Rufus
FreeA small, free, open-source Windows utility for creating bootable USB drives from ISO images.
About Rufus
Rufus formats USB flash drives and writes bootable media from ISO and other disk images. People use it to create installers for Windows or Linux, to prepare drives for system recovery, or to flash firmware tools.
The program supports both BIOS and UEFI boot, offers partition scheme and file system options, and includes Windows installation customisation options such as skipping certain setup prompts. The latest release notes mention RISC-V 64 support in UEFI:NTFS, better cancellation during write retries, improved progress reporting and fixes to the silent Windows installation option.
Rufus suits anyone who needs a bootable USB stick, from home users reinstalling an operating system to technicians preparing several machines. It is a single small executable that can run without installation.
It is free and open source under the GPL. Writing an image erases the selected drive, so double-check the target device before you start. It is a good idea to verify downloaded ISO files against the checksums published by the operating system vendor before writing them, which helps avoid corrupted installers.
Writing an image wipes the selected USB drive, so confirm the device first. Download from the official site or project releases.
Version history
1 release tracked- Added RISC-V 64 support to UEFI:NTFS
- Improved cancelling during write retries
- Fixed silent Windows installation failing at 75 percent
Frequently asked
Is Rufus free?
Yes. It is free and open source under the GPL.
Does it need an account?
No.
Which platforms does it support?
Windows. It can create drives for other operating systems.
Where does the download link go?
Directly to rufus.ie or the official app store for your platform. PlanetSofts never rehosts installers or adds wrappers, and these links were last verified Oct 6, 2026.