You can create a bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive using apps that burn the ISO file to a USB device. This allows the device to be used as a boot tool and to help maintain the old Microsoft operating system or PC.
For this action, you will need a Windows 7 ISO file and a USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of space. In the case of Mac notebooks and Android phones, you will need to use an OTG cable to connect the USB device to the computer or smartphone.
See how to make a bootable pen drive with Windows 7 on your PC, Mac or Android phone.
How to create a bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive using Rufus
1. Download the Rufus application on your Windows computer
Open your PC’s web browser and go to rufus.ie. This is the official page of the tool for mounting a bootable pen drive with Windows 7 or other versions of Microsoft’s operating system.
Then, scroll down to the “Download” section and click on the “rufus-4.5p.exe” link. This is the portable version of Rufus, which can be used without the need for installation.
2. Open Rufus to start creating the bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive.
Access the folder where you saved Rufus and click on the application icon to run.
Important: If Windows asks if you authorize the software to make changes to the system, click “Yes” to continue.
3. Choose the USB flash drive to burn the Windows 7 ISO
In the “Drive Properties” section, click the “Device” drop-down menu and select the USB flash drive that you want to turn into a Windows 7 boot disk.
4. Select Windows 7 ISO
Click the “Select” button on the right side of the screen to search for the Windows 7 ISO file saved on your computer.
5. Set the “Partition Scheme” of the bootable USB flash drive
In the “Partition Scheme” drop-down menu, select the technology option that best suits the machine you will use the bootable USB flash drive on:
- MBR: recommended for PCs over 10 years old or weaker configurations;
- GPT: recommended for PCs less than 10 years old or more robust configurations.
6. Click “Start” to burn Windows 7 to the pen drive
Click the “Start” button at the bottom of the screen to open a system window. Then, click “OK” to confirm that you are aware that all data will be erased from the device and to begin the process of writing Windows 7 to the flash drive.
7. Wait for the pen drive to finish recording
In the “Status” section, monitor the process of recording the bootable pen drive with Windows 7. When the green bar is completely full and displays the message “Ready”, click “Close” and then remove the USB device from your computer.
How to create a bootable pen drive with Windows 7 on Mac
1. Download UUByte ISO Editor app on Mac
Use your web browser to go to uubyte.com/iso-editor. This is the official website for the Mac application used to quickly and safely burn Windows 7 ISO to a USB flash drive.
Then, click on “Free Trial” to download the trial version of the software.
2. Open UUByte ISO Editor and connect the USB flash drive to the computer
Open UUByte ISO Editor after installing the application on your Mac. At this point, you can connect the USB flash drive that will host Windows 7 to your computer.
3. Click “Burn” to create a bootable USB flash drive
Click the “Burn” option to access the options for making a bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive on your Mac. If necessary, authorize the app to access the USB device.
4. Select Windows 7 ISO
In the “ISO File” field, click the blue “Browse” button to select the Windows 7 ISO saved on your Mac computer.
5. Select “Create a bootable USB”
Check the “Create a bootable USB” option. Then, click on the drop-down menu to confirm the correct USB drive to burn the Windows 7 ISO.
Important: In general, the Mac will identify the pen drive as “/dev/disk2” if there is only one USB device connected to the machine.
6. Set the “Partition Style” of the pen drive
Click on the “Partition Style” drop-down menu and choose the option that best suits your bootable USB drive for Windows 7:
- MBR: installation on PCs over 10 years old or with simpler specifications;
- GPT: installation on PCs less than 10 years old or with more robust specifications.
7. Click “Burn” to create the bootable USB flash drive.
Finally, click the blue “Burn” button to start creating the bootable pen drive. Remember that this process may take a few minutes to complete.
How to create a pen drive with Windows 7 using your Android phone
1. Download the Ventoy app on your mobile phone
Go to the Play Store on your Android phone and download the Ventoy app. The MixApplications tool allows you to create a bootable USB device from ISO files.
2. Open the app and connect the OTG cable to your phone
Open Ventoy and connect the OTG cable with the USB flash drive to your phone’s USB port. Then, tap “OK” on the pop-up window to allow the app to access the USB device.
3. Tap “Install”
Tap the “Install” button at the bottom to format the pen drive to be the Windows 7 boot disk. Then, tap “OK” and watch the ads to earn coins to continue the process.
Tip: If the “Watch Ad” button is not tappable, temporarily turn off the “Private DNS” option in your phone settings.
4. Tap “Copy file to USB”
Tap the “Copy file to USB” button to mount the bootable pen drive with Windows 7. In the pop-up window, click “OK” and watch the advertisement to proceed.
5. Select Windows 7 ISO
Check the “Large files” filter at the top of the screen to make it easier to search for the Windows 7 ISO. Then, tap on the operating system file to continue.
6. Wait for the process to finish
Wait for the Ventoy app to create the bootable pen drive with Windows 7. When the process is complete, tap “OK” to safely remove the USB device.
Does any USB flash drive work to create the Windows 7 installer?
To create a bootable Windows 7 installer, you must use a USB 3.0 flash drive with at least 8 GB of storage and formatted in FAT32. Additionally, it is recommended to use trusted brand accessories to avoid data reading and writing issues.
Do I need to do anything on the PC to boot the pen drive with Windows 7?
To boot your computer from a USB flash drive with Windows 7, you must configure the BIOS to boot from the USB device. Then, follow the instructions to install or maintain the operating system on the machine.
Does the same method work to create a USB flash drive with Windows 11?
Yes, the difference is that Microsoft has an official and free tool to create a pen drive with Windows 11 or 10. So, you will need a pen drive with at least 8 GB of free space and a valid operating system license or use a machine that meets the requirements.
