Certainly everyone is familiar with installing a Windows version using a USB flash drive, where the version is burned, i.e., transferring the installation files from the ISO to the flash drive and then installing Windows through it. But what we mean by this article is running the Windows version itself on the flash drive directly, which is a completely different story. In this way, Windows will function like any portable program, so you can run Windows 11, including installed programs and games, on any computer simply by connecting the flash drive.
If you are interested in this, continue reading as we review everything you need to know to install and run Windows 11 on a USB flash drive with ease.
In previous versions of Windows, there was a built-in feature called “Windows To Go” that allowed users to copy the system and use it directly on portable storage units – like installing Windows on an external hard drive – as long as the storage unit met the required criteria in terms of type, size, etc. However, this feature is no longer officially supported in Windows 11, so if you want to install and run Windows 11 on a USB flash drive, you need to download an external program for this purpose.
In this guide, we relied on Rufus, a program known for its efficiency in burning Windows versions on a flash drive and making it bootable. Additionally, it supports the ability to perform a portable installation of the Windows 11 operating system and carry it in your pocket!
But before starting anything, there are things to consider. First, it is necessary to format the flash drive and delete any stored files. So make sure to back up important files and make the flash drive completely empty. You will also need to download the ISO file to install Windows 11. If you don’t have the file, check out our previous article on how to download the final version of Windows 11. Now, follow along with us for the next steps…
Basically, download the latest version of the Rufus program from the official website, whether the regular or portable version. Then, connect the flash drive to the computer or laptop. The flash drive must be at least 64 GB in size to install Windows 11 and run your favorite programs smoothly.
Now, run the Rufus program and select the flash drive you intend to use for the process from the Device menu at the top. Then, press the SELECT button next to the Boot selection menu and select the ISO file from the computer to install Windows 11. Then, click on the Image selection menu and select the Windows To Go option. Rufus will adjust all other settings and format the flash drive to be ready for installing Windows 11, so click the “START” button at the bottom and wait until the process is complete. Depending on the computer’s speed, the flash drive, and the type of USB port, it may take some time to complete the Windows 11 installation process.
Once the process is finished, you will now have a flash drive capable of running Windows 11 autonomously on any computer. You can start testing the flash drive on your device, but you will need to access the BIOS screen to make the computer boot from the flash drive instead of the internal hard drive. Let’s agree that this process varies from one device to another due to the various graphical interfaces of BIOS screens. For example, on our ASUS laptop, we needed to press and hold the F2 button and start the device while continuously pressing F2 until the BIOS screen appeared. Then we pressed the Boot Menu option, selected the USB flash drive containing the Windows version, and pressed Enter to start booting from the flash drive.
If you are unsure how to access the BIOS screen on your device, refer to the article on how to enter UEFI mode directly from Windows. We have also published an article on how to change boot settings to a USB flash drive on various computers and laptops so you can refer to that.
After completing the Windows installation steps, you can start installing your favorite programs and games with ease. You may also need to install the drivers for your graphics card, sound, and network for the device you are using the flash drive on if the drivers installed by Microsoft are not functioning properly.
That’s all there is to it. You can connect this flash drive to a laptop or computer anytime, anywhere and boot into Windows after adjusting the necessary settings in the BIOS as we explained earlier.
