Rufus

System & gaming tools

Free & open sourceEditorial overview
A CLOSER LOOK

What is Rufus?

Rufus is a Windows utility for creating bootable USB drives from operating-system images, formatting devices, and selecting compatible boot settings, helping users prepare installation or recovery media for computers they need to set up.

Bootable USB creation

ISO image writing

Partition-scheme selection

Drive formatting

Is it a good fit?

Best suited to

Windows users preparing installation and recovery USB drives

Before you choose

Writes can erase the selected drive. Boot compatibility depends on image and firmware.

Editorial assessment based on the provider’s published information. Our method

Know what you're signing up for.

The listed Rufus software is available without a license fee under GPL-3.0. Included capabilities cover bootable usb creation, iso image writing, partition-scheme selection. Free Windows utility; USB hardware and operating-system media/licenses are separate.

Free Windows utility; USB hardware and operating-system media/licenses are separate.

Check current official pricing

The useful parts. The trade-offs.

Why consider it

Focused installation-media workflow

Portable Windows utility

What to keep in mind

Writes can erase the selected drive

Boot compatibility depends on image and firmware

How to use it well

Rufus is a useful option for Windows users preparing installation and recovery USB drives. Choose a trusted operating-system image and verify the USB device's identity and capacity before starting the write. Start with a small, representative task so you can check the results before extending the setup.

Match the partition scheme and boot mode to the target computer, then test the media before relying on it for recovery. Consider the practical trade-off: writes can erase the selected drive.

A few things you might be wondering.

Is Rufus free?

The listed Rufus software is available without a license fee under GPL-3.0. Included capabilities cover bootable usb creation, iso image writing, partition-scheme selection. Free Windows utility; USB hardware and operating-system media/licenses are separate.

Does Rufus run on Linux or macOS?

The official application is a Windows utility.

Will it preserve files already on the USB drive?

Creating installation media can erase existing contents, so copy needed files elsewhere first.

Where can I check the latest prices?

Use the provider link on this page. Billing period, location, team size, promotions, taxes, and optional extras may affect the amount you pay.

How should I compare this tool with alternatives?

Choose tools for the same task, then compare their feature limits, platform support, and total cost for your team. The Compare button helps you keep a shortlist.

Are the user reviews moderated?

Yes. New reviews are submitted for moderation. We show published user reviews separately from the editorial overview and never assign a default user rating.

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