How to Format Windows 11 With a USB

Windows 11 is sort of complete with assist for older packages courting back to the early days of the OS. However, it may be buggy generally resulting in points and background conflicts that may not be solved with a easy uninstall or restart. In most instances, a reset of your Windows OS can assist you cope with such points however generally even that goes in useless if you’re coping with driver conflicts and different difficult points.

Thankfully you have got the choice to format your total drive and begin from scratch. A recent set up of Windows 11 will assist keep bugs at bay and help you arrange Windows 11 as supposed to your use. Here’s how one can format and clear set up Windows 11 using a USB.

Note: Formatting your boot drive or partition will delete all the info contained on it. It is really helpful that you just back up all of your necessary knowledge out of your boot partition or drive earlier than continuing with the information beneath.

How to format Windows 11 using a USB

You can format Windows 11 and carry out a clear set up using the steps beneath. We will begin by creating the Windows 11 USB using your most popular methodology after which boot from the identical.

This will enable us to format your major partition. Once the first partition has been formatted accordingly we are able to clear set up Windows 11 on the identical. Let’s get began.

Note: We suggest you retain your product key useful and supply it beforehand as it is going to be wanted throughout this information.

Step 1: Create a USB

You can create your Windows 11 USB using both Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool or a third-party software ie: Rufus. We suggest you utilize Rufus for a conventional Windows set up expertise. It may also assist you modify the USB as supposed to bypass Windows 11 restrictions.

You can use the Media Creation Tool should you want to go the official method and revel in your complete OOBE provided by Windows 11. Follow both of the strategies beneath primarily based in your present preferences and necessities.

Method 1: Using Media Creation Tool

• Media Creation Tool | Download Link

Download and launch the Media Creation Tool in your PC using the hyperlink above. Once launched, plug in your required USB and click on Accept.

Note: Ensure that your USB drive is empty or doesn’t include any necessary knowledge as it is going to be formatted throughout this course of. 

Your language and Windows version will likely be mechanically decided primarily based in your present set up. If you want to change the identical, uncheck the field for Use the really helpful choices for this PC.

Now select your required language and Windows 11 version.

Click Next.

Click and choose USB flash drive.

Click Next.

Ensure your USB drive is listed on the subsequent web page. Click and choose the identical.

Click Next when you’re carried out.

Media Creation Tool will now obtain the mandatory recordsdata required for Windows 11 and arrange your PC as supposed.

Once carried out, you’ll be proven the ultimate display with the message Your USB flash drive is prepared. Click Finish.

And that’s it! You will now have created your Windows 11 set up USB using the Media Creation Tool. 

Method 2: Using Rufus

You may create a Windows 11 USB using Rufus. Rufus is a long-standing third-party software that has been used to create boot media for numerous Operating Systems over time. Here’s how one can create a Windows 11 USB drive using the identical.

Start by downloading Rufus to your PC using the hyperlink above. Once downloaded, click on the hyperlink for Windows 11 ISO. Under Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) click on the drop-down menu. Select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO).

Click Download.

Click the subsequent drop-down menu and choose your required language.

Click Confirm when you’re carried out.

Click 64-bit Download.

A obtain for the ISO will now be initiated. Save the ISO to your native storage as normal. Once the ISO has been downloaded, plug within the desired USB you want to use for this course of into your PC. Double click on and launch Rufus as soon as carried out.

Click the drop-down menu for Device and choose your USB drive.

Note: We suggest you backup knowledge out of your USB drive at this level. Any knowledge in your drive will likely be misplaced as soon as it’s formatted through the Windows 11 USB creation course of.

Click SELECT.

Now select the Windows 11 ISO we downloaded earlier.

Ensure Image choice has been set to Standard Windows 11 Installation (TPM 2.0 + Secure Boot).

Set your Partition scheme as GPT.

Ensure Target system has been set to UEFI.

Note: If you’re putting in Windows 11 on older {hardware} by bypassing restrictions then you definately may need to vary this feature primarily based in your PC. 

Click START.

Rufus will now begin creating your USB. This can take a while, you possibly can seize a cup of espresso in the meantime. Once the method finishes, click on Close.

And that’s it! You will now have created your Windows 11 USB using Rufus.

Step 2: Boot from the USB

Note: We suggest you determine your boot drive earlier than booting along with your USB. You can do that by noting down the free area in your boot drive and corroborating the identical when formatting the drive.

We can now boot from the Windows 11 USB. This will enable us to format our boot drive as wanted after which clear set up Windows 11. You might want to entry your BIOS menu for this course of. This will enable us to vary our boot device and boot from the USB. You may use the boot menu as an alternative to manually choose and boot from the Windows 11 USB.

Use this complete information from us to search out out the proper key to entry your BIOS menu primarily based in your OEM. 

If you’re trying to make use of the boot menu as an alternative, you should utilize the Esc key on most PCs to entry the identical. Once you’re within the boot menu, choose your USB and press Enter in your keyboard in addition from the identical.

If you’re accessing your BIOS menu then discover an choice to pick out your Boot Device. You can discover this menu below one of many following names in your PC.

• Boot menu
• Boot units
• Boot precedence
• Boot device precedence
• Boot Options

Once discovered, set the USB we created as the primary device you want to boot. Now save your modifications and exit the BIOS menu. 

Your PC will now restart and you must now boot from the USB. You can now use the subsequent information to format your boot drive and clear set up Windows 11 in your PC.

Step 3: Format and clear set up Windows 11

You ought to now be greeted by the Windows setup now that you’ve got booted from the USB. Follow the steps beneath that will help you format and clear set up Windows 11 in your PC.

Click the primary drop-down menu and choose your required Windows 11 language. 

Now click on the drop-down menu for Time and foreign money format and choose your most popular area. 

Finally, click on the drop-down menu for the Keyboard or enter methodology and choose your required enter methodology or area primarily based in your preferences. 

Once you’re carried out, click on Next.

Now click on Install Now.

Enter your Windows 11 product key within the given textual content field.

If your PC didn’t ship with a product key and as an alternative makes use of an OEM Windows set up, then click on I don’t have a product key.

Click Next when you’ve got used your product key. 

Click and choose the Windows 11 version related to you. 

Click Next.

Now accept the license settlement by checking the field for a similar.

Click Next.

Click and choose Custom: Install Windows solely (superior).

You will now be proven an inventory of all of the partitions at present out there in your PC. Follow one of many sub-sections beneath relying on the partition you want to format. 

Format solely your boot partition

Formatting your boot partition is an easy process. We will merely format the first partition containing the Windows OS. This will enable your Recovery and System partitions to stay intact which is able to help you entry your OEM recordsdata as supposed.

This is the really helpful answer for pre-built methods and laptops which have a customized recovery drive setup primarily based on their mannequin. Follow the steps beneath that will help you together with the method. 

Click and choose your major partition from the listing in your display. You can examine the Type column after which click on and choose your major partition accordingly.

Note: If you have got a number of drives in your system, then guarantee you choose the Primary partition to your boot drive. You can determine your boot disk by searching for System and Recovery partitions. The disk with these partitions is probably going your boot disk until you have got a number of working methods put in in your drives.

Click Delete on the backside.

You may delete your system and recovery partition should you want to begin from scratch and shouldn’t have customized knowledge in your Recovery partition. Select the specified partitions and click on Delete for them as nicely.

Now click on and choose the Unallocated Space in your drive.

Click Next.

And that’s it! This will start the set up course of for Windows 11 on the chosen drive.

You can now sit back chill out and let the setup do its factor. Your system will restart a couple of occasions throughout this course of. Let every little thing keep it up as supposed till you might be greeted by the Windows 11 OOBE. 

Format your total boot drive

You may select to format your total boot drive using Diskpart. This is the really helpful methodology should you want to begin from scratch in your drive as nicely. Follow the steps beneath that will help you together with the method. 

Note: Diskpart is a complicated utility that may wipe your total drive with a single command. Using the incorrect disk quantity or choosing the incorrect disk could cause you to lose your total knowledge. We suggest you don’t use this information should you’re uncertain of any steps beneath.

Press Shift + F10 in your keyboard to launch CMD through the Windows setup course of. Enter the next command to launch Diskpart.

diskpart

Once launched, use the next command to get an inventory of disk drives related to your PC at present. 

listing disk

You ought to now have an inventory of all of the drives related to your PC. This will embody your boot drive, different drives in addition to your USB. 

We now must determine your boot drive. It is really helpful that you just use the quantity of free area we famous down earlier to corroborate the identical. If you’re uncertain of your boot drive, it’s extremely really helpful that you don’t proceed additional as choosing the incorrect drive could cause you to lose all of your knowledge. Once you’ve recognized your boot drive, use the command beneath to pick out the identical. Replace N with the corresponding variety of your boot disk drive.

choose disk N

Now use the next command to format and clear your disk drive.

clear

Check the listing of disks once more. This time, take note of the Gpt column if there’s an asterisk (*) beside your boot drive, you possibly can skip the step beneath. If not, then use the next command to transform your boot drive to Gpt.

convert gpt

Your drive will now be transformed to Gpt. Use the next command to shut Diskpart.

exit

Now use the identical command once more to shut CMD. Click Refresh within the Where do you wish to set up Windows? dialog field.

Once refreshed, your boot drive will present up as Unallocated Space within the listing. Click and choose the identical.

Click Next.

This will start the set up of Windows 11 on the chosen drive. Sit back chill out and let the setup do its factor. Do not unplug your USB until you’re greeted by the Windows 11 OOBE.

Step 4: Complete the OOBE and setup Windows 11

Now that you just’re greeted by the OOBE we are able to begin establishing Windows 11 as wanted. Follow the steps beneath that will help you together with the method. 

Click and choose your required area from the listing in your display.

Click Yes.

Now choose the specified keyboard format most popular by you. 

Click Yes as soon as carried out.

If you want to add one other keyboard format, then click on Add format.

If not, then click on Skip.

Windows will now examine for updates and set up the related ones out there to your PC.

Once carried out, click on and choose one of many following choices. We will likely be using the Set up for private use choice for this information.

• Set up for private use
• Set up for work or college

Click Next when you’re carried out.

You will now be requested to sign up to your Microsoft account. Enter your e-mail tackle related along with your Microsoft account.

Click Next.

Tip: If you don’t want to use a Microsoft account along with your Windows 11 set up then you should utilize Sign-in choices to make use of a neighborhood account as an alternative.

Enter your password and click on Sign in on the subsequent display.

Verify your id if prompted and you must then be signed in to your Microsoft account. Click Create PIN as soon as prompted.

Enter and make sure the specified login PIN to your PC on the subsequent display.

Click OK when you’re carried out.

Windows will now provide the choice to revive your PC or to set it up as new. Click and choose Set up as new device.

Click Next.

You can now select your privacy settings. Click and disable both of the toggles talked about beneath relying on the options you don’t want to use along with your PC.

• Location
• Find my device
• Diagnostic knowledge
• Inking & typing
• Tailored experiences
• Advertising ID

Click Accept when you’re carried out customizing your privacy choices.

You can now select your most popular methods to make use of your PC. This will enable Windows 11 to handle the out there sources in your PC accordingly. Check the bins for all of the methods you want to use your PC. 

• Gaming
• Creativity
• Family
• Schoolwork

You may click on Skip should you don’t want for Windows 11 to customise your expertise. Click Accept when you’ve chosen the specified choices.

If you want to retailer your recordsdata within the cloud, click on and choose Automatically retailer my recordsdata in OneDrive. If you want to retailer your recordsdata domestically as an alternative, then choose Only retailer recordsdata on this device.

Click Next when you’re carried out.

And that’s it! Windows will now customise and arrange itself primarily based in your preferences.

Once accomplished, you’ll be greeted by the Start menu in your desktop. You will now have formatted and recent put in Windows 11 in your system.

How to wipe the entire PC whereas putting in a brand new Windows 11 OS

If you want to format your total PC and begin from scratch, then you possibly can simply accomplish that using the steps beneath. We will likely be using Diskpart to wash and format all our drives. Follow the steps beneath that will help you together with the method. 

Press Shift + F10 to launch CMD within the Windows setup when booted out of your USB. Now use the next command to launch Diskpart.

diskpart

Once launched, use the next command to view all disks at present put in in your PC.

listing disk

Identify your boot drive by corroborating the free area in it we had famous down earlier. Now use the next command to pick out the identical. Replace N with the corresponding disk quantity to your boot drive. 

choose disk N

Once your disk has been chosen, use the next command to wash it. This will take away any related attributes in addition to format the chosen disk in a single go.

clear

Now scroll up and examine the Gpt column beside your boot disk. If there’s an asterisk (*) beside your boot dis, youu can skip the step beneath. If not, then use the next command to transform your boot disk to Gpt.

convert gpt

Once your boot disk has been transformed, choose one other disk in your PC using the command beneath. Replace N with its corresponding disk quantity.

choose disk N

Now use the next command to format the disk. Replace FILESYSTEM with the file system sort of your alternative and exchange DRIVENAME with a drive identify of your alternative. The drive will present up with this identify within the Windows File Explorer.

format fs=FILESYSTEM label=DRIVENAME

Let’s assign a drive letter to your drive. Use the next command to assign a letter and exchange LETTER with a letter of your alternative. 

assign letter=LETTER

You can now repeat the steps above to format different drives that is likely to be related to your PC. Once you’re carried out, use the next command to shut Diskpart in CMD.

exit

Now use the identical command once more to shut CMD. 

Once CMD is closed, click on Refresh within the Windows setup the place all of your drives are listed.

You ought to now have a refreshed listing containing your formatted drives in addition to Unallocated Space out of your boot drive. Select the Unallocated Space which needs to be the dimensions of your drive by clicking the identical.

Click Next.

Windows will now start putting in itself in your chosen boot drive. Wait for the method to complete, this could take a while relying in your USB drive velocity. Your PC will restart a couple of occasions throughout this course of. This is totally regular and don’t take away your USB till you might be greeted by the Windows 11 OOBE. You can now comply with the OOBE information above to finish the set up course of.

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FAQs

Here are a couple of generally requested questions on formatting your boot drive and clear putting in Windows 11 that ought to assist you rise up to hurry. Let’s get began.

Benefits of formatting and clear putting in Windows 11

Here are among the main advantages and the explanation why most customers desire formatting and clear putting in Windows 11 on their PCs.

• Fix driver conflicts
• Remove malware
• Remove persistent drivers
• Fix background conflicts
• Fix and reinstall the Windows image
• Remove unidentified knowledge taking on giant quantities of area
• Fix {hardware} incompatibility points
• Remove leftover recordsdata by third-party packages

Will there be a Windows.outdated folder?

No, when clear putting in Windows 11 using the information above, there will likely be no Windows.outdated folder in your boot drive that may assist your recuperate recordsdata out of your outdated set up. It is thus really helpful you back up all of your crucial recordsdata earlier than continuing with the information above.

Should you wipe different drives in your PC when clear putting in Windows 11?

No, wiping your different drives just isn’t a requirement when clear putting in windows. It is an non-obligatory step should you want to be thorough and begin from scratch. Cleaning different drives can also be really helpful should you plan on promoting your PC or sharing it with one other person. This will be certain that none of your saved knowledge will be recovered using available knowledge recovery instruments and procedures.

We hope you had been in a position to simply format Windows 11 using the information above. If you have got any more questions, be at liberty to drop them within the feedback beneath.

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