Rufus

ApplicationPete Batard

Also called rufus usb, pete batard rufus

Pete BatardSystem

A USB Windows and Linux image writer. The official domain is rufus.ie. The process is rufus.exe. It is not the Media Creation Tool.

What you need to know

Rufus writes one USB image. The official domain is rufus.ie.

Pete Batard's Rufus creates bootable USB drives from ISOs. Get it from rufus.ie, not a look-alike domain. It is not the Media Creation Tool and it is not Ventoy's multi-ISO stick.

What is it?: A bootable USB image writer
Official site?: rufus.ie
Same as Media Creation Tool?: No. MCT is Microsoft's Windows helper

Feex says

If you already have the ISO, I would use Rufus from rufus.ie. I would not download rufus from an ad page. The Media Creation Tool is the Microsoft path if you still need to fetch Windows.

What is Rufus?

Rufus formats a USB drive and writes an ISO or disk image. rufus.exe is usually portable. The official site is rufus.ie. Fake "rufus.com" and "rufus.exe.info" style hosts are the usual junk.

If you have never used it

If you need a bootable USB from an ISO, Rufus is Pete Batard's writer. The official domain is rufus.ie. Download the portable exe there or from the GitHub releases the site links. It can write Windows and Linux images and tweak Windows setup (UEFI, GPT, persistence on some Linux ISOs). It is not the Microsoft Media Creation Tool, not Ventoy, and not balenaEtcher.

What is it used for?

Write a Windows or Linux ISO to USB

Pick the ISO and the stick. The Media Creation Tool only does Windows and also downloads the ISO for you.

Choose GPT/UEFI or older BIOS layouts

Rufus exposes those targets. Ventoy uses a different "copy ISOs after" workflow.

Windows setup extras

Current Rufus can offer local-account and requirement helpers on some Windows ISOs. That is Rufus, not MCT.

Who is it for?

People making a Windows or Linux installer stick
Technicians who already have the ISO
Anyone who should type rufus.ie and not a look-alike domain

Current status

Rufus (2011) is a current usb image writer from Pete Batard. The vendor still points Windows users at https://rufus.ie/.

How old is it?

Rufus started in 2011. The Media Creation Tool is Microsoft's Windows-only ISO-and-USB helper. Ventoy (2020) leaves many ISOs on the stick. Rufus still writes one image at a time unless you run it again.

Versions

Major channels first. Exact build numbers are not all verified here.

Standard portable

MinGW / ARM builds Pete documents

System requirements

Values follow the publisher's public guidance. Workload still changes the real need.

Minimum

Minimum system requirements
Operating system	Windows 8 or later for current Rufus, per the project. Everyday use is Windows 10 or Windows 11
RAM	Enough for Windows plus this app. Heavy projects want more.

Resource profile

CPU demand: Moderate while writing
Disk demand: The USB stick is erased and filled

Installed processes

These executables belong to this product when it is installed.

Installed processes
rufus.exe	Image writer window

Startup components

Rufus is a portable tool. It should not start with Windows.

File locations

Common Rufus locations
Typical install	Wherever you saved rufus.exe, often Downloads

File formats

ISOIMGVHDWindows To Go on supported builds

Common problems

Look-alike download domains

The official site is rufus.ie. Other hosts add junk. The Media Creation Tool lives on microsoft.com.

Wrong partition scheme for the PC

UEFI PCs usually want GPT. An old BIOS box may want MBR. Ventoy's install is a different first step.

Getting unstuck

Open rufus.ie and check the SHA-256 Pete posts

If the domain is not rufus.ie, stop. GitHub.com/pbatard/rufus is the other official path.

Pick the USB you mean. Rufus will erase it

The Media Creation Tool also erases the stick. Ventoy's first install erases it too. Confirm the drive letter.

If Windows setup refuses the stick, try GPT plus UEFI in Rufus

That is a Rufus target setting, not an Etcher "flash extra" prompt.

Alternatives

Media Creation Tool for a Microsoft-only Windows USB. Ventoy to keep many ISOs on one stick. balenaEtcher for a simpler flash UI.

Official help and downloads

Start with the vendor. Random exe sites are not a support channel.

Official contacts
Download	rufus.ie/ Official installer or vendor page
Help	github.com/pbatard/rufus/wiki Vendor support
Official site	rufus.ie/ Start here, not a random exe host
GitHub releases	github.com/pbatard/rufus/releases Signed builds Pete publishes

Related hardware

A USB 3 stick on a USB 3 port writes faster. Rufus erases the drive you select. That is the hardware you are about to wipe.

Technical details

Vendor version numbers change. This article does not pin a build.

Sources and verification

Reviewed by Feex editorial. Last verified August 2026 Status: Feex Reviewed. How we research.

Rufus official site · Vendor product page
Rufus help · Vendor support
Rufus GitHub · Source and releases
Foxhole process map · First-party samples on Windows PCs. Not a lab benchmark.

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