Windows 10 Media Creation Tool: Download & USB Guide

The Windows 10 Media Creation Tool remains available for free download from Microsoft even as Windows 10’s official support period ended on October 14, 2025. The tool lets you create bootable USB drives, DVDs, or ISO files for clean installations or upgrades.

End of Support: October 14, 2025 · Official Source: Microsoft.com · Primary Uses: USB, ISO, DVD creation · Compatible OS: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 · Download Page: software-download/windows10

The table below lists key specifications for the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool.

Can I get Windows 10 Media Creation Tool?

Yes — the tool is still available for free download directly from Microsoft. You can grab it from the official Windows 10 software download page by clicking “Download tool now” (Microsoft Official Download Page). The executable is under 20MB and runs as a standalone application — no installation required.

Run MediaCreationTool.exe on a PC running Windows 7, 8.1, or 10. The tool walks you through creating installation media for another PC.

— Microsoft Support documentation

Official download locations

The primary download point is the dedicated Windows 10 download page at Microsoft.com. The tool works on any PC running Windows 7, 8.1, or 10 — just download the MediaCreationTool.exe file, run it, and follow the prompts. Note that the executable filename may include a version number like MediaCreationTool_22H2.exe depending on the release (Microsoft Support).

System requirements for running the tool

You need to be logged in as an administrator to run the Media Creation Tool. Beyond that, any reasonably modern Windows PC can handle it — the tool itself doesn’t demand heavy system resources, just an internet connection for downloading the Windows files. A broadband connection is recommended since the tool pulls the full Windows 10 image (roughly 4-6GB depending on edition and language).

We recommend checking which Windows edition you’re running before downloading, so you get the correct version for your setup.

— Mem’s Tech Tips (YouTube creator)

How do I make a bootable USB for Windows 10?

The Media Creation Tool handles the entire process automatically — you select your USB drive, and the tool formats it and copies all the Windows files. According to the official Windows download page, any content on the USB or DVD will be deleted during the process, so make sure the drive is blank or contains nothing you need to keep.

Prepare USB drive

• Use a USB flash drive with at least 8GB of storage capacity (Microsoft Official Download Page)
• Empty the drive or confirm nothing important is on it — the tool will wipe all data
• Connect the USB to a USB 3.0 port if available (faster than USB 2.0)

Run Media Creation Tool steps

1. Download and run MediaCreationTool.exe from Microsoft’s site
2. Accept the license terms when prompted
3. Select “Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC”
4. Choose your language, edition, and architecture (32-bit, 64-bit, or both)
5. Select your USB drive from the list and click Next
6. Wait while the tool downloads files and creates the bootable media

The entire process typically takes 10 to 20 minutes depending on your internet speed and whether you’re using USB 3.0 (YouTube Tutorial – Mem’s Tech Tips). USB 2.0 users can expect it to take longer.

Verify bootable media

Once the tool finishes, you can verify the USB is bootable by checking that the drive contains a folder called “sources” and a file named setup.exe. You can then boot from the USB by restarting your PC and selecting the USB as the boot device (usually via F12, F2, or Delete during startup, depending on your BIOS/UEFI).

How do I check if my PC is compatible?

If you’re considering moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11, Microsoft provides a dedicated PC Health Check tool to assess whether your hardware meets the requirements. The tool checks your processor, RAM, storage, TPM version, and Secure Boot status — the main gates Microsoft uses to determine compatibility.

Windows 11 requirements checker

• Processor: 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores, on a compatible 64-bit processor list
• RAM: 4 GB minimum for 64-bit Windows 11
• Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device
• TPM: Version 2.0 required
• Secure Boot: Must be supported and enabled

TPM and processor checks

TPM 2.0 is the most common hurdle on older systems. You can check your TPM version via Windows Security → Device Security, or by running “tpm.msc” in the Run dialog. If your PC has TPM 1.2 only, it won’t qualify for a free Windows 11 upgrade — you’d need either new hardware or to stay on Windows 10 (with the associated security risks once support ends).

For Windows 10 itself, compatibility is broad — the Media Creation Tool runs on systems going back to Windows 7, and Windows 10 supports most hardware from the past decade without major issues.

Can I still upgrade my Windows 10 to 11 for free?

Yes, if your hardware qualifies. Microsoft officially offers a free upgrade to Windows 11 for eligible devices through the same Windows 10 download page. The offer isn’t time-limited in the traditional sense — as long as you have a genuine Windows 10 license and a compatible PC, you can upgrade at any time.

Eligibility rules

• Must be running genuine Windows 10 (activated) on the target PC
• PC must meet Windows 11 hardware requirements
• Upgrade path via Windows Update or the Media Creation Tool

Free upgrade status

According to Microsoft Support documentation, the free upgrade path to Windows 11 remains available for qualifying hardware (Microsoft Support). If your hardware doesn’t meet the TPM 2.0 requirement, you can still use Windows 10 for now — but without security updates past October 14, 2025, the risk exposure grows over time.

Is there a free version of Windows 10 ISO?

Yes — Microsoft offers direct ISO file downloads for Windows 10 at no cost. You don’t need a product key to download the ISO from the official page, and you can use it to perform a clean installation. During the setup process, you can skip entering a key and Windows will run in an unactivated state with limited personalization options — fully functional otherwise.

Direct ISO download process

From the Windows 10 download page at Microsoft.com, select “Download ISO file” after choosing your edition and language. The page will provide a direct download link for the ISO file (Microsoft Official Download Page). This gives you a disc image file you can mount, burn to DVD, or use with a USB creation tool like Rufus.

Using Media Creation Tool for ISO

Within the Media Creation Tool, select the ISO file option instead of USB or DVD. The tool will download the Windows files and create an ISO file that you can save to your hard drive. From there, you can mount the ISO in Windows (right-click → Mount) to access the setup.exe, or burn it to a DVD.

For those who prefer third-party tools, Rufus and Vantoy offer alternative methods for creating bootable USB drives from the ISO file (Microsoft Tech Community). These tools give you more control over partition schemes and filesystem options, which can be useful for advanced users or non-standard hardware configurations.

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Users downloading the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool often reference this detailed USB guide for additional steps on creating bootable installation media.

Frequently asked questions