Summary: This small tutorial will show you how to install Windows 10 on a computer from a USB flash drive.
Date: Around 2012
Refactor: 1 May 2025: Checked links and formatting.

On a different computer, download the MediaCreationTool.exe from here and save it on a temporary location. Start it and accept the usage terms. Then follow the following instructions:

• Select “Create installation media for another PC” and click Next
  

• Select your desired language, Edition and Architecture. My choices would be:
  • English
  • Windows 10
  • 64-bit
• When prompted to choose the media select the USB flash drive
  • Note that it needs to be at least 4 GB
    

• Now select the SB drive
  • Note that all files on the drive will be deleted:
    

• Now the download of Windows 10 will start and depending on your internet connection it might take a while. When done it will start to create the Windows 10 media, which will also take a while.
• Afterwards you'll get a message that “Your USB flash drive is ready”. Click Finish to exit the program.

Stick the USB flash drive in the usb port of the computer you want to install and depending on your hardware you should select to start from the USB drive. As I am installing a Lenovo Thinkpad I had to do the following steps:

• Press ENTER to interrupt normal startup
• Press F12 to select an alternate startup device
• Select the USB HDD: Generic Flash Disk
• Select your language and keyboard preferences
• Select “Install Now” to start installing
• Accept the license terms
• As I want to have a fresh install I selected the Custom Install Windows only option
• The Partition where I wanted to install Windows still had the old (Bitlocker) installation on it. First delete the partition and then select it to install Windows on it
• Now the actual installation starts, which is also coffee/beer time

After the reboot it's time to setup Windows 10:

• Select your Wifi network and connect it
• Setup your customized settings the way you want it or select the express settings
• Select I own this PC to use your own Live Account to setup the PC
• I decided to setup a PIN for easy and safe access
• I decided to not use cortana
• After this the setup was complete and I was ready to start using the fresh installation

https://www.microsoft.com/nl-nl/software-download/windows10