Guide to Creating a Bootable USB with Ventoy on Windows 11 and 10 (2024)
- To set up a multiboot USB, launch Ventoy, select your USB flash drive, and press “Install.” After installation, open the USB drive with Ventoy set up and simply drag and drop your desired ISO files for Windows 11, 10, Linux, etc.
- Now, you can boot from the USB drive created with Ventoy and select the OS installation you wish to proceed with.
Ventoy is a user-friendly tool that provides an efficient way to create a bootable USB drive for Windows 11 (and 10) without the hassle of having to repeatedly reformat your USB. This guide will walk you through its usage.
Traditionally, to perform a clean installation of Windows 11 (or 10), users would resort to the Media Creation Tool to create bootable USB media. On the other hand, you can utilize the Rufus tool, which offers additional customization. While both methods are effective, the drawback is the necessity to reformat the USB drive every time you need to update the installation files or switch operating systems.
Ventoy operates by installing its software on a USB drive, rendering it bootable. After this initial setup, you can simply upload your desired ISO (or WIM, IMG, VHDX, or EFI) files without needing to extract them. When you boot your computer using this USB, it will open the Ventoy interface, allowing you to choose the image you’d like to launch. If newer versions of an ISO become available, you can easily replace the existing one or retain both versions on the same USB drive.
For Windows 11 installations, Ventoy conveniently applies any necessary adjustments to bypass hardware prerequisites, enabling you to install the OS on almost any device.
This guide will detail how to use Ventoy to create a bootable USB for installing both Windows 11 (including versions 24H2 and 22H2) and Windows 10, Linux, or other operating systems from a single drive.
Steps to Create a Multi-ISO Bootable USB Drive for Windows Using Ventoy
To create a bootable USB for Windows 11 and 10 using Ventoy, first connect a sufficiently sized USB drive and follow these instructions:
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Download the ventoy-x.x.xx-windows.zip file from the “Assets” section to your device.
Note: If your browser flags the file as malicious, you might need to keep the download anyway. -
Launch File Explorer.
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Navigate to the location of the zip folder.
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Double-click the ventoy-x.x.xx-windows.zip file to open it.
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On the command bar, click the Extract all button.
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Hit the Browse button.
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Choose the directory where you want to extract the files.
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Click the Select Folder button.
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Press the Extract button.
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Access the ventoy-x.x.xx folder.
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Double-click the Ventoy2Disk.exe file to begin the installation.
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Select your USB flash drive in the “Device” dropdown.
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Click the Install button.
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Confirm by clicking the OK button.
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Select This PC from the left sidebar in File Explorer.
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Open the Ventoy drive.
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Copy and paste your ISO files to the USB to make them bootable. This can include the latest ISOs for Windows 11, 10, Linux, and more.
Upon completing these steps, your USB drive will be ready to boot a computer using the Ventoy software. You simply need to select one of the ISOs uploaded to your drive to begin the installation process.
The above instructions allow for a quick way to create a multi-bootable media without the need for extensive configuration. For users seeking further customization, the VentoyPlugson plugin is available for additional setup options using a “.json” configuration file.
Update as of October 15, 2024: This guide has been revised to ensure the information is accurate and reflects recent changes in the procedure.
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