How to Boot From USB on Windows 11 [Full Guide]

Overview of How to Boot From USB on Windows 11:

Before we go to the tutorial, you need to prepare the Windows 11 ISO file and a reliable Windows ISO burner, EaseUS Partition Master. This tool stands out during our tests. The reason why we recommend it is that it has a clear interface and it is easy to use, making it friendly to beginners.

Now, let's start learning how to boot from a USB on Windows 11. In this article, we divide the whole process into three stages. First, make your USB well-prepared for the ISO file.

1️⃣Stage 1. Format USB as FAT32

Burning the Windows 11 ISO file to a USB flash drive has specific file system format requirements; the USB flash drive must be set to FAT32 format first. If your USB is FAT32 formatted, skip to the next stage. If not, follow the steps below to format the USB as FAT32:

Step 1. Connect a USB drive with 32GB or more storage capacity to your laptop or desktop. (Remember to back up your important files in advance to avoid data loss.)

Step 2. Press Windows + I keys to open File Explorer; right-click on your USB drive.

Step 3. Select "Format," select FAT32 as the file format, and click "Start." Then wait patiently.

2️⃣Stage 2. Burn Windows 11 ISO File to USB

Because Windows 11 does not have a built-in easy-to-use ISO file-burning tool, we need to choose trustworthy third-party software. After many tests, we decided to recommend EaseUS Partition Master to you. This tool can directly burn the Windows 11 and 10 ISO files to the corresponding USB for you. And in our many tests, this tool has successfully completed the task. So download it and follow the tutorial below to get started.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master and go to the Bootable Media section. Click "Burn ISO" and click "Next".

Step 2. Select the ISO image that you have downloaded on your PC, and click "Open".

Step 3. Click "Next" and select the target USB as destination and click "Burn" to execute the operation.

Burning Windows 11 ISO files is easier than creating a bootable USB. But if you need to create a bootable USB, EaseUS Partition Master can help. Besides, it can do the following tasks:

• Burn ISO to DVD or CD
• Merge partitions on USB
• Check the USB flash drive speed test
• Burn ISO files to USB on Windows 10
• Format 64/138/256 USB drive to FAT32
• Burn Windows 7 ISO file to USB

Click the blue button below to download this tool on your computer. It will help you manage your bootable USB well.

Further Reading: Fix Can't Burn ISO File to USB

3️⃣Stage 3. How to Boot From USB on Windows 11 - 2 Cases

When you need to boot from USB on Windows 11, you may encounter two main situations. One situation is that your computer is working fine, and you can access the startup disk settings from the Windows Settings app portal. The other is when your computer goes wrong and crashes and doesn't work properly, at which point you need to access the boot menu and boot your computer from USB in the BIOS. Now let's learn about each method.

Case 1. PC Can Start Properly - From Settings

Windows Settings can help you start from a USB; follow the given tutorial below to boot Windows 11 from USB while your computer still runs smoothly.

Step 1. Insert the USB flash drive you just burned the ISO file into your Windows 11 computer. Press Windows + I to open Settings, and select the "System" > "Recovery" option.

Step 2. Click the Restart Now button to the right of Advanced Startup. In the popup window, Windows 11 will let you know that it's going to restart your device and that you'd better save your work until then.

Step 3. Afterward, your PC will restart and load into the recovery environment. Under the Choose an option window, select the Use a device option.

Step 4. Your PC will list the bootable devices your computer can use, including the USB drive you connected to your PC earlier. Click and select it.

Finally, your computer can reboot and boot from the USB drive you set up.

Case 2. PC Fails to Start - From Boot Menu

When your computer doesn't boot, you need to access BIOS to boot Windows 11 from USB. Here's how:

Step 1. Connect a bootable USB flash drive to the USB port of a PC. Press the power button to start the laptop or PC. When it starts to load, go ahead and hit the appropriate boot menu option key, such as ESC, F2, F8, or F10 (it may vary by brand), to enter the BIOS setup.

Step 2. In the boot menu, look for Boot order and move the USB drive you want to boot to the top of the list.

Step 3. After confirming the settings, press F10 to save and exit. After exiting, your PC will boot from the USB flash drive.

Conclusion

If you want to start Windows 11, 10 from a USB flash drive but don't know how to do it, then you can refer to the method in this tutorial to solve this problem easily. First, prepare a qualified USB flash drive and format it into FAT32; download the Windows 11 ISO file from the official website in advance, and use EaseUS Partition Master (a reliable ISO burner for Windows 10/11) to burn the file to the USB. Then you can boot Windows 11 from the USB. It's worth mentioning that you'll need to access the BIOS to boot from USB if the computer isn't working properly. 

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How to Boot From USB on Windows 11 FAQs

There are many situations where you may wish to use a USB to boot Windows 11 on your computer, perhaps to boot a new Windows system, for troubleshooting, or to enjoy the same configuration on multiple PCs. Here are some more related questions and answers. Read on.

1. Why is Windows 11 not booting from USB?

Not all USB drives can be considered bootable USB devices. Regular USB drives are not bootable by default. So the reasons why Windows 11 cannot boot from USB are as follows:

• USB drive is not a bootable device
• Bootable USB drive not showing up in BIOS
• USB drive is too old
• USB drive is damaged by mistake
• USB drive format does not support
• Wrong boot order

2. How to load Windows 11 from USB in BIOS?

To load Windows 11 From a USB in BIOS, you need to make the USB bootable first. Then, download the Windows 11 ISO file to the bootable USB; connect it to a PC; set the USB as the boot drive; then, you can boot Windows 11 from the USB.

3. When do we need to boot from a USB on Windows 11?

The reasons for booting the system from USB are as follows:

• Boot the new Windows system. Boot the new system on a USB stick to prevent it from affecting the version you are running.
• To troubleshoot. The second reason is that your computer operating system does not start properly, shows a blue screen on Windows 11, or keeps crashing due to viruses, malware, etc. At this point, you need a bootable USB disk to boot your computer properly.
• Booting the new computer from the USB boot disk with the old system will allow you to enjoy the same computer configuration.