Yes, Rufus is completely free and open source under the GPLv3 license.

Rufus is developed by Pete Batard and published by Akeo Consulting; the official site is rufus.ie.

Does Rufus need to be installed?

No. Both the standard and portable builds run without installation.

Can Rufus create Linux bootable USBs too?

Yes, it supports a wide range of bootable ISOs beyond Windows.

Rufus

Rufus is a free, open-source utility for formatting drives and creating bootable USB media from an ISO image. It's widely used for building Windows installers and offers advanced partitioning options not found in Microsoft's own tools.

Updated August 9, 2026 · PC Utility Hub Editorial Team

What Rufus does

Rufus takes an ISO image (Windows, Linux, or other bootable images) and writes it to a USB flash drive, handling partition scheme (MBR/GPT), target system type (BIOS/UEFI), and file system selection. It's a single small executable with no installer required.

Downloading Rufus safely

Rufus is published by Akeo Consulting, developed primarily by Pete Batard. Download only from the official site, rufus.ie, which lists both the standard and portable executables along with checksums.

1Visit rufus.ie.
2Choose the standard .exe or the portable version (no install, runs from any folder).
3Verify the file if you want extra assurance by comparing the SHA-256 checksum listed on the site.
4Run Rufus — no installation needed.

Rufus portable vs standard

The portable build is functionally identical to the installed version but leaves no registry entries and can run directly from the USB drive itself or a shared folder — useful for technicians who carry a toolkit drive.

Creating Windows installation media with Rufus

1Insert a USB drive (8 GB+); note this will erase all data on it.
2Open Rufus, select the drive under Device.
3Click SELECT and choose your Windows ISO file.
4Choose Partition scheme: GPT for UEFI systems, MBR for legacy BIOS.
5Leave File system as NTFS (or FAT32 if the firmware requires it) and click START.
6Rufus may offer a 'Windows User Experience' dialog with options to bypass certain Windows 11 requirement checks (TPM/Secure Boot/online account) — described neutrally below and in the bootable USB guide.

Warning: Creating the USB drive erases everything currently on it. Back up any needed files first.

GPT/UEFI vs MBR/BIOS

Firmware	Partition scheme	Notes
UEFI (modern PCs)	GPT	Required for Windows 11 on most hardware
Legacy BIOS	MBR	Older systems, CSM mode
UEFI CSM/compatibility	MBR or GPT	Depends on firmware settings

Troubleshooting Rufus

ISO not bootable after writing — recheck partition scheme matches target firmware mode.
Drive not detected — try a different USB port or drive; rule out a failing drive with CHKDSK on other volumes.
Windows 11 setup blocks install — Rufus's extended options can adjust requirement checks; see the bootable USB guide for details.

Get Rufus

Start the download and follow the setup steps described on this page.

Download now

Frequently asked questions

Is Rufus free?: Yes, Rufus is completely free and open source under the GPLv3 license.
Who makes Rufus?: Rufus is developed by Pete Batard and published by Akeo Consulting; the official site is rufus.ie.
Does Rufus need to be installed?: No. Both the standard and portable builds run without installation.
Can Rufus create Linux bootable USBs too?: Yes, it supports a wide range of bootable ISOs beyond Windows.