4 Ways to Resolve the "Can't Burn ISO File to USB on Windows" Error

Updated by

Linda 

Written by

Cici 

Updated on April 28, 2024

An ISO file represents a compact copy of a large dataset. Users employ ISO files for backing up or storing data. Burning an ISO to a USB drive involves decompressing it. However, burning ISO files to a USB stick differs from merely copying and pasting the content.

This article will assist you in analyzing the reasons why you can't burn ISO to USB and offer some potential solutions. Continue reading for more detailed information.

Why Can't I Burn an ISO File to a USB?

ISO files can contain music CDs, video DVDs, and images of Windows installation media. We've encountered various instances of users needing to burn ISO images in our forums, with the most frequent issue being related to burning Windows installation media. Here's a typical user query:

Don't worry about encountering this issue. Typically, burning a USB with a bootable ISO image is performed to backup an operating system and reinstall it if your computer fails, or to boot Windows from a USB drive. The failure to burn an ISO could result from several factors:

Here are the translations in English:
• ⛏️Lack of a professional burning tool: Windows does not provide the option to burn ISO files to a USB flash drive.
• ?Different ISO file structure from USB: The USB is not formatted as FAT32.
• ?The ISO file is too large: FAT32 does not support files larger than 4GB.
• ?Incorrect ISO file downloaded: You need to download the correct ISO file from Microsoft.
• ?Insufficient USB storage: The USB drive doesn't have enough space for the 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 find it helpful, hit the social buttons and share it with others.

How to Fix Cannot Burn ISO File to USB on Windows

This section will present four effective solutions to assist you in resolving the issue of unable to burn an ISO file to a USB drive. If the problem pertains to a video ISO, you can simply convert it to MP4 and then transfer it to the USB drive.

If the issue is related to a Windows ISO file, please refer to the following solutions to resolve it:

These are the translations in English:
1. Solution 1. Download the ISO File Correctly
2. Solution 2. Burn ISO File to USB with a Professional Tool
3. Solution 3. Reformat the USB Drive
4. Solution 4. Restore USB to Its Full Capacity

Here's a step-by-step guide for these solutions:

1️⃣Solution 1. Download the ISO File Properly

Microsoft provides several options for downloading Windows ISO files, and it's essential to select the appropriate version of Windows. Here's a straightforward step-by-step guide:

Step 1. Download the Windows ISO file:

Here are the translations for the given languages in American English: 1. For Windows 11:
• English: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11
2. For Windows 10:
• English: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Here, we'll use Windows 11 as an example.

Step 2. Download the Windows 11 ISO file and choose the appropriate version.

Step 3. Select your language and continue.

Step 4. Choose the Windows version number and download the Windows 11 ISO file.

Once you've downloaded the correct Windows ISO, select a reliable tool and burn the ISO file to USB.

Solution 2: Burn ISO File to USB using a Professional Tool

Regardless of whether you've downloaded Windows 7/10/11, you can use a professional burning tool - tools Partition Master to burn ISO to USB. This tool offers multiple burning options with Windows compatibility, allowing you to burn the ISO image to USB, DVD, or CD. Utilizing this software ensures a 100% successful solution to the issue of being unable to burn an ISO file to USB.

You can download it for free and refer to the detailed guide:

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Partition Assistant and go to the Bootable Media section. Click "Burn ISO" and click "Next".

Step 2. Choose the ISO file you downloaded on your computer and click "Open."

Step 3. Click "Next" and choose the target USB as the destination, then click "Burn" to perform the operation.

3️⃣Solution 3. Reformat the USB

If you can't put ISO on USB, one of the main reasons might be the incorrect format of the USB. Windows ISO files have a specific file system format requirement for burning: the USB should be in FAT32 format. Tools like Partition Master can make the formatting process effortless and secure.

Download this powerful tool now and follow the straightforward steps to finish formatting:

Step 1. Launch tools Partition 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, then click "OK".

Step 3. In the Warning window, click "Yes" to continue.

Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button in the upper-left corner to review the changes, then click "Apply" to begin formatting your external hard drive, USB, or SD card.

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 an ISO file to a USB drive can fail if the ISO file is too large or there isn't enough space on the USB drive. There are several methods to restore the USB drive's full capacity:

Here are the translations for the provided languages: 1. **Format USB to NTFS/exFAT:** This method will not be compatible with the requirements for burning ISO files. It's recommended to choose another method. If you're not burning a Windows ISO, you can consider this option. 2. **Manually delete USB contents:** You can use File Explorer to select and delete the unwanted content on the USB drive. 3. **Delete the USB partition:** You can remove and reutilize the entire USB partition. 4. **Securely erase the hard drive:** You can use Command Prompt or Disk Management to perform a quick format securely.

Conclusion

If you can't burn the ISO file to USB, you can promptly resolve this issue by following the methods outlined in this article. Most instances of inability to burn are due to the USB format or the burning process. You need to download the correct Windows ISO file from the official website and then use tools like Partition Master to burn it to the USB drive or format the USB.

No matter which way you choose, Partition Master can help you. If you have any needs, click on the blue button below to download this tool to better manage your USB.

Frequently Asked Questions About Unable to Burn ISO File to USB

1. How to burn ISO files to USB on a Mac?

Mac provides Disk Utility to manage your hard drive and create disk images. Here's a brief guide on how to burn an ISO to USB using Disk Utility:

Step 1. Insert your USB into the macOS.

Step 2. Open Disk Utility using Finder or Launchpad.

Step 3. If the USB drive appears, select New Image and save the disk size and name.

Step 4. Click Burn to select the image files that you have created.

If you wish to burn ISO to USB on Windows 11, you should first download the ISO files and then utilize a third-party tool to create a bootable USB on Windows 11, like the software Partition Master:

Step 1. Download tools Partition Master and go to the Bootable Media tab.

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 a Mac?**

Certainly, you can copy Windows ISO files to a USB drive using Boot Camp on a Mac. First, you need to create a Windows 10 installation disk, then select the ISO image from the Mac's internal storage. This process will assist you in creating a Windows USB drive using your Mac.