4 Ways to Fix "Can't Burn ISO File to USB on Windows" Error
An ISO file refers to a small copy of a large data set. Users can use ISO files to back up or store data. Burning an ISO to USB means you will decompress it. But burning ISO files to USB is different from simply copying and pasting.
This article will help you analyze why you can't burn ISO to USB and provide some possible solutions. Keep reading for more detailed information.
Why Can't Burn ISO File to USB
ISO files include music CDs, video DVDs, and ISO files of Windows installation media. We have collected several cases of burning ISO images in our forum, among which burning Windows installation media is the most common problem. The following is a typical user question:
Please don't worry about running into this problem. Burning a USB containing a bootable ISO file is usually done to back up the operating system and reinstall it in case the computer crashes or to boot Windows using a USB. The inability to burn an ISO may be due to several reasons:
- ⛏️Lack of a professional burning tool: Windows does not provide the option to burn ISO files to a USB flash drive.
- 📁ISO file structure differs from the one used by USB: USB is not formatted as FAT32.
- 🔊The ISO file is too large: FAT32 does not support files larger than 4GB.
- 💻Wrong ISO file was downloaded: You need to go to Microsoft to download the correct ISO file.
- 📉Insufficient USB space: The USB cannot accommodate too large Windows ISO files.
By now, you should know why you cannot burn ISO files to USB. Next, we will provide the corresponding methods to fix the problem. If you think it's useful, click the social buttons and share it with others.
How to Fix Can't Burn ISO File to USB on Windows
This section will provide four effective solutions to help you fix the can't burn ISO file to USB error. If it's a video ISO error, you can directly convert it to MP4 and then copy it to USB.
If it's a Windows ISO file-related problem, please refer to the following solutions to fix it:
- Solution 1. Download the ISO File Correctly
- Solution 2. Burn ISO File to USB via Professional Tool
- Solution 3. Reformat the USB
- Solution 4. Restore USB to Full Capacity
Here is the step-by-step guide for these solutions:
1️⃣Solution 1. Download the ISO File Correctly
Microsoft offers different options for downloading Windows ISO files, and you need to choose the correct version of Windows. The following is a simple step-by-step guide:
Step 1. Download the Windows ISO file:
- For Windows 11: https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
- For Windows 10: https://www.microsoft.com/en-hk/software-download/windows10
Here we will use Windows 11 as an example.
Step 2. Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) and select the corresponding version.
Step 3. Select the language and continue.
Step 4. Select the Windows version number and download the Windows 11 ISO file.
Once you have downloaded the correct Windows ISO, select a reliable tool and burn the ISO file to USB.
2️⃣Solution 2. Burn ISO File to USB via Professional Tool
Whether you downloaded Windows 7/10/11, you can burn ISO to USB using a professional burning tool - Qiling Disk Master, which provides multiple burning options with Windows support, and you can burn to USB/DVD/CD. With the help of this tool, you can fix can't burn ISO file to USB problem with 100% success.
You can download it for free and check out the detailed guide:
Step 1. Launch Qiling Disk Master and go to the Tools section. Click "Create Bootable Media".
Step 2. Select the target USB as destination.
Step 3. Click "Proceed" to execute the operation.
3️⃣Solution 3. Reformat the USB
If you cannot put ISO on USB, one of the main reasons may be the incorrect format of the USB. Windows ISO files have a specific file system format requirement for burning: USB should be in FAT32 format. Qiling Disk Master can make the formatting process easy and safe.
Download this powerful tool now and follow the simple steps to complete the formatting:
Step 1. Launch Qiling Disk Master, right-click the partition on your external hard drive/USB/SD card which you want to format and choose the "Format" option.
Step 2. Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition.
Step 3. Click the "Proceed" to start formatting your external hard drive/USB/SD card.
Step 4. In the Warning window, click "Yes" to continue.
If your USB is in NTFS format, this tool supports you to convert NTFS to FAT32 directly without losing data.
4️⃣Solution 4. Restore USB to Full Capacity
Burning ISO files can fail if the ISO file is too large or lacks space on the USB. There are several ways to restore USB to full capacity:
- Format USB to NTFS/exFAT: This method will be incompatible with the requirements of burning ISO files. So it is better to choose another method. If you don't burn Windows ISO, you can select this option.
- Manually delete the USB contents: you can use File Explorer and select the unwanted contents to perform the delete operation.
- Delete the USB partition: You can delete and reuse the entire USB partition.
- Secure erase the hard drive: You can use Command Prompt or Disk Management to perform a quick format.
Conclusion
If you can't burn the ISO file to USB, you can quickly solve this problem by following the methods in this article. Most reasons for being unable to burn are due to the USB format or the burning method. You need to download the correct Windows ISO file from the official website and then burn it to the USB drive with the help of Qiling Disk Master or format the USB.
Whichever way you choose, Qiling Disk Master can help you. If you have any need, click on the blue button below to download this tool which will help you manage the USB better.
FAQs About Can't Burn ISO File to USB
1. How to burn ISO files to USB on Mac?
Mac offers Disk Utility to manage your hard drive and create disk images. Here is a brief guide on how to burn ISO to USB via Disk Utility:
Step 1. Insert your USB into the macOS.
Step 2. Open Disk Utility via Finder or Launchpad.
Step 3. If the USB appears, select New Image and save the disk size and name.
Step 4. Select the created image files by clicking Burn.
2. How to burn ISO to USB on Windows 11?
If you want to burn from USB on Windows 11, you should first download ISO files and then use a third-party tool to put ISO to USB on Windows 11, such as Qiling Disk Master:
Step 1. Download Qiling Disk Master and turn to the Bootable Media section.
Step 2. Choose Burn ISO and click Next.
Step 3. Open the ISO file, set the USB as the destination, and click Burn.
3. Can I copy the Windows ISO file to a USB on Mac?
Of course, you can copy Windows ISO files to USB by using Boot Camp on Mac. You should first create the Windows 10 installed disk and then select the ISO image from internal storage on Mac. This process will help you to successfully male a Windows USB using Mac.
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