the 'Image option' drop-down menu and select the Standard Windows installation option.
- Use the 'Partition scheme' drop-down menu and select the GPT option.
Use the 'Target system' drop-down menu and select the UEFI (non CSM) option.
© Provided by Windows Central- Under the 'Show Advanced drive properties' section, do not change the default settings.
- Under the 'Volume label' field, confirm a name for the bootable drive — for example, 'win10_20h2_usb.'
- Under the 'File system' and 'Cluster size' sections, do not change the default settings.
- Click the Show advanced format options button.
- Check the Quick format option.
- Check the Create extended label and icon files option.
- Click the Start button.
- Click the OK button.
- Click the Close button.
Once you complete the steps, the tool will run the script and download the Windows 10 ISO file. After the download, you can use that ISO file to create a bootable media to install Windows 10 on a UEFI device.
When you have the USB bootable media with support for UEFI systems, you can use it to start the 'Windows Setup' wizard to perform a clean installation of Windows 10 or an in-place upgrade.
However, since the 'UEFI:NTFS bootloader' does not include a digital signature for secure boot, you must temporarily disable secure boot on the motherboard firmware before you can boot into the setup wizard. Usually, you would complete this task from within the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface that you can access by hitting one of the function keys (F1, F2, F3, F10, or F12), the ESC, or Delete key as soon as you start the computer.
The only caveat is that these settings will be different per manufacturer and even by computer model. So make sure to check your device manufacturer's support website for more specific instructions. After the installation of Windows 10, you can enable the feature again.
More Windows 10 resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:
- What Can You Do with a UEFI Bootable Disk
- How to Create a UEFI Bootable USB Drive in 3 Ways
- How to Boot Windows 10 Computer from UEFI Bootable USB Drive
- Bonus Tip: How to Repair Hard Drive and Recover Data with a WinPE Bootable Disk
What Can You Do with a UEFI Bootable Disk
A UEFI bootable USB drive can be used to complete an in-place Windows upgrade or clean install of Windows 10. It's also needed to start the system when your computer cannot be booted due to a virus attack, MBR damage, bad sectors, corrupted system files, etc. Once you can start your computer from the USB bootable drive, you can perform a disk check and repair. These are the two most important reasons to use a bootable USB disk. Other purposes include backing up systems, using portal operating systems on a foreign computer, and protecting computer data security.
But how to create a Windows 10 UEFI bootable USB drive?
We all know that there are two boot modes for computers: BIOS VS UEFI. If you have a computer with a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), instead of the legacy Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), you should know how to create a UEFI bootable USB drive on Windows 10.
There are several different ways to make a bootable disk in UEFI mode. Let's learn together.
How to Create a UEFI Bootable USB Drive in 3 Ways
In this part, we will introduce three common ways to create a bootable USB drive by using Windows 10 Midea Creation tool, Diskpart, and third-party software - Refus.
1. Create a UEFI Bootable USB with Windows 10 Media Creation Tool
If you want to create a UEFI bootable USB media for an in-place upgrade or clean install of Windows 10, you can use the Microsoft Media Creation Tool.
To create a Windows 10 UEFI bootable USB, prepare a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of capacity. Then use these steps:
Step 1. Download Windows 10 installation media from the official website of Microsoft.
Step 2. Run the exe file of MediaCreationTool. Click 'Accept' to agree to the license terms.
Step 3. On the Windows 10 Setup screen, select 'Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC'. Click the 'Next' button.
Step 4. Click 'Next' on the language, edition, and architecture screen. Select the 'USB flash drive' option, and click 'Next'.
Step 5. Select your connected USB flash drive from the list. And click 'Next > Finish' to complete the process. Wait for the Media Creation Tool to download the files and create a bootable USB flash drive that you can use to install Windows 10 on devices with support for UEFI and BIOS.
2. Create a UEFI Bootable USB on Windows 10 with Diskpart
With the built-in Diskpart utility, you can also create a Windows 10 UEFI bootable USB drive. Note that this solution requires command-line operations, so if you're not confident, you’d better choose a simpler graphical solution.
The process of making a USB bootable drive will erase all data on it. Remember to back up important files and data in advance.
Step 1. Connect your USB flash drive to the computer.
Step 2. Type CMD in the Search box, and right-click on the Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator.
Step 3. In Command Prompt, type Diskpart and press Enter.
Step 4. Type the following commands in order, and press Enter after each one.
list disk
select disk #
clean
create partition primary
select partition 1
active
format fs=fat32 (it means you format the drive with fat32 file system)
assign
exit
Windows 10 Uefi Iso Download
Step 5. Copy the Windows installation files to the USB flash drive. You can do this by simply using copy-and-paste. Then, the process of creating a bootable UEFI flash drive with Windows 10 finishes.
3. Create UEFI Bootable USB Drive with Rufus
If you have difficulty in creating Windows 10 UEFI bootable USB with Diskpart, you can use Rufus, an open-source program that allows you to create a UEFI bootable disk on Windows 10/8/7.
Step 1. Download Rufus from the official website: https://rufus.ie/en/.
Step 2. Connect your USB flash drive to the computer.
Step 3. Run this program and make the following main settings:
- Device: Select your USB flash drive.
- Boot selection: Select DISK or ISO image. And click the SELECT button to choose the Windows 10 ISO file from the folder location.
- Partition scheme: Select GPT for UEFI.
- Target system: Select UEFI (non CSM).
- File system: Select NTFS.
On other options and settings, choose based on the actual situation. Then, click the START button to let Rufus create a UEFI USB flash drive.
How to Boot Windows 10 Computer from UEFI Bootable USB Drive
You can create a UEFI bootable USB drive on Windows 10 by taking any of the methods above. After successfully creating the boot disk, you also need to know how to boot your computer from the bootable USB.
Follow the steps below to start your computer from Windows 10 UEFI bootable USB drive.
Step 1. Connect the UEFI bootable USB disk to a dead, unbootable, inaccessible Windows computer.
Step 2. Restart your computer, hold F2/F11/Del to enter BIOS.
Step 3. Go to the Boot Drive section and set the UEFI bootable USB as the boot drive.
Step 4. Save the changes and exit BIOS. Wait for your computer to boot up from the UEFI bootable USB disk.
Bonus Tip: How to Repair Hard Drive and Recover Data with a WinPE Bootable Disk
When your computer cannot start, besides using the BIOS or UEFI USB bootable drive, is there another way to access the computer to fix errors and manage hard drives? Yes, you can resort to a disk management WinPE bootable disk by using partitioning software - EaseUS Partition Master.
With simple clicks, you can create an EaseUS Partition Master WinPE bootable disk and run it on your computer without system boot partitions. Then, you can repair and manage your hard drives with advanced solutions, or restore data by cloning the hard drive.
EaseUS Partition Master
- Resize, merge, delete, create, and format partitions
- Repair corrupted MBR that causes the hard drive to fail to boot
- Clone hard drives to rescue data
Steps for creating a WinPE bootable USB drive with EaseUS partitioning software.
Step 1. To create a bootable disk of EaseUS Partition Master, you should prepare a storage media, like a USB drive, flash drive or a CD/DVD disc. Then, correctly connect the drive to your computer.
Step 2. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, find the 'WinPE Creator' feature on the top. Click on it.
Step 3. You can choose the USB or CD/DVD when the drive is available. However, if you do not have a storage device at hand, you can also save the ISO file to a local drive, and later burn it to a storage media. Once made the option, click the 'Proceed' button to begin.
When the process finishes, you have successfully created an EaseUS Partition Master WinPE bootable disk. Now, you can manage your hard disks and partitions through the bootable drive whenever the computer fails to boot normally.
If you have RAID drives, load the RAID driver first by clicking Add Driver from the menu bar, which can help you add the driver of your device under WinPE environment, as some specific device cannot be recognized under WinPE environment without drivers installed, such as RAID or some specific hard disk.
Once the Easeus Partition Master bootable disk has been created, you can access your computer and the disk from this USB bootable drive for subsequent disk repair and data recovery operations.
Wrapping Up
How to create a UEFI bootable USB on Windows 10? If you are still struggling with this question, you can find the answer here. You can create a UEFI bootable disk in four ways by using Windows 10 installation media, Diskpart, and Refus.
If you need to boot your computer from a USB bootable disk and manage or repair your disk in a WinPE environment, we strongly recommend you use EaseUS Partition Master, which enables you to clone failing hard drive to a new HDD/SSD.