What if your PC doesn't qualify for Windows 11? With the free third-party Rufus tool, you're able to install an operating system such as Windows 11 by sneaking past the usual requirements. To set this up, download or create the Windows 11 ISO as explained above. Next,
install Rufus and launch the program.
Insert a USB stick that has at least 8GB of free space into your PC. Note that the USB drive will be completely reformatted. At the Rufus window, click the SELECT button near the top and select the Windows 11 ISO file. Under Image option, make sure the field says Standard Windows installation. At the top of the screen, confirm that the Device field is pointing to the USB drive you wish to use. If not, click the drop-down menu and manually select the device.
When ready, click the START button at the bottom. At the pop-up window, check the box for Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0. Click OK to confirm, then click OK again to set up your USB drive.
After the USB drive has been set up, insert it into the Windows 10 PC that you want to update. Open the drive in File Manager and double-click the setup.exe file.
Allow the Windows 11 update to proceed. At the appropriate screen, make sure that you've opted to keep your personal files and apps. After the setup is complete, you'll be deposited into your new Windows 11 environment.
Not ready to upgrade? Microsoft has recently announced two additional ways to receive extended support for Windows 10—both free. You can now use 1,000 points from Microsoft's Rewards program or sync your Windows Backup to Microsoft OneDrive to receive extended coverage through October 13, 2026.
Latest releases:
rufus-4.9.exe Standard Windows x64 2 MB 2025.06.15
rufus-4.9p.exe Portable Windows x64 2 MB 2025.06.15
rufus-4.9_x86.exe Standard Windows x86 1.9 MB 2025.06.15
rufus-4.9_arm64.exe Standard Windows ARM64 6 MB 2025.06.15
rufus-4.10_BETA.exe BETA Windows x64 1.8 MB 2025.09.10
(Source, Credit: Rufus, PCMag, Microsoft, Google, Inetarchive)
