# Rufus

30 Hacker News commenters recommended Rufus and 11 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 10 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Free tool that writes bootable Windows USB installers and can skip Microsoft account setup and hardware checks. Critics mostly dislike the separate Amazon Rufus shopping chatbot, which shares the name.

## Why people recommend it

- Simple, reliable USB installer creation (7 comments): "Rufus handles so many different kinds of ISO, it's well-established for years that if a download fails to make the ideal USB" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47044847)) "Or just use Rufus[1] to create a bootable USB installer from the ISO." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45860396)) "Just use Rufus and a USB stick to do the upgrade." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46349099))
- Skips Microsoft account and online sign-in (7 comments): "Set up local account during creating Win bootable install device via Rufus. During actual Win install it skips all steps about crating local account." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48536887)) "Toss your Windows 11 ISO into Rufus and disabling things like Microsoft account requirements is a trivial process." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48540085)) "It also lets you skip the first time install dialogue by setting defaults and add a local-only account." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46349183))
- Bypasses Windows 11 hardware checks (5 comments): "I used Rufus to make a Windows 11 installer USB drive that bypasses the TPM check" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46350740)) "Those running a Rufus-patched Windows 11 are living proof of this." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46294463)) "Use Rufus it'll disable hardware requirements, without hassle." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46348541))
- Edits Windows install ISOs (5 comments): "especially with the combination of official Rufus + MAS to install from official ISOs" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48680083)) "found that Rufus out of the box allows you to modify the installer, game changer." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46736934)) "Rufus could edit my arm64 windows 11 install media without problem" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50159650))

## What people warn about

- Pushes Ask Rufus chatbot on users (4 comments): "It's incredibly annoying, and they love directing you to an 'Ask Rufus' page" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49790590)) "a stranger that I'm sure most people have no interest in using" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49834279)) "when they pop open Rufus and start spewing text at me" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46650672))
- Shallow, unhelpful chatbot answers (4 comments): "it does all sorts of SQL queries into my account, but it can't be bothered to give me the link to the actual charges" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46628954)) "Rufus does not write any python for me. Just directs me to buy books on python." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46142594)) "the quality was so bad that so I stopped wasting my time there" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48369447))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Ventoy](https://hackerapproved.com/p/ventoy.md): 12 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Rufus", https://hackerapproved.com/p/rufus/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).