How to create a bootable USB on any system

28 July 2025

Table of contents

What is a bootable USB and what is it used for?
Requirements to create a bootable USB
Create a bootable USB on Windows
Create a bootable USB on macOS
Create a bootable USB on Linux
How to boot from USB
Troubleshooting Common Problems

The ability to create a bootable USB stick is an essential skill for anyone who wants to install, repair, or test an operating system.

In this article, we will look at what a bootable USB is for, how to create one, and what tools to use on Windows, macOS, and Linux. We will also provide practical examples and detailed instructions for users of all levels.

What is a bootable USB and what is it used for?

A bootable USB, or bootable USB stick, is a USB drive prepared so that the computer can directly run the operating system contained within it.

This process uses a special filesystem structure and a bootloader that tells the computer’s BIOS or UEFI that the contents of the media can be executed at boot time.

What can a bootable USB be useful for:

Install a new operating system (e.g. Windows 11, Ubuntu, Fedora)
Boot a live system to test an OS without installing it
Run diagnostic or backup tools (e.g. Clonezilla, GParted, Hiren’s BootCD)
Repair a corrupted or compromised system
Launch special systems for data recovery or malware removal

These solutions can also be used on PCs that no longer boot their main operating system correctly.

Requirements to create a bootable USB

To get started, you need to have:

A USB stick of at least 8 GB (preferably 16 GB or more, especially for Windows)
The ISO file of the operating system to be installed or the tool to be run
A program to write the contents of the ISO file to the USB stick so that it becomes bootable
A computer running one of the following OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

Create a bootable USB on Windows

One of the most common ways to create a Bootable USB on Windows is to use the Rufus program, which is free and very simple to use.

With Rufus

Download Rufus from the official website: https://rufus.ie
Insert the USB drive into your computer
Launch Rufus (no installation required)
Select the Device/Drive corresponding to your USB
In “Boot Selection” click on “Select” and choose the ISO file
Leave the default options (File System: FAT32 or NTFS depending on your system)
Press “Start”
Rufus will format the stick and transfer the files correctly

Example for Windows 11

Download Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft website
Insert a USB stick with at least 8 GB capacity
Follow the steps above with Rufus
Once completed, you can install Windows 11 from scratch.

With Media Creation Tool (Windows only)

Microsoft also offers an official tool:

Download Media Creation Tool
Select “Create installation media”
Choose language, edition and architecture
Select “USB Flash Drive”
The tool will download the files and automatically write them to the USB stick

Create a bootable USB on macOS

Even on macOS, you can create a Bootable USB to install macOS, Linux or other systems. For macOS, Terminal is the most effective method.

To create a bootable USB of macOS

Download the desired system from the App Store (e.g. macOS Ventura)
Insert a USB stick of at least 16 GB
Open Terminal and use the command:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled

Replace “Untitled” with the name of your USB stick. The system will ask for the administrator password.

To create a Linux USB on macOS

You can use Balena Etcher:

Download Whale Etcher
Open it and select the ISO file
Select the USB flash drive
Click on “Flash!”

Balena Etcher also works on Linux and Windows and is highly regarded for its clean and simple interface.

Create a bootable USB on Linux

There are many tools for creating a Bootable USB on Linux. The most common are dd, Balena Etcher, and Startup Disk Creator (on Ubuntu).

Method with Whale Etcher (graphical interface)

Download Whale Etcher
Open the program
Select the ISO file
Select USB drive
Click on “Flash!”

Method with dd (for advanced users)

Identify your USB stick (e.g. /dev/sdb ) with:

lsblk

Use the command:

sudo dd if=file_name.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress && sync

Replace filename.iso with the name of your file and sdX with the correct device.

Warning: dd is not forgiving. If you choose the wrong disk, you can erase your entire system!

How to boot from USB

After creating your Bootable USB, the next step is to boot your computer from the USB stick. This process may vary slightly depending on your BIOS/UEFI manufacturer.

General steps:

Insert the USB stick
Restart your computer
Press the key to open the boot menu (e.g. F12, Esc, F9, Del depending on your PC)
Select USB drive as boot device

Alternatively, go into BIOS/UEFI and change the boot order, setting the USB drive as the first choice.