Windows 10 installation media: create a USB or ISO (step by step)

Applies to: Windows 10 version 22H2 Home and Pro, created from a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025, but Microsoft still offers the installation media.

What you need

• A working Windows PC with a reliable internet connection. You need to be signed in as an administrator to run the tool.
• A USB flash drive of at least 8 GB that you can erase, or a blank DVD and a DVD burner. Everything on the drive is deleted, so copy off anything you need first.
• A Windows 10 licence for the PC you’ll install on: a product key, or a digital licence if that PC has run activated Windows 10 before.
• The right language, edition and architecture (64-bit or 32-bit) for the target PC. To check, open Settings > System > About and look at System type. Almost every PC from the last decade needs 64-bit.

Windows 10 Enterprise isn’t available from the media creation tool. Businesses get Enterprise media from the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Create a Windows 10 USB installer

1. Plug in the USB drive.
2. Go to microsoft.com/software-download/windows10 and, under Create Windows 10 installation media, select Download Now.
3. Open the downloaded file. It’s called MediaCreationTool, sometimes with the version added, such as MediaCreationTool_22H2.exe. Select Yes if User Account Control asks.
4. On the licence screen, select Accept.
5. On What do you want to do?, choose Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC and select Next.
6. Check the language, edition and architecture. To change them, clear Use the recommended options for this PC first. Select Next.
7. Choose USB flash drive, select Next, pick your drive from the list and select Next again.
8. Wait while the tool downloads Windows 10 and copies it to the drive. When it says Your USB flash drive is ready, select Finish.

If the USB drive isn’t listed, select Refresh drive list. If it still doesn’t appear, format it as FAT32 or exFAT first; the steps in how to format an SD card work the same way for USB drives.

Download a Windows 10 ISO instead

An ISO file is useful for virtual machines, for burning a DVD, or for upgrading a PC in place. Follow the same steps, but choose ISO file instead of USB flash drive and pick a folder to save it in. The ISO is several gigabytes, so make sure the drive has room.

To use the ISO on the current PC, right-click it and choose Mount, then run setup.exe from the new drive. Microsoft notes that this upgrades the installed system rather than doing a clean install. A repair install this way keeps your files and apps; see how to reinstall Windows 10 for when to use each option.

Burn the ISO to a DVD

1. Insert a blank DVD.
2. Right-click the ISO file and choose Burn disc image. On Windows 11, select Show more options first.
3. Pick your burner and select Burn.

If Windows says the disc image is too large, use a dual-layer (DL) DVD. If Burn disc image is missing, another app has taken over ISO files: right-click the ISO, choose Properties > Change, select Windows Explorer and then Apply.

Boot from the installation media

1. Plug the USB drive or insert the DVD into the PC you want to install on, then restart it.
2. If it starts your old system instead, open the boot menu with the key your PC shows at startup, often F12, F11, Esc or F2, and pick the USB drive.
3. On the Install Windows screen, choose language, time and keyboard, select Next, then Install now and follow the prompts.

If the drive doesn’t appear in the boot menu, check the PC maker’s instructions for changing the boot order; some PCs need Secure Boot temporarily switched off. If Windows restarts straight back into your current system, use a full Shut down instead of Restart and try again.

Product keys and activation

• If the PC already ran activated Windows 10, select I don’t have a product key during setup. Windows activates automatically once it’s online, as long as you install the same edition.
• If the key is stored in the PC’s firmware (common on laptops sold with Windows), setup picks it up for the matching edition.
• For a new PC or a new drive, enter your 25-character key when asked.

Windows 10 no longer gets free security updates after October 14, 2025. If you’re reinstalling it on a PC that can’t run Windows 11, enroll in consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) afterwards; see “your version of Windows has reached the end of service” for what that means and your options.

If the media creation tool fails

Problem	What to try
Error 0x80042405 or another code at the start	Save and run the tool from the PC’s own drive, not from the USB stick, run it as administrator, and try a different USB port
“There was a problem running this tool”	Restart the PC, turn off VPN or proxy software, and run the tool again
Download stalls or is very slow	Use a wired connection, or choose ISO file and copy it to USB later
USB drive not listed	Select Refresh drive list, use a drive of 8 GB or more, or try another drive

The media creation tool only runs on Windows. On a Mac or Linux PC, use another Windows computer to make the USB drive.

Related guides

• How to reinstall Windows 10: reset, repair install or clean install
• How to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 (2 ways)
• “Your version of Windows has reached the end of service”: how to fix it
• How to upgrade Windows 10 Home to Pro (3 ways)
• Error 0x8007025D: how to fix it when installing or upgrading Windows
• We couldn’t find any drives: fix it when installing Windows

Official sources: for more detail, see these pages:

• Microsoft: Download Windows 10
• Microsoft Support: Create installation media for Windows

Frequently asked questions

Can I still download Windows 10 after end of support?

Yes. Microsoft still offers the Windows 10 version 22H2 media creation tool on its download page. End of support means no more free updates, not that the installer is gone.

Is the Windows 10 installation media free?

The download is free, but you need a valid licence to activate Windows 10 once it’s installed.

How big does the USB drive need to be?

At least 8 GB. Everything on it is erased, so use a spare drive.

Can I use the same USB drive on several PCs?

Yes. The drive works on any PC that matches the language and architecture you chose, as long as each PC has its own licence.