Creating a bootable USB for Windows 11 or 10 is an essential step if you’re planning to install or reinstall Windows on any system. If you’re working on a Linux-based OS (like Ubuntu), the process may seem a bit different than Windows tools like Rufus. But don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with a complete, step-by-step guide.

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🧰 What You’ll Need

Before diving into the process, make sure you have the following:

• A USB flash drive (8GB minimum; 16GB recommended)
• A working Linux system (e.g., Ubuntu or Linux Mint)
• Internet connection (to download the ISO and required tools)
• The Windows 11 or 10 ISO file (download link below)

So far, we’ve done a great job preparing everything you need to get started. Now, let’s move forward and make your USB bootable using the right tools and commands.

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📥 Step 1: Download Windows 11 or Windows 10 ISO File

Let’s begin by downloading the official Windows ISO.

Steps:

1. Open your web browser.
2. Search for Windows 11 download or go directly to Microsoft’s page:
   👉 https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11
3. Scroll down to Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO).
4. Under “Select edition,” choose Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO) and click Confirm.
5. Choose the language (e.g., English – United States), and click Confirm again.
6. Click the 64-bit Download button to begin the download.

📝 The ISO file size will be around 5.8 GB, so ensure your USB has enough space.

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🧪 Step 2: Install GParted to Format the USB Drive

Now that we have the ISO, let’s install the GParted utility to properly format the USB drive.

Install GParted:

1. Open Terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T).
2. Run the following command: sudo apt install gparted
3. Enter your password and press Y when prompted.

Once installed, search for GParted in your app launcher and open it.

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🧹 Step 3: Format the USB Drive Using GParted

Now it’s time to clean and prepare the USB.

⚠️ Warning: This will erase all data from the USB drive. Backup if necessary.

Steps:

1. In GParted, select your USB drive from the top-right dropdown (e.g., /dev/sdb).
2. Unmount the drive by right-clicking on the partition and selecting Unmount.
3. Once unmounted, delete all partitions on the USB drive.
4. Click the green ✔ Apply button to finalize.

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🏗️ Step 4: Create a New GPT Partition Table and Format

After wiping the drive, we’ll format it as a GPT disk and create a new NTFS partition.

Steps:

1. Go to Device > Create Partition Table.
2. Select gpt from the dropdown and click Apply.
3. Now right-click on unallocated space, choose New.
4. Set the file system as NTFS, and label it as Windows.
5. Click Add, then click Apply again to create the partition.

Once this is done, you’ve successfully formatted the USB for Windows installation.

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📂 Step 5: Mount the Windows ISO and Copy Files

Let’s now move to the final part — copying the Windows installation files to the USB drive.

Here’s how:

1. Open the folder where the Windows ISO file was downloaded.
2. Right-click the ISO file and select Open With > Disk Image Mounter.
3. Once mounted, a virtual disk will appear with the Windows installation files.
4. Open the mounted ISO, select all files (Ctrl + A), then copy.
5. Navigate to your USB drive (Windows label) and paste the copied files.

This process may take several minutes depending on your USB speed.

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✅ Final Step: Safely Eject the USB Drive

Once all files are copied:

• Right-click the USB drive and choose Eject or Unmount.
• Now your Windows 11/10 Bootable USB is ready to use.

You can now plug it into any system and boot from USB to install Windows.

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❓FAQs: Bootable USB Creation on Linux

Q1: Can I use FAT32 instead of NTFS?
Technically yes, but NTFS is recommended for large ISO files like Windows 11 (>4GB), which FAT32 cannot handle.

Q2: What if the USB doesn’t boot on the target PC?
Make sure the BIOS/UEFI settings on the PC are set to boot from USB and UEFI mode is enabled (not legacy boot).

Q3: Can I use tools like BalenaEtcher or WoeUSB?
Yes! This guide uses manual formatting for transparency, but tools like BalenaEtcher or WoeUSB offer GUI-based solutions for creating bootable drives on Linux.

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🏁 Conclusion

So far, we’ve gone through downloading the ISO, installing GParted, formatting the USB properly, and transferring the Windows installation files manually. These steps are simple yet powerful for anyone working in a Linux environment.

Whether you’re repairing a system, installing Windows on a new PC, or dual-booting, a bootable USB is your essential toolkit — and now, you’ve built one yourself!

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🔖 Tags:

create windows usb, bootable windows usb linux, windows 11 iso linux, gparted windows usb, format usb ntfs linux, gparted tutorial, linux bootable drive, usb windows installer, iso to usb linux, windows installation media linux

📢 Hashtags:

#WindowsUSB #LinuxTips #BootableDrive #GParted #Windows11ISO #TechTutorial #LinuxHowTo

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Disclaimer: This guide is written for educational purposes. Always verify downloads from official websites. Formatting a USB will erase all data. Ensure backups before proceeding.

Emily Carter

Emily is a Windows power user and technical writer from the UK. She has spent 7+ years in IT consulting, helping businesses migrate to new Windows versions, optimize performance, and solve common errors. Emily’s articles combine professional experience with step-by-step clarity, making even registry hacks accessible to everyday users.

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