How Can You Install Windows 10 on a USB Drive?

Do you know how to install Windows 10 on a USB drive? If not, then you've come to the right place. In this article, you'll learn how to put Windows 10 on a USB, also referred to as creating a portable Windows 10 USB drive. But before we proceed, it's crucial to understand the advantages of using a portable USB drive.

Why Install Windows on a USB?

A portable Windows USB drive enables users to run Windows 10 on any computer. Thus, if you encounter any hardware issues, you can readily access your computer without hassle. This portable Windows USB drive also allows you to boot any computer using your system and configuration, which is highly convenient. Remarkably, you can even use this USB drive to boot the Windows system on a Mac computer.

How to Install Windows 10 on a USB Drive?

Typically, there are two standard methods to place Windows 10 on a USB drive. One is by utilizing the built-in Windows To Go feature, and the other is to employ third-party software assistance. In the subsequent sections, we will elaborate on both approaches in detail.

Method 1: How to Use Windows To Go

Windows To Go is a built-in feature that's only available for Windows Enterprise and Education editions. It was first introduced in Windows 8. If you wish to create a portable Windows 10 USB using Windows To Go, ensure that you're using one of the mentioned Windows editions.

Step 1. Insert the certified USB drive that you want to use as your Windows To Go drive into your PC.

Step 2. Launch Windows To Go Creator, select the target USB drive as the destination.

Select the target drive

Step 3. Select a Windows image page. You can also click Add Search Location, browse to the .wim file folder, choose the Windows 10 Enterprise or Education image, then click Next.

Step 4. On the Set a BitLocker password (optional) screen, you can choose to encrypt your Windows To Go drive by selecting Use BitLocker with my Windows To Go workspace. If you don't want to do this, click Skip.

Step 5. Verify the inserted USB drive for Windows To Go, then click Create to start creating the Windows To Go workspace. Please wait for the process to finish, which may take 20 to 30 minutes. A completion confirmation page will appear when it's done.

Method 2: Install Windows 10 on USB using OS2Go Tools

The latest version of Windows 10 has discontinued the Windows To Go feature. If you're not an Enterprise or Education user, you won't be able to utilize Windows To Go.

Here, you need to pick an alternative. We suggest you choose tool OS2Go. It offers all the features of Windows To Go but has fewer requirements regarding the USB drive brand and your computer expertise. You can accomplish it quickly and easily. If you wish to save time, give OS2Go a try.

Step 1. Install OS2Go on your Windows computer, which will show the used space on your system drive. Insert a USB drive with a capacity larger than the used space on the system drive. Select the target USB drive and click Next to proceed.

Step 2. OS2Go will warn you that the next action will erase all data on your drive. Make sure you've backed up all important data. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 3. Adjust disk layout. The default disk layout on the target drive will be identical to the source drive. You can also edit the layout to suit your requirements. Check the option if you're using a Solid State Drive as the Windows boot drive. Then, click Proceed.

Step 4. OS2Go will then begin creating the portable USB drive. This process may take some time, depending on your operating system and network conditions. Once the progress reaches 100%, the USB drive should be bootable.

Step 5. Insert the portable Windows USB and restart your computer. Press the necessary key (F2, DEL, F10...) to access the BIOS. Select to boot from the USB drive.

Note: Please ensure that the boot mode (UEFI or Legacy) of the portable USB and your target computer are identical, or else you might not be able to boot.

Bootable USB Drive vs. Portable USB Drive

Users often get confused between a bootable USB drive and a portable USB drive. In this explanation, you'll grasp the distinction between these two terms.

With a Portable USB Drive, users can readily access Windows 10 on any hardware by simply connecting the drive to any system. This is a straightforward process that offers great convenience, allowing users to carry their system with them anywhere and anytime to use on any hardware.

On the other hand, bootable USB drives contain the Windows operating system files, which require users to install all these components onto a new PC in order to load the operating system on the device. This involves following booting options to install the Windows 10 files and configuring everything from scratch.

Windows 11 To Go | How to Create a Windows 11 Portable USB Drive

OS2Go is a popular and lightweight Windows To Go creator for Windows 11. It is fully compatible with the Windows 11 operating system, making it easy and quick to create a bootable USB drive for Windows 11.

Conclusion

Here, we've provided you with the two best options for installing Windows 10 on a USB drive. It's recommended to try both methods to determine which one suits you best. If you have any questions or encounter issues during the process, don't hesitate to reach out to the support team: support@tools.com.