What is WinToUSB and what does it do?

WinToUSB is a tool developed by Hasleo Software that can install Windows from ISO/WIM/ESD images to a USB drive or clone Windows to a USB drive to create a Windows To Go portable system. It can also be used to create a Windows installation USB drive and a WinPE bootable USB drive.

Is WinToUSB free? What are the differences between the Free and Professional editions?

WinToUSB offers a free personal edition that supports creating Windows To Go from ISO/WIM/ESD images, but does not support cloning the current system. It can be used for free to create Windows installation USB drives and WinPE bootable USB drives. The Professional edition adds advanced features such as system cloning, BitLocker encryption, flexible partition adjustment, and commercial use authorization.

How do I create a Windows To Go bootable drive from an image file using WinToUSB?

Run WinToUSB as administrator → Click "Windows To Go USB" → Select ISO/WIM/ESD image → Select Windows edition → Select target USB drive → Choose partition scheme and installation mode → Click "Proceed". After completion, restart and boot from the USB drive.

How do I clone Windows to a USB drive as a Windows To Go bootable drive using WinToUSB?

Run WinToUSB as administrator → Click "Windows To Go USB" → Select "Current Windows Operating System" → Select target USB drive → Choose partition scheme and installation mode → Click "Proceed". After completion, restart and boot from the USB drive. Professional edition required.

Can I use WinToUSB on a Mac?

WinToUSB is a Windows application and cannot run on macOS. You can use it by installing Windows via Boot Camp, using Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion virtual machines, or on another physical Windows machine. Note that bootable drives created by WinToUSB only support Intel-based Macs and are not compatible with Apple Silicon (M1/M2, etc.) chips.

Is a Windows To Go bootable drive created with WinToUSB safe and reliable?

A Windows To Go bootable drive is itself a fully functional Windows system with full security assurances. It does not actively modify any data on the host's internal hard drive, so your host data remains safe. However, improper shutdown or forcibly unplugging the USB drive may cause loss of data being read or written. It is recommended to develop a good habit of regularly backing up important data.

Since 2014 WinToUSB V10.9

Create Portable Windows 11/10/8/7 in Minutes with the Best Free Windows To Go Creator!

Create Windows To Go from ISO, WIM, ESD, SWM, VHD(X) files or a DVD.
Create Windows To Go from a Hasleo Backup Suite system image file.
Clone Windows to a USB or Thunderbolt drive as portable Windows.Improved
Delta Clone helps quickly update an existing Windows To Go drive.
Secure portable Windows with BitLocker encryption.
Create bootable WinPE or Windows installation USB drives and download Windows ISOs.Improved
Supports any version of Windows 11/10/8/7 (X64/X86/ARM64) and Server 2008 or later.
Fully compatible with GPT/UEFI and Windows UEFI CA 2023.

Free Download Buy Now

Overview

Install and run a fully functional Windows from a USB drive, external hard drive or Thunderbolt drive.

WinToUSB (also called Windows To USB) is the best free Windows To Go (WTG) creator, which allows you to install and run a fully functional Windows on external hard drives, USB flash drives or Thunderbolt drives. With just three steps and a few minutes, you can easily create your first portable Windows 11/10/8/7 (X64/X86/ARM64) or Windows Server from an ISO, WIM, ESD, SWM, VHD, VHDX or DBI file (the backup image generated by Hasleo Backup Suite) or from a CD/DVD drive.

Alternatively, you can clone your currently running Windows installation to a USB or Thunderbolt drive as a portable Windows system. WinToUSB also supports creating Windows installation USB drives from Windows 11/10/8/7 and Windows Server ISOs, so you can install Windows from the USB drive effortlessly. To upgrade a Windows To Go workspace, use Hasleo Windows To Go Upgrader.

What You Can Do with WinToUSB

A complete toolkit for Windows To Go, Windows installation USB and WinPE USB drives.

Windows To Go Creator

Install and run a fully functional Windows on an external HDD/SSD, USB flash drive or Thunderbolt drive from ISO, WIM, ESD, SWM, VHD(X), DBI or CD/DVD.

View Guide

Windows Installation USB Creator

Create a bootable Windows installation USB drive from Windows 11/10/8/7/Vista or Windows Server ISO files, compatible with both BIOS and UEFI computers.

View Guide

WinPE Bootable USB Creator

Create a bootable WinPE USB drive for emergency system recovery, backup and troubleshooting on both Legacy BIOS and UEFI computers.

View Guide

Clone Windows to USB

Clone your currently running Windows installation to a USB or Thunderbolt drive as portable Windows without reinstalling the system and applications.

View Guide

BitLocker Encryption

Create a BitLocker-encrypted Windows To Go drive to keep your portable Windows and personal data safe.

View Guide

Delta Clone Update

Use Delta Clone technology to update an existing Windows To Go drive to a newer Windows version quickly.

View Guide

Three Creators, One Complete Toolkit

Explore every feature of the Windows To Go, Windows installation USB and WinPE USB creators at a glance.

Fast Installation & Cloning

Install or clone Windows to a USB or Thunderbolt drive several times faster than competing products.

Multiple Source Formats

Create Windows To Go from ISO, WIM, ESD, SWM, VHD(X) files or a CD/DVD drive, including X64, X86 and ARM64 images.

Backup Image to Windows To Go

Build a portable Windows directly from a system backup image (.DBI) created by Hasleo Backup Suite.

View Guide

Clone the Running System

Clone your currently running Windows installation to a USB or Thunderbolt drive and boot it on another computer.

View Guide

BitLocker-Encrypted Windows To Go

Encrypt the portable Windows drive with BitLocker to protect your system and personal data on the go.

View Guide

Runs on Mac Computers

Create portable Windows for Mac computers and boot it from an external USB or Thunderbolt drive.

View Guide

Update with Delta Clone

Update an existing Windows To Go drive to a newer Windows version with Delta Clone technology, without recreating it.

View Guide

VHD(X)-Based Windows To Go

Create a VHD- or VHDX-based Windows To Go for improved system compatibility, easier backups and more flexible deployment.

Certified & Uncertified Drives

Create Windows To Go on Windows-certified USB drives as well as ordinary USB flash drives and external HDD/SSD.

Broad Windows Support

Supports any version of Windows 11/10/8/7 and Windows Server 2008 or later.

Bypass Windows 11 Requirements

Skip the TPM 2.0, Secure Boot and minimum hardware checks when creating a Windows 11 installation USB drive.

View Guide

Skip the Microsoft Account

Bypass the Microsoft account requirement of Windows 11 and continue the setup with a local account.

Legacy BIOS & UEFI Boot

Install Windows on both Legacy BIOS and UEFI computers by using the same USB drive.

Unattended Setup Options

Automatically create a local account and set the time zone and region during Windows setup.

Legacy BIOS & UEFI Boot

The created WinPE USB drive boots on both Legacy BIOS and UEFI computers.

WinPE ISO to USB

Transfer and convert the contents of a WinPE ISO file to the USB drive in just a few steps.

Emergency System Recovery

Create a WinPE boot disk to rescue an unbootable system and troubleshoot startup problems.

Backup & Troubleshooting

Run backup and troubleshooting tasks from the bootable WinPE environment when Windows cannot start.

Compare and Take Advanced Editions

Choose the edition that matches your portable Windows needs.

Features	Free For home use $0	MOST POPULAR Professional For home office and business use $29.95	Enterprise For business use $199.95
Business Usage This clause applies to both WinToUSB and the portable Windows USB drives created by WinToUSB.	✕	✓	✓
Create Windows To Go workspace from ISO/WIM/ESD/SWM/VHD files or CD/DVD Drives	✓	✓	✓
Create Windows To Go from VHDX or DBI (system backup image files generated by Hasleo Backup Suite)	✕	✓	✓
Clone Currently Running Windows OS to USB Drive as Windows To Go	✕	✓	✓
Update existing Windows To Go with Delta Clone technology	✕	✓	✓
Encrypt Windows To Go with BitLocker	✕	✓	✓
Create Windows Installation USB drive for Windows 11/10/8/7 (X64/X86/ARM64)	✓	✓	✓
Create bootable Windows PE USB drive	✓	✓	✓
Download Official Windows ISO files from Microsoft	✓	✓	✓
Resize and Move Partitions	✕	✓	✓
License Term	-	Single user license This clause applies to both WinToUSB and the portable Windows USB drives created by WinToUSB.	Site license This clause applies to both WinToUSB and the portable Windows USB drives created by WinToUSB.
Number of Computers Allowed to Install	-	2 PCs The Professional license only allows you to activate the software on two computers and you may not transfer the license from one computer to another if the software is already installed and registered on one computer.	Unlimited PCs The Enterprise license allows you to activate the software on up to Unlimited computers within the same organization at the same site.
Price	$0	Free lifetime upgrades Assures you get the newest version for lifetime without additional upgrade charges. $29.95 $44.95 The price does not include value added tax (VAT).	Free lifetime upgrades Assures you get the newest version for lifetime without additional upgrade charges. $199.95 $299.95 The price does not include value added tax (VAT).
	Free Download	Buy Now Buy Now	Buy Now Buy Now

See Full Comparison

How to Create Portable Windows in 3 Steps?

Select the installation source, choose the destination drive, then create your Windows To Go drive.

Read the Complete Tutorials

Tech Specs

Technical details, compatibility, and system requirements.

Operating Systems

Windows 7 or later (X64/X86/ARM64) and Windows Server 2008 or later

CPU

Intel Pentium or compatible processor, 1 GHz or above (32-bit or 64-bit)

RAM

1024 MB of RAM or more (2048 MB recommended)

Disk Space

1024 MB or more of free disk space

Display

1024x768 display or higher

View Tech Spec

Guides & Tips

Step-by-step tutorials for creating, cloning and running portable Windows.

How to Create a Windows 11 To Go with Hasleo WinToUSB - All Windows 11 Editions Supported

How to create Windows 11 To Go (Win To Go)? This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on using Hasleo WinToUSB to install or clone Windows 11 onto a USB drive as a portable Windows, enabling you to boot your personal workspace on any computer.

View Guide

How to Create a Windows 10 To Go for Free (All Windows 10 Editions Supported)

Learn how to create Windows 10 To Go for free using Hasleo WinToUSB. Step-by-step guide supports all Windows 11/10 editions. Create a portable Windows USB drive on any PC.

View Guide

How to Clone Windows 11/10 to a USB Drive as a Portable Windows (Step-by-Step Guide)

Clone your current Windows 10 or Windows 11 with all apps and settings to a USB drive as portable Windows. Step-by-step guide using Hasleo WinToUSB.

View Guide

Best Free Alternative to Rufus Windows To Go

As the best free alternative to Rufus Windows To Go, Hasleo WinToUSB can do all the work Rufus can do, and you can use it to cloning existing Windows to a USB drive as Windows To Go or use BitLocker to entrypt the Windows To Go USB drive to protect your data.

View Guide

How to Create a BitLocker-Encrypted Windows To Go Supporting All Windows Editions?

Create BitLocker-encrypted Windows To Go for any Windows edition. Step-by-step guide to secure your portable Windows with encryption using Hasleo WinToUSB.

View Guide

How to create a Windows 11 installation USB drive for bypassing Windows 11 system requirements?

Create Windows 11 installation USB drive that bypasses system requirements. Install Windows 11 on unsupported PCs without TPM 2.0 using Hasleo WinToUSB.

View Guide

More Guides & Tips

Download WinToUSB

Version 10.9 - Windows 7 or later - X64/X86/ARM64

Free Download (X64/X86) Buy Now

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee Transactions Protected Trusted by Millions Free Technical Support

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about WinToUSB.

What is WinToUSB?

WinToUSB is a free Windows To Go creator that installs and runs a fully functional Windows 11/10/8/7 or Windows Server on a USB drive, external hard drive or Thunderbolt drive.

Can I clone my current Windows to a USB drive?

Yes. WinToUSB can clone the currently running Windows installation, including applications and files, to a USB or Thunderbolt drive as portable Windows.

Does WinToUSB support Windows 11?

Yes. WinToUSB supports Windows 11 (X64/X86/ARM64) and can bypass Windows 11 system requirements such as TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot when creating Windows To Go or installation USB drives.

What editions are available?

WinToUSB is available in Free, Professional and Enterprise editions. Professional adds BitLocker encryption, cloning, Delta Clone and more; Enterprise adds business usage and unlimited PCs.

More FAQs