Tech Reference

How to boot your Windows 10 computer from a USB drive

Written by Dave Johnson edited by John Lynch
windows laptop computer
It's possible to boot a Windows 10 computer from a USB drive, as long as you have the right settings on your computer and USB. Reuters
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In the old days, people commonly booted their computer from CDs and even floppy disks, but those days are long gone. 

Now, if you need to troubleshoot your PC, boot from a different version of the operating system, or install a Windows upgrade, it's frequently done by booting from a USB drive. 

Windows 10 has made booting from USB very easy to do. All you need is a USB memory drive that has a bootable version of Windows, and to follow a few simple steps.

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How to boot from USB using Windows 10

1. Make sure your computer is on and the Windows desktop is running. 

2. Insert the bootable USB drive into an open USB port on your computer.

3. Click the Start button and then click the Power icon so you can see the Shutdown options. 

boot 1
Be sure to hold the Shift key while you press "Restart" to open the Advanced Startup Options.  Dave Johnson/Business Insider

4. Press and hold the Shift key, then click "Restart."

5. Your computer will shut down, and when it restarts, you'll see the Advanced Startup Options screen. Choose "Use a device."

boot 2
Choose "Use a device" to boot from the USB drive that's inserted in your computer.  Dave Johnson/Business Insider

6. Choose the USB device that you want to boot from, and your computer will then restart using your USB drive.

How to boot from USB using your Windows computer's startup system

If the Windows 10 boot method doesn't work, it might be because your PC's BIOS (basic input/output system) doesn't support it. You can still boot from the USB drive, though you will need to tweak the BIOS settings. 

Unfortunately, every BIOS screen is configured differently, so you will need to explore the options for yourself. 

1. Shut off your computer. 

2. Turn it back on and press the key indicated briefly on the startup screen to enter your BIOS Setup. It's usually Escape, F1, F2, F8, F11, or F12. If no such screen appears, your BIOS may be set to "fast boot" mode, so you will need to experiment with different keys at bootup, before the Windows screen appears. For more information, you should consult the documentation that came with your PC. 

3. In the boot menu, look for the boot order controls and move the USB drive to the top of the list.

4. Save your settings and restart the computer with the USB key installed.

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dave june
Dave Johnson
Dave Johnson is a technology journalist who writes about consumer tech and how the industry is transforming the speculative world of science fiction into modern-day real life. Dave grew up in New Jersey before entering the Air Force to operate satellites, teach space operations, and do space launch planning. He then spent eight years as a content lead on the Windows team at Microsoft. As a photographer, Dave has photographed wolves in their natural environment; he's also a scuba instructor and co-host of several podcasts. Dave is the author of more than two dozen books and has contributed to many sites and publications including CNET, Forbes, PC World, How To Geek, and Insider.