How to Create an ISO Image from a USB Drive on Windows

An ISO file, also known as an ISO image, is a disk file format that contains the complete content and structure of a CD, DVD, or BD. It is widely used for distributing software, games, and operating system installations. ISO files can be mounted as a virtual drive or burned onto physical discs for backup or installation purposes.

This article from the tools section details how to use the USB Media Creation Tool, DISM commands, and Rufus to create an ISO image. Jump in and learn!

Create a bootable rescue media USB with the USB Media Creator

To avoid data loss or system failure, it's best to back up your Windows system and data and create a bootable recovery disk before any problems arise. Rescue media stored on a USB drive or CD/DVD is a streamlined version of the Windows operating system. With Todo Backup tools, you can create a bootable USB on your computer before anything goes wrong, or on another computer after the fact.

With Todo Backup, you can create an image of your USB drive and also put an ISO file onto a USB drive. As one of the best Bootable USB Creator tools, it helps you create a bootable USB to install Windows on a PC.

Plus, since it supports hot backups, you can automatically and easily create backups of your computer's files or system without interrupting your work. If your USB flash drive isn't new, you should back up its contents first, because creating an ISO from a bootable USB flash drive or creating an ISO image on a USB flash drive will erase its data.

Most importantly, the cloning feature of the tool can help you clone Windows to a USB flash drive so that you can install Windows on another computer, just like installing it from an ISO file.

Here's how to use the backup and recovery software to create a bootable USB drive.

Step 1: Have a USB drive that you can write to and read from.

Click Create Emergency Disk.

Step 2. Start and install Todo Backup on Computer B.

Step three: Under “Tools,” click “Create an emergency repair disk.”

Click Create Emergency Disk .

4. Choose the location for your bootable disk. You can create an ISO file, a bootable USB device, or a CD/DVD.

Step 5: Click the "Create" button to begin.

Create an ISO image on a USB drive on Windows using another method

Still, you can create an ISO image from a USB drive using one of the two methods below, although you could achieve the same with tools like Todo Backup. Let's see how they work!

Method 1: Create an ISO Image on a USB Flash Drive with Rufus

When it comes to creating an ISO image from a USB drive, Rufus is the tool to mention. It's a free and open-source utility for Windows that helps you format and create a bootable Windows USB drive. Here's how to make an ISO image from a USB drive with Rufus.

**Step 1.** Download and install Rufus from its official website, and connect the USB to your Windows PC.

Step 2: Select the USB drive from the Device drop-down menu.

Then select “Create ISO image from USB device”:

**Step 3.** Under Boot Options, press the `Select` button and choose `From ISO File` or `From Disk` or `From ISO Image (Please Select)`. Then create the ISO image from the USB drive.

Step 4: Confirm the partitioning scheme and file system.

Step 5: Click on “Start” to begin the process of converting your USB device to an ISO image.

Rufus will warn you that all data on the target USB will be deleted. Acknowledge this and proceed. Rufus will begin creating the ISO. Wait for the process to finish. When it's done, Rufus will display “Ready.” You can now close the tool.

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Method 2: Create an ISO image for the USB flash drive by using DISM

The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command is a built-in command-line tool in the Windows operating system that helps you service Windows images and create ISO files from hard disk drives or USB flash drives. To create an ISO file from a USB drive using the DISM command in Windows, follow these steps:

First, open the Command Prompt as an administrator. Type “Command Prompt” in the Windows search bar, and select “Run as administrator.”

2. At the command prompt, type the following command to view all connected drives and find the drive letter assigned to your USB drive:

• diskpart
• list volume

Step 3: Note the letter assigned to your USB drive (for example, E:).

Step 4. Type the following command to use DISM to create an ISO file from the USB drive:

This command translates to: Use the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool to capture an image, with the output file saved at `C:\path\to\output.iso`, the captured image from the E: drive, and name the image as "MyUSBImage".

5. Press Enter to run the command. This will create an ISO file from the USB drive.

When the process is finished, you'll find the ISO file at the location you specified. Depending on the size of your USB drive and the speed of your system, the DISM command could take some time to finish this process.

In short,

This article will show you how to create an ISO image on USB in Windows 11/10/8/7. You can use the DISM command or Rufus to help you create an ISO image on a USB drive. If you prefer a more straightforward method, consider using professional backup software - tools Todo Backup.

This handy backup and recovery tool lets you create a bootable USB drive to install Windows and clone Windows to USB, helping you deploy Windows or programs on different computers. Download it for free now on your PC to easily and quickly put ISO files on a USB drive.

Frequently Asked Questions about Creating an ISO from a USB Flash Drive

1. Can I create an ISO from a USB?

Yes, you can create an ISO from a USB drive. You can use the DISM command and Rufus to create an ISO from a USB drive. Additionally, you can use tools like Todo Backup to copy the emergency disk ISO to a USB drive.

2. How to Create an ISO from a Bootable USB in Windows 10?

To create a Windows 10 ISO, use the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool. First, go to the Windows 10 download page and click "Download tool now." Run the tool, then choose "Create installation media for another PC" and click "Next." Select the architecture, language, and version of Windows you need, then click "Next" and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

How do I create a bootable ISO image?

You can use Rufus or the bootable USB creation tool called OS2Go to make the ISO bootable. OS2Go helps you create a bootable USB drive with or without an ISO file.