Creating a Windows 10 bootable USB in Ubuntu without using WoeUSB is completely possible. Many older tutorials provide incomplete or outdated information, especially regarding file systems and UEFI compatibility. This article combines practical experience with fact-checked technical details and explains the correct method in a clear, structured way.

Requirements

• Windows 10 ISO (Download from the official website of Microsoft)
• 8GB or larger USB drive (16GB recommended)
• Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04
• GParted (sudo apt install gparted if not installed)

Important Technical Facts

Simply formatting a USB to NTFS and copying files works on most modern UEFI systems — but not all systems.

FAT32 cannot store files larger than 4GB.
Modern Windows 10 ISOs contain a file called:

sources/install.wim

This file is often larger than 4GB. Because of this limitation, FAT32 formatting will fail during file copy. That is why NTFS is typically required.

Some pure UEFI systems may not boot from NTFS without proper UEFI support.

Understanding these facts prevents common installation failures.

Method 1: NTFS + File Copy (Recommended for Most Modern PCs)

Step 1: Prepare the USB Using GParted

1. Insert the USB drive.
2. Open GParted.
3. Select your USB device (for example. /dev/sdb).
   Be careful to select the correct device.
4. Delete all existing partitions.
5. Go to Device → Create Partition Table → Select msdos.
6. Create a new partition:
   • File system: NTFS
7. Right-click the partition → Manage Flags → Enable boot.
8. Click Apply.

Step 2: Mount the Windows ISO

Right-click the ISO file and choose “Open With Disk Image Mounter.”

Or use the terminal:

sudo mkdir /mnt/winiso
sudo mount -o loop Win10.iso /mnt/winiso

Step 3: Copy All Files to USB

Make sure the USB is mounted. Then copy everything:

sudo cp -r /mnt/winiso/* /media/$USER/USBNAME/

Wait until the copy process completes fully.

After that:

sudo umount /mnt/winiso

Safely eject the USB.

For most modern UEFI systems, the USB should now boot successfully.

Method 2: Using the dd Command (Advanced Users)

Another approach is writing the ISO directly to the USB:

sudo dd if=Win10.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress

Replace /dev/sdX Carefully with your actual USB device.

Warning: Selecting the wrong device will erase your data.

Technical reality:

• Works in some cases.
• Windows ISO files are not always hybrid ISO images.
• Not guaranteed to boot on every system.

Because of this, the NTFS + copy method is generally safer.

Modern Recommended Alternative

If you want the most reliable and beginner-friendly solution, use:

• Ventoy
• balenaEtcher

Ventoy is especially powerful because:

• It supports multiple ISO files on one USB.
• It works with both Windows and Linux installers.
• It does not require formatting the USB every time.
• It has strong compatibility with modern UEFI systems.

Practical Example

System:

• Ubuntu 22.04
• 16GB USB drive
• Windows 10 22H2 ISO (larger than 5GB)

Process:

• USB formatted as NTFS using msdos partition table.
• All ISO files copied successfully.
• Booted in UEFI mode.
• Windows setup started without errors.

Result: Installation proceeded normally on a modern laptop.

When It May Not Work

• Secure Boot is enabled in some systems
• Legacy BIOS-only systems
• Incorrect partition table selection
• USB formatted as FAT32 when installed.wim exceeds 4GB
• Wrong device selected during formatting

Creating a Windows 10 bootable USB in Ubuntu without WoeUSB is absolutely possible when done correctly.

For modern UEFI systems: NTFS + file copy works in most cases.
For beginners: Ventoy is the most reliable option.
For advanced users: dd is possible but not always guaranteed.

Choosing the correct method depends on your system type and experience level.