Step-by-Step Guide: Using Rufus to Create a Bootable USB for Windows 11 24H2

The Rufus utility allows you to set up a bootable USB flash drive for installing Windows 11 24H2 (2024 Update) on both compatible and incompatible systems. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the necessary steps for this procedure. While Rufus operates similarly to the Media Creation Tool, it provides added flexibility as you can utilize an existing ISO file or directly download the installation files from Microsoft’s servers.

Additionally, this tool can be employed to produce USB installation media for older operating systems, such as Windows 10. Previously, users could download earlier versions of Windows 11 and 10, but that is no longer an option. You are limited to downloading the latest versions available for each OS. However, other methods can still be used to acquire previous editions of Windows.

Moreover, Rufus is an excellent choice for creating bootable media that circumvents the restrictions on installing Windows 11 on hardware that doesn’t meet the requirements or allows installation without a Microsoft account by utilizing a local account instead.

This tutorial will guide you through the process of using Rufus to download the ISO file and create bootable media for installing Windows 11 24H2 on both supported and unsupported systems.

• Create Windows 11 24H2 USB with Rufus for supported devices
• Create Windows 11 24H2 USB with Rufus for unsupported devices

Create Windows 11 24H2 USB with Rufus for supported devices

To generate a USB bootable media for Windows 11 24H2, first, connect a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of space, then follow the steps outlined below:

1. Visit the Rufus website.

2. Download the latest version from the “Download” section.

3. Launch the application by double-clicking the Rufus executable file.

4. Access the Settings button (the third button from the left) located at the bottom of the window.

   

5. Set the “Check for updates” setting to Daily in the Settings section.

6. Click the Close button.

7. Click the Close button once more.

8. Restart Rufus.

9. (Optional) Select the USB flash drive from the “Device” dropdown menu.

10. Choose the “Disk or ISO image” option in the “Boot selection” menu.

11. Click the down-arrow beside the selection box and choose Download.

    

12. Press the Download button.

13. Select Windows 11 from the options.

14. Hit the Continue button.

15. Choose the “24H2” option to select the 2024 Update of Windows 11.

    

16. Click the Continue button.

17. Select Windows 11 Home/Pro/Edu.

18. Click Continue.

19. Choose the language for your Windows 11 installation.

20. Hit Continue.

21. Select the x64 architecture option.

22. Click Download.

23. Choose where to save the Windows 11 24H2 ISO file.

24. Select “Standard Windows 11 Installation” in the “Image option” section.

25. (Optional) You may continue with the default settings after the download.

26. (Optional) Give a name to the drive (for example, Windows 11 24H2 Setup) in the “Volume label” field.

27. Click the Start button.

28. Deselect all options from the “Windows User Experience” page to create a clean installation media.

    

29. Press the OK button.

Once you finish these procedures, your bootable USB will be ready to install the latest Windows 11 version on a compliant device.

You can also watch my tutorial video on this process on my YouTube channel. Make sure to like and subscribe!

Create Windows 11 24H2 USB with Rufus for unsupported devices

The Rufus application can also be utilized to create a bootable USB that ignores the TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and memory requirements necessary for installing Windows on unsupported hardware. Additionally, you can use this tool to get around the internet requirements and avoid needing a Microsoft account during the setup process.

Nonetheless, your computer must still have at least TPM 1.2 and a processor capable of executing POPCNT instructions to install the OS.

To make a Windows 11 24H2 bootable USB for systems that do not meet the requirements, follow these steps:

1. Access the Rufus website.

2. Download the latest version from the “Download” section.

3. Run the application by double-clicking the Rufus executable file.

4. Select the flash drive to which you’ll create the Windows 11 24H2 bootable USB media from the “Device” section.

5. In the “Boot selection” section, select “Disk or ISO image” .

6. Click the Select button.

   

7. Locate and choose the Windows 11 24H2 ISO file.

8. Click the Open button.

9. Pick the “Standard Windows 11 Installation” option from the “Image option” section.

10. Choose the GPT option in the “Partition scheme” section.

11. Select UEFI (non-CSM) under the “Target system” section.

12. (Optional) Assign a meaningful name to the bootable USB flash drive in the “Volume label” field.

13. Retain the default settings for the File system and Cluster size.

14. Check the Quick format option.

15. Enable the “Create extended label and icon files” option.

16. Press the Start button.

17. Select the “Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0” option to enable installation of version 24H2 on hardware that isn’t officially supported.

    

18. (Optional) Choose the “Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account” option to set up Windows 11 24H2 using a local account instead of a Microsoft account.

    

19. (Optional) If desired, select the “Create a local account with username” option and specify the account name for local installation.

20. (Optional) You may uncheck the “Set regional options to the same values as this user’s” option to use your current language as default for new installations.

21. (Optional) You can deselect the “Disable data collection” option to minimize data tracking from Microsoft.

22. (Optional) Enable the “Disable BitLocker automatic device encryption” option.

    

    Note: Starting with version 24H2, Microsoft enforces encryption on new installations. Though it’s advisable to use encryption to safeguard your data, this setting can be disabled if desired.

23. Click OK to proceed.

After you have performed these steps, Rufus will produce bootable USB media capable of installing version 24H2 on unsupported systems.

Alternatively, you can opt for the Ventoy tool to create a USB media drive, simply dragging and dropping the Windows 11 24H2 ISO file onto the drive to make it bootable.

Update as of October 8, 2024: This guide has been revised to ensure precision and incorporate changes to the installation process.

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