- Is it possible to install and run Windows 10 from a USB drive?
- How to download a Windows 10 installation ISO from Microsoft's official website?
- Tutorial to Install and Run Windows 10 from a USB Drive
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary
This tutorial details how to install and run Windows 10 from a USB drive.
Is it possible to install and run Windows 10 from a USB drive?
By default, Windows 10 cannot be installed directly on USB drives using standard Windows installation methods. If you're familiar with Windows To Go (WTG), a feature available in earlier Windows 10 Enterprise and Education editions, it allows installing Windows 10 Enterprise/Education on USB drives as portable systems. Unfortunately, since Microsoft has discontinued the Windows To Go Creator tool, users cannot install Windows directly on USB drives using Microsoft's built-in tools.
Is it possible to install and run Windows 10 from a USB drive? Yes. We recommend using Hasleo WinToUSB, the world's first third-party Windows To Go creator, which supports installing all editions of Windows 10 (Home, Professional, Enterprise) onto USB drives. Unlike the discontinued Microsoft tool, WinToUSB works with any edition of Windows and provides additional features such as BitLocker encryption support, driver integration, and flexible partition scheme selection. This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions for installing and running Windows 10 from a USB drive using WinToUSB.
How to download a Windows 10 installation ISO from Microsoft's official website?
To install Windows 10 on a USB drive, you first need to download a Windows 10 installation ISO. For security reasons, we recommend obtaining the ISO file from Microsoft's official website rather than third-party sources. You can use the Media Creation Tool provided by Microsoft or other methods to download the Windows 10 installation ISO from the official website. To download the official Windows 10 installation ISO, please refer to our step-by-step guide:How to Download Windows 10 Installation ISO from Microsoft's Official Website?
Tutorial to Install and Run Windows 10 from a USB Drive
Step 1. Connect the USB drive to your computer, then download, install, and run Hasleo WinToUSB. Click the "Windows To Go USB" option.
Step 2. Click "Select installation source", then click "Browse image file". Then choose the Windows installation ISO file from the dialog box as installation source. Alternatively, select a CD/DVD drive with Windows installation media.
Step 3. Hasleo WinToUSB will scan for and list the available Windows editions. Please select the edition you want to install.
Step 4. Click "Select destination drive", then choose the target drive from the pop-up list. If Hasleo WinToUSB fails to detect the drive, click the 
button to initiate drive recognition.
Step 5. Select your preferred partition scheme and installation mode. Optionally, you may specify additional drivers or enable BitLocker encryption for the Windows To Go drive, then click "Proceed".
* Tips:
- For detailed information about "Partition scheme", "Installation mode" and "Enable BitLocker", please refer to: How to create Portable Windows 11/10/8/7 from ISO, WIM, ESD, SWM, VHD(X) or DBI files?
- If you select "Keep the existing partition scheme" option, you need to manually prepare the USB drive partitions before this step. View guide: How to Manually Prepare Partitions for Windows To Go.
Step 6. After clicking "Proceed", a confirmation dialog will appear asking whether to continue formatting the drive. Click "Yes" if you accept the operation.
Step 7. After clicking "Yes", WinToUSB initiates Windows installation on the destination drive.
Step 8. The installation will take some time. After installation, restart the computer and enter UEFI/BIOS settings to boot from the USB drive.
Step 9. A standard Windows installation requires completing all setup steps during the first boot. Afterward, you can install applications and copy files, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Windows 10 requires at least 20GB of storage, but we recommend using a USB drive with at least 32GB for comfortable use. Larger drives provide more space for Windows updates and applications.
A: Performance depends on the USB drive speed. USB 3.0 drives offer acceptable performance, while USB 2.0 drives are significantly slower. For best results, use USB 3.0 or newer drives.
A: Yes, you can install multiple Windows versions on the same USB drive using the 'Keep the existing partition scheme' option in WinToUSB, creating a multiboot portable Windows USB drive.
A: No, once Windows 10 is installed on the USB drive, you can boot it on any compatible computer without reinstallation. The Windows installation automatically adjusts to the new hardware.
A: Windows To Go was a Microsoft feature only available in Enterprise/Education editions. Portable Windows created with Hasleo WinToUSB works with all Windows editions and provides similar functionality.
Summary
With Hasleo WinToUSB, you can easily install and run Windows 10 from USB drives. After creating your portable Windows 10 drive, simply restart your computer and boot from the USB drive. On first boot, complete the Windows setup process including region selection, user account creation, and privacy settings. Once setup is complete, you can install applications and customize your portable Windows environment. Hasleo WinToUSB also supports installing Windows 10 on external USB drives and installing Windows 10 on USB flash drives. Additionally, it can clone Windows 10 on USB drives as portable Windows 10 workspaces.
Related Guides
- How to create a portable Windows 11/10 USB drive?
- How to create Windows 11 To Go (All Windows 11 editions are supported)?
- How to create Windows 10 To Go (All Windows 10 editions are supported)?
- How to clone Windows 11 to a USB drive as portable Windows 11?
- How to clone Windows 10 to a USB drive as portable Windows 10?
