Step‑by‑step: Create a USB recovery drive 

Windows 10 and 11. The process will erase the USB drive — backup files first.

1. Prepare your thumb drive

  • Use a USB drive with at least 16 GB capacity (32 GB recommended).
  • Back up any files on it — the process will erase everything.

2. Open the Recovery Drive tool

  • Plug in your USB drive.
  • In the Windows search bar, type "Recovery Drive”.
  • Select Recovery Drive (App) from the results.

3. Allow admin permissions

  • If prompted by User Account Control, click Yes to allow changes.

4. Configure recovery options

  • In the Recovery Drive window, check "Back up system files to the recovery drive” (recommended).
  • This enables reinstalling Windows if needed.
  • Click Next.

5. Select your USB drive

  • Windows will detect available drives.
  • Choose your thumb drive from the list.
  • Click Next.

6. Create the recovery drive

  • Confirm that all data on the drive will be deleted.
  • Click Create.
  • The process may take 10–30 minutes depending on speed and size.

7. Finish and label

  • Once complete, click Finish.
  • Safely eject the USB drive.
  • Label it clearly (e.g., Windows Recovery Drive).

How to use it later

  • Insert the recovery drive into your PC.
  • Restart and open the boot menu (often F12, F2, Esc, or Del).
  • Select the USB drive to boot from.
  • In Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), you can:
    • Troubleshoot startup issues
    • Restore from a system image
    • Reinstall Windows