Ventoy: what it does and who it is for
Ventoy turns a USB stick into a multi-boot device without repeatedly rewriting it. You install the Ventoy bootloader to the drive once, then copy ISO, WIM, IMG, VHD and EFI files onto it as ordinary files. At boot the Ventoy menu lists what is present, and each image is mounted and started directly. Windows installers, Linux installers and rescue images can therefore live side by side, and adding or removing one is a file copy rather than an imaging operation. Both legacy BIOS and modern UEFI firmware are supported, and Secure Boot works after enrolling the project's key during installation.
How the workflow fits together
Download the Windows archive, unpack it, and run the graphical installer against the target USB drive. The installer writes the Ventoy bootloader and creates a data partition where images are stored. Afterwards, copy images onto that partition, eject the drive safely, and boot the target machine with the USB device selected in the firmware boot menu. If a particular image needs persistence or special boot parameters, a JSON configuration file placed beside the images controls the per-image options. Upgrading the bootloader for a newer release is a separate in-place operation that leaves the stored images untouched.
Configuration, limits and trade-offs
The installer offers a partition style choice between MBR and GPT, which determines which firmware generations can boot the stick, and it can reserve space or leave the layout to the defaults. Ventoy supports persistent storage for some Linux distributions, automatic installation answer files, and a plugin framework for advanced boot menus. Secure Boot requires enrolling the Ventoy key or temporarily disabling Secure Boot, depending on the firmware. Some images are still rejected because their own loaders behave unusually, and a few protect themselves against this kind of mounting. Ventoy also repartitions the drive during installation, so anything already on the stick must be moved off it first.
When to choose something else
Choose a different approach when you need a single-purpose installer and prefer the smallest possible surface area, in which case the distribution's own USB writer or a simple image-copy tool is enough. If your target machine cannot disable Secure Boot and you do not want to enrol a third-party key, a plain single-image stick avoids the question entirely. For routine backups of a running system, imaging software is the right category rather than a multiboot USB.
- Best for
- Technicians and enthusiasts who keep several installer or rescue images on one stick and add or remove them as ordinary files.
- Good to know
- Installation repartitions the drive, Secure Boot needs the project key enrolled, and a few unusual or self-protecting images refuse to boot.
Ventoy installs a bootloader once, then boots any image you copy onto the drive.
How to get started
- Download the Windows archive and extract it.
- Run Ventoy2Disk and select the target USB drive.
- Choose the partition style, then press Install.
- Copy ISO or IMG files onto the newly created data partition.
- Eject the drive safely and boot the target machine from it.
- Pick an image from the Ventoy menu and let it start.
- Add a JSON control file beside the images if an entry needs persistence or special boot options.
Questions & answers
Do I have to reformat for each image?
No. Images are plain files on the drive, so adding or removing one is an ordinary file copy.
Does it support Secure Boot?
Yes. Secure Boot works once you enrol the project key, or you can disable Secure Boot in firmware while you use the stick.
Is the whole drive erased?
Yes. Installation repartitions the stick, so move any existing data off it first.
