Engadget has published a step-by-step guide explaining how to use Microsoft's official Windows 11 Media Creation Tool to build a bootable USB installation drive. The guide is aimed at anyone setting up a new PC or reinstalling Windows 11 on an existing machine, and covers preparation, the tool itself, and troubleshooting, noting that being aware of potential pitfalls beforehand can save time and frustration.

Before starting, users need a USB drive of at least 8GB (which will be fully erased), a stable internet connection for the multi-gigabyte download, a 64-bit processor (ARM devices require a separate ISO), and a PC meeting Windows 11's minimum requirements, notably TPM 2.0, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage and DirectX 12-compatible graphics. A valid licence is optional. The process involves downloading MediaCreationTool.exe from Microsoft, running it as administrator, accepting the licence terms, selecting language and edition, choosing "USB flash drive" as the media type, and waiting for Windows 11 to download and be written to the drive before using it to boot and install on the target PC.