Users can combine Rufus and media creation tools when creating a Windows 11 23H2 bootable USB. For example, use MCT to download the official ISO, then use Rufus to flash it. Alternatively, you can download the original Windows ISO file directly in Rufus.
Additionally, Rufus can help you create USB installation media for older versions, including 22H2, Windows 10, and 8.1 (Windows 7 is no longer supported). Rufus can bypass TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot requirements to create installation media compatible with older and officially unsupported hardware.
Let’s dive into how to create bootable Windows 11 23H2 USB via Rufus, regardless of whether your hardware is supported or not. Before starting the following steps, you need to do the following preparation.
- Download Rufus from its official website and install it.
- Connect your USB drive that has at least 8 GB.
How to Create Bootable Windows 11 23H2 USB via Rufus
How to use Rufus to create bootable Windows 11 23H2 USB? Launch Rufus. If you already have a Windows 11 23H2 ISO, select Disk or ISO Image and click Select, then click STRAT.
If you don’t have a Windows 11 23H2 ISO, you can download the original Windows 11 23H2 ISO file using Rufus.
1. Click the arrow-down button next to the Select button and press Download.
2. Click the Download button again and wait a few seconds for Rufus to run the needed script.
3. Select the Windows version you need, and click Continue. The app will prompt you to pick release, SKU (Edition), Language, and architecture. Once everything is set, click Download, and specify where Rufus should save the ISO.
4. Once the download completes, the boot selection will be automatically the ISO file that just downloaded and you can click START to continue.
How to Create Bootable Windows 11 23H2 USB via Rufus for Unsupported Hardware
How to create Windows 11 23H2 custom bootable USB using Rufus? After clicking the STRAT button, Rufus will offer you to customize the installation with the following options. You can check the boxes based on your needs.
- Remove Requirement for 4GB+ RAM – if you want to install Windows 11 on a computer with unsupported hardware.
- Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account – skip the Microsoft Account requirement. Windows 11 will not ask you to sign in with a Microsoft Account during the initial setup.
- Create a local account – you can specify your account name.
- Set regional options using the same values as this user – Rufus will copy the current regional settings to the new installation.
- Disable data collection – Windows 11 will not ask you to send diagnostic data, enable location, advertisement ID, and other things some users consider privacy-invading.
- Disable BitLocker automatic device encryption – BitLocker is not turned on by default.
After creating a Windows 11 23H2 bootable USB via Rufus, you can start to install Windows 11 23H2. Before installing it, you had better back up important data in your current system since a clean installation will remove everything on your disk. Try the PC backup software – MiniTool ShadowMaker to back up files.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Having been an editor at MiniTool since graduating college as an English major, Daisy specializes in writing about data backups, disk cloning, and file syncing as well as general computer knowledge and issues. In her free time, Daisy enjoys running and going with friends to the amusement park.