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Rufus review

Free#5 of 38 in Bootable USB Software

A free Windows utility with unusually deep controls for bootable USB media.

8.8/10Editor score
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Rufus is a free, open-source Windows utility for formatting USB flash drives and creating bootable media from ISO and other disk images. It is aimed at individual users, technicians, and organizations preparing operating-system or low-level utility media. The portable executable runs without installation and supports Windows and Linux installation media, DOS boot drives, BIOS and UEFI boot modes, Windows To Go, and persistent Linux partitions. For Windows users who want detailed control over how a drive is prepared, Rufus is a focused option.

Its strongest advantage is the breadth of boot-media controls available in one utility. Rufus can create BIOS- and UEFI-bootable drives, format supported drives, create DOS media, and prepare Windows To Go drives. Persistent Linux partitions add a way to retain data across sessions. The utility also supports selected official Microsoft Windows and UEFI Shell ISO downloads, while MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, and SHA-512 checksum calculations help verify image files. Bad-block checks, potentially fake flash-drive detection, and runtime validation of UEFI bootable media extend its usefulness beyond basic image writing.

The main trade-off is platform coverage. Rufus is Windows-only, with no macOS or Linux application, so users preparing media from those operating systems need another tool. It also does not support multiboot, which limits it for workflows that require several boot images on one drive. Windows users who value partition, persistence, verification, download, and drive-testing controls should choose Rufus. Those needing macOS or Linux support, or multiboot capabilities, should look elsewhere.

Rufus pros and cons

  • Where it wins
    • Supports BIOS, UEFI, DOS, Windows To Go, and persistent Linux media
    • Includes ISO downloads, checksum calculation, and runtime validation
    • Runs portably and adds bad-block checks with fake-drive detection
  • Where it doesn't
    • Available only on Windows
    • Does not provide multiboot support
    • Its broad controls may exceed simple USB creation needs

Rufus fact sheet, pricing and score →

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