Rufus — the fastest free tool to create a bootable USB drive on Windows. 1.9 MB, signed executable, no installation required. Pick the build that matches your system below.
All four builds are sourced from the official GitHub release. Same release, different targets.
Best for most users. Works on all 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11 systems.
Download Rufus 4.13Identical to Standard, but config goes to rufus.ini next to the executable.
Only for old 32-bit Windows installations. Most PCs since 2010 are 64-bit.
Download x86| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 8, 10, 11 (32/64-bit) |
| File Size | 1.9 MB (Standard) · 4.9 MB (ARM64) |
| USB Drive Size | 8 GB min, 16 GB for Windows 11 |
| Installation | None required — just run the .exe |
| Privileges | Administrator rights (UAC prompt) |
| License | Free — GPL v3 open source |
Every file on this page is the original signed binary from the official GitHub release.
Right-click the .exe → Properties → Digital Signatures. Should show Akeo Consulting as signer with a valid countersignature.
Windows SmartScreen verifies the signature before launch. If the signature were broken or replaced, Windows would refuse to run the file.
Some AV products flag Rufus because it writes to USB at partition level. This is behavior-based, not a real threat. Pulled from GitHub, the file is clean.
Common questions about downloading, versions, and compatibility.
github.com/pbatard/rufus/releases. We don't keep copies of the binary — the link you click takes you straight to GitHub's servers, which then stream the .exe to your machine. That's how you know the file is unmodified.dd command are the usual alternatives. See our alternatives page for details.rufus-.exe or temporarily turn off real-time scanning. The file is clean — Rufus rewrites USB partition tables, which behavior-based AV sometimes flags.